In a way, Jennifer and Michael Ingellis manifested their latest business venture, P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa.
“One of the very first jobs that each of us worked, when we were kids, was in an ice cream shop,” Jennifer Ingellis said. Now the self-described food lovers are scooping their own creations for customers at their shop at 2754 Old Sonoma Road, which has been open for about a month. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.
Jennifer and Michael Ingellis, owners of P’s and Q’s Ice Cream, hold a trey showing their Maple Walnut Ice Cream with a one pint container, including maple syrup and walnuts in front of their store window in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Michael and Jennifer Ingellis, owners of P’s and Q’s Ice Cream, each hold a pint of their ice cream inside their store in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Customer, Omar Stanley Posadas of Napa, looks at ice cream before purchasing, at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
The store window near the entrance for P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A sign says “Mind your P’s & Q’s” and lists many flavors for sale at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
The store window for P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A dish of Maple Walnut Ice Cream is shown at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Michael and Jennifer Ingellis, owners of P’s and Q’s Ice Cream, each hold a pint of their ice cream inside their store in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Customer, Omar Stanley Posadas of Napa, photographs a container of ice cream at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
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Jennifer and Michael Ingellis, owners of P’s and Q’s Ice Cream, hold a trey showing their Maple Walnut Ice Cream with a one pint container, including maple syrup and walnuts in front of their store window in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
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The longtime Napa Valley residents, originally from the East Coast, met while working as servers at a family-owned restaurant in New Hampshire. During a holiday closure, they took a vacation to the West Coast and soon realized they wanted to settle in California. After stops in San Francisco and Hawaii, they landed in Napa in 2002.
Both have long histories in the food industry. They worked in multiple restaurants in San Francisco, where they learned to brew beer through the American Brewers Guild.
In Napa, Jennifer Ingellis working at Mustards Grill as a floor manager and wine buyer before transitioning to Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, where she is an import buyer. Her husband currently oversees a tasting room for Krupp Brothers near Oxbow.
Though most of their weekly working hours go to their main jobs, the couple had always dreamed about opening a business together — food related, of course. They considered many options but settled on ice cream, thinking Napa lacked a shop specializing in scratch-made ice cream. To keep startup costs down, they currently offer only half-pints ($5), pints ($9) and quarts ($16) of their multiple flavors. Keeping serving size options limited allowed them to open sooner without taking on large debt or asking friends or family for funding, the couple said. Their hope, they said, is to see how the business grows and offer sundae toppings such as sprinkles and hot fudge.
In early 2025, the couple purchased a small Italian ice cream-making machine and began experimenting at home, sharing samples with friends. When the right retail space became available close to their home, they decided to take the leap.
Everything they make is produced by hand, from ice cream bases to sauces, nut milks to mix-ins, with no shortcuts, they say. Many flavors take multiple days to complete, involving soaking, infusing and resting to develop depth and texture.
A pint of Maple Walnut Ice Cream is displayed with maple syrup, walnuts and a dish of ice cream, at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A sign says “Mind your P’s & Q’s” and lists many flavors for sale at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A one pint container of Pistachio Ice Cream is displayed at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Various ice cream flavors for sale in pint or quart containers are stored in the freezer at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A dish of Maple Walnut Ice Cream is displayed with a pint container and walnuts at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
A pint of Pistachio Ice Cream is shown with pistachios and a dish of ice cream at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Jennifer and Michael Ingellis, owners of P’s and Q’s Ice Cream, hold a trey showing their Maple Walnut Ice Cream with a one pint container, including maple syrup and walnuts in front of their store window in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
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A pint of Maple Walnut Ice Cream is displayed with maple syrup, walnuts and a dish of ice cream, at P’s and Q’s Ice Cream in Napa, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
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“The pistachios soak overnight, then every single one is peeled before it goes into the ice cream. Some flavors take two or three days before they’re ready,” Jennifer Ingellis said.
Collaboration is central to the couple’s philosophy. They actively seek partnerships with local businesses, farmers and producers — from fortune cookie makers such as Por Suerte Cookies to coffee roasters such as Naysayer — and they have plans to expand seasonal flavors using local fruit and nuts. Rotating flavor selections is part of their long-term strategy, with several flavors changing monthly to complement a few classics year-round.
The business is currently run solely by the two of them, requiring long hours and constant production. They describe the work as exhausting and joyful at the same time.
“We’re making ice cream almost every day. It’s not for the faint of heart,” Michael Ingellis said.
Several flavors are expected to stay but the couple plans to introduce new selections every month. “Gianduja will always be a favorite — it reminds us of family in Italy. Toasted coconut, pistachio and banana are hard not to love,” Jennifer Ingellis said.
Irma Robinson, co-founder of Southside discovered Ps & Qs through social media while searching for a locally made, high-quality dessert. Drawn in by the emphasis on local ingredients and creative flavors, she decided to visit and has been back for a second time.
“The pineapple upside-down cake brought me back,” Robinson said of her favorite flavor.
A café owner herself, Robinson said she appreciated both the thoughtful décor and the craftsmanship behind the ice cream at Ps & Qs.
“With ice cream, there’s a special knack to putting flavors together,” Robinson said. “It might sound good on paper, but the flavors have to meld and complement each other.”
“Supporting local businesses is how our community grows,” she added. “You can appreciate the effort, creativity and personal commitment that goes into making something like this work.”
With more than two decades in Napa, the Ingellises say they have a strong understanding about what locals want and like, and they are grateful for the community’s support. Though their schedule requires them to juggle their jobs with the shop, and they may be tired from time to time, they say they’re having fun and enjoying the response from customers.
“Anytime you think, ‘It’s ours,’ it makes it worth it,” Michael Ingellis said. “We’ve worked for other people for a long time — this is finally ours.”
Dining and Cooking