In Hawaii, shave ice is an icy treat that can be enjoyed year-round. Because we have no winters, and barely any fall weather, shave ice is always a welcome reprieve from the balmy, humid climate. Here are some of our favorite cooling off spots.
Matsumoto Shave Ice
No list of shave ice would be complete without Matsumoto Shave Ice. The iconic store nestled on the North Shore in Haleiwa has been in business since 1951, a destination frequented by countless visitors, locals, and celebrities. The secret to the store’s popularity is all in the syrup, which has been made using a secret recipe for generations. With 39 flavors in total, conservative palates may enjoy the orthodox strawberry and lemon flavors, while more Hawaiian flavor-seeking adventurers will likely order the lilikoi or mango.
Have some ice cream added or perhaps a drizzle of condensed milk to up the creamy factor, or go the Asian route with the addition of Matsumoto’s secret original azuki, or red bean paste, and truly discover a new side to paradise.
Matsumoto Shave Ice >> Get a special offer!
Location: 66-111 Kamehameha Hwy, Suite 605
Hours: 10am – 6pm daily
Phone: (808) 637-4827
Website: MatsumotoShaveIce.com
@matsumotoshaveice
ICE MONSTER HAWAII
While Hawaii has a number of local shave ice spots, there are a number from outside of Hawaii. One that has taken the international traveler by storm is Ice Monster, a popular shave ice store based out of Taipei, Taiwan. The original location in Taiwan witnesses more than 2,500 customers a day, and has been selected as one of the top 10 best desserts by CNN.
The shave ice is crafted using “flavored ice blocks,” ice that reproduces the original taste of fruits, coffee, or tea. The ice is incredibly fine, fluffy, and rich inducing a sense of bliss as the flavors permeate all parts of your mouth.
ICE MONSTER HAWAII >> Get a special offer!
Location: 2255 Kuhio Ave.
Hours: 11am – 10pm daily
Phone: (808) 762-3192
Website: http://www.ice-monster-hi.com/
@icemonster_hi
Lawson Station at Moana Surfrider
One spot in Waikiki that may seem to be an unlikely suspect for shave ice is Lawson Station, a convenience store with a location at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa. Fronting Kalakaua Avenue, just a stone’s throw from Waikiki Beach, this store may be popular for being a location in town that serves Dole pineapple soft serve. However, what people may not know is that it also produces incredibly delicious Strawberry & Mango Snow Ice and Lilikoi Mango Snow Ice.
The duality of cold with the vanilla ice cream and frozen mango and strawberry fruits make for the perfect snack after frolicking in the ocean or sunbathing on the beach.
Lawson Station at Moana Surfrider >> Get a special offer!
Location: 2365 Kalakaua Ave. (at Moana Surfrider)
Phone: (808) 926-1819
Hours: 9am – 11pm daily
@lawson.hawaii
Island Vintage Shave Ice
If you see a line in front of the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, it is most likely in front of Island Vintage Shave Ice. An outpost of the hugely popular cafe, Island Vintage Coffee, this kiosk that opened in 2014 not only specializes but also excels in crafting desirable shave ice. Featuring homemade syrups concocted from fresh fruit, with an emphasis on organic ingredients, the shave ice is free from preservatives or artificial sweeteners allowing you to savor the natural flavors of the fruits.
Signature menu items include the Heavenly Lilikoi and Pink Island with frozen yogurt concealed under a mound of sheared ice. While the flavors may be uniquely Hawaiian, the toppings such as azuki and mochi are reminiscent of Taiwanese-style shave ice desserts.
Island Vintage Shave Ice
Location: 2201 Kalakaua Ave Kiosk B-1 (at Royal Hawaiian Center)
Phone: (808) 922-5662
Hours: 10am – 10pm daily
Meet Fresh
Another Taiwan-based sweet shop is Meet Fresh, located on the first floor of Ala Moana Center. The dessert shoppe offers a variety of unique Taiwanese shaved ice, such as shaved ice with pudding and rice cake, black sugar boba, and taro paste shaved ice.
Top it with ice cream and you will find the towering dessert quite Instagrammable, almost resembling a volcano.
Meet Fresh >> Get a special offer!
Location: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd #1320, Ala Moana Center 1F, Next to USPS Office
Hours: 12pm – 10pm(Mon – Thur), 11am – 11pm (Fri – Sat), 11am – 10pm (Sun)
@meetfresh_honolulu
Jejubing Dessert Cafe
A different perspective of shave ice is bingsu, a Korean version of the frozen treat. At Jejubing Dessert Cafe, a Korean-style shaved ice store located on the first floor of Ala Moana Center next to the Makai Market food court, shave ice is topped with loads of fruits, such as strawberry, mango, watermelon, and pineapple.
The ice is mixed with condensed milk, so the frozen part of the composition is balanced in its sweetness, an alluring flavor that complements the fruits as it gently melts away in your mouth.
Jejubing Dessert Cafe
Location: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd SPACE#1201, Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: (808) 468-7620
Hours: 12am – 8:30pm daily
Onaona
cited from: https://www.instagram.com/onaonahawaiicafe
Located on the second floor of Ala Moana Center near the Lanai Food Court is Onaona, an authentic Korean dessert shop that offers Korean-style shaved ice or bingsu. The store’s specialty features real fruit and Oreo toppings, as well as syrups, including mango, strawberry, black sesame, and Oreo. All natural ingredients are used so you can feel good about eating any of the desserts here.
Onaona
Location: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd level2 #2268, Honolulu, HI 96814
Hours: 8am – 8pm daily
Frost City
Another Taiwanese-inspired shop is Frost City. Here, the dessert is called “snow ice” and it is made by shaving thin layers of ice and blended with a variety of fruit, chocolate, peanut butter, or coffee flavors to forge a fluffy and soft treat.
No syrup is needed nor added, and the ice feels as if you were eating snow. A variety of different combinations are available, but they are all worth tasting.
Frost City
Location: 1517 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: (808) 947-3328
Hours: 12am – 10pm(Mon – Thur), 12am – 11pm (Fri – Sat), Monday closed
Monsarrat Shave Ice
Adjacent to its sister business, the popular plate lunch outfit Pioneer Saloon, Monsarrat Shave Ice is a modest kiosk noticeable only by a small outward facing counter. Place an order from the small window and watch as magic emerges. The homemade fruit puree handmade using organic fruit creates fresh, bright flavors which also pair well with the variety of toppings including red beans, mochi, and ice cream.
Monsarrat Shave Ice
Location: 3046 Monsarrat ave.
@monsarratshaveice
Beachside Shaved Ice at Hukilau Marketplace
cited from: https://hukilaumarketplace.com/beachside-shave-ice/
If you are on the north part of the island in Laie, make a stop over at the Hukilau Marketplace fronting the Polynesian Cultural Center and cool down with a refreshing Hawaiian style shave ice. Featuring finely shaved ice piled high, infused with an array of vibrant, tropical flavors, Beachside Shaved Ice offers tropical fruit syrups such as pineapple, guava, and passion fruit to more inventive combinations such as coconut cream and azuki bean. Some flavors unique to Hawaii include the Ube Lover and Chocolate Haupia. Add a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or top off the icy creation with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, and you will experience a vacation while on your vacation. And if you want something for Instagram, also consider ordering the Classic Rainbow.
Beachside Shaved Ice at Hukilau Marketplace
Location : 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie Hawaii 96762
Phone : (808) 470-8689
Hours : Monday – Saturday 11 am – 9:00 pm
Closed Sundays & Wednesdays
Enjoy some cold snacks to soothe the soul while enjoying the tropical heat in Hawaii. Whether you call it snow cone or nano ice or shave ice, these spots are all worth a visit.
