Butterfat Gelato is leveling up from pop-ups and pint drops to a full-time home on Pittsburgh’s North Side, bringing small-batch Italian-style scoops to East Ohio Street. The team says the new shop is under construction and set to open soon. Fans who have been chasing Butterfat at brewery drops and neighborhood events can expect rotating flavors, pints and private tastings once the doors finally swing open.
Where It Will Be
According to Butterfat Gelato, the company’s first brick-and-mortar shop is headed for 404 E. Ohio Street in Deutschtown, where the buildout is already underway. When the doors open, the business plans to host tastings and sell pints from the space while still keeping up its regular Hotplate drops and pickup windows in the meantime. Pittsburgh Magazine has already pegged Butterfat as one of the new summer openings to watch on East Ohio Street.
Meet the Maker
Butterfat is the creation of Lauren Brock, a University of Pittsburgh-trained pharmacist who traded prescriptions for pistachio and pop-ups for a product-focused gelato brand. Brock has taken Butterfat to national competitions and appears on the Gelato Festival World Masters rankings, where her flavors have drawn attention. That kind of pedigree has helped Butterfat grow from limited pint drops into a planned permanent storefront on the North Side.
How To Scoop One Now
While construction wraps up, Butterfat is still getting gelato into freezers through Hotplate releases with weekend pickup windows. As laid out by Butterfat Gelato, all pre-orders run through Hotplate, and recent pickups have been staged at nearby Allegheny City Brewing. The company also offers catering and private tastings for events and weddings for anyone who wants a dedicated gelato moment before the shop opens.
Why East Ohio Street
East Ohio Street has been quietly turning into one of the North Side’s busiest food corridors as new restaurants, bars and shops open this season. Pittsburgh Magazine included Butterfat in its rundown of newcomers, while neighborhood coverage like Bistro & Company has highlighted the mix of private investment and city-backed improvements that are giving the block fresh momentum. For small operators such as Butterfat, that kind of energy can translate into steady foot traffic from diners, concertgoers and event crowds.
Local television has already given the spot some shine with a preview ahead of what staff called a “big grand opening,” underscoring the neighborhood buzz. As reported by CBS News Pittsburgh, reporters stopped by the in-progress shop to sample flavors on site. Butterfat says it will share the official opening date on its website and social channels once everything is ready to scoop.
