Shave ice is an inviting Hawaiian-style dessert. You’ll find it at colorful snack shacks, trendy trailers/food trucks in parking lots and near beaches, and colorful snack shacks offering it.
The Fresh Shave began life as a food truck but has since evolved into an elegant storefront in Old Koloa Town. They are known for using all-natural ingredients and serving fun menu combinations named after mustache styles.
Hee Fat General Store
This North Shore landmark is an island favorite. Natural Hawaiian shave ice, made using a sharp blade to slice off large blocks of ice into fine powder, can produce an endless supply of fine powder for fruit flavoring, and topping it off with sweetened condensed milk and chewy mochi balls is genuinely one of a kind and should be experienced to be believed! Although not cheap or fast, shave ice is worth waiting in line for and is the best shave ice in Kauai!
Recent ownership changes have brought renewed life to this longstanding favorite. Now offering delicious traditional flavors as well as locally sourced organic syrups (chilled so you can taste the difference) and specialty toppings such as mochi balls or sweet red adzuki beans, as well as rainbow versions with ice cream underneath and sweetened condensed milk on top – this treat will undoubtedly liven up any social media feed!
Old Kapa’a Town offers this delightful little spot specializing in fresh, natural shave ice. They use only premium ingredients and take great care in selecting their flavors; plus, there are great souvenirs and locally made spice blends! I fell for their light and fluffy POG flavor, which won me over, Hawaiian Sunrise flavor, and Triple Coconut (my favorite!). Their prices weren’t bad either – I got the Keiki size, which provided enough shaved ice for one sitting without melting into nothingness before becoming irreversible!
The Fresh Shave
Shave Ice, an American-style frozen dessert made from finely shaved ice mixed with syrup and toppings is an irresistibly refreshing snack that offers healthy alternatives to ice cream and snow cones. Enjoy it as part of an island adventure, or add it to a bowl with ice cream for a delightful meal.
Many people mistake shaved ice as another snow cone variant, but it is more. Shave ice is an exotic tropical dessert made by mixing shaved ice with syrup and fruit flavors for an exotic tropical treat that comes in all different colors and sizes to satisfy every palette imaginable! You’ll find shaved ice around Hawaii all year long, but particularly popular in summer.
Shave ice is lower in calories and sugar than ice cream, yet it should still be enjoyed cautiously. Most shave ice shops avoid high-fructose corn syrup, artificial coloring, and preservatives; many also use organic ingredients and offer their shave ice with unprocessed toppings like fruit slices. Some even provide dairy alternatives like soy or almond milk.
The Fresh Shave provides more than just shaved ice – they also serve shakes and malasadas! Their menu boasts traditional flavors like coconut pineapple and strawberry mango and more unusual combinations like coconut pineapple with pineapple or strawberry-mango with mango! All the flavor combinations feature natural fruit topped off with mochi balls, ice cream, and toppings such as chocolate shavings or caramel for an enjoyable experience!
The Fresh Shave is a family-owned business located on Kauai that provides quality shaved ice and shakes. Renowned for their quality and service, all-natural syrups are used, and they craft their shakes from scratch! Owners Pooch and Autumn Claytor strive to offer healthy alternatives to traditional Hawaiian treats and options suitable for kids and vegans.
Wishing Well
Kauai’s best shave ice can often be found at colorful snack shacks or trendy trailers/food trucks in parking lots or beachfront areas. This refreshing Hawaiian dessert or sweet treat begins with a block of ice being shaved down into fluffy shavings coated in syrups, fruits, and other toppings (some places even offer ice cream under it!). Many shops don’t use corn syrup, artificial colors, or dyes; however, they still contain lots of sugar!
Wishing Well Shave Ice is a top-rated shave ice stop on Kauai. Boasting all-natural syrups and toppings that provide an appealing change from Hawaii’s often sugar-heavy offerings, Wishing Well is ideal for creating custom creations or choosing pre-made options like Lava Flow (pineapple juice, strawberry puree and coconut foam), Wailua Sunrise (orange juice with pineapple syrup and vanilla macadamia nut ice cream), plus vegan and dairy-free options as well.
Fresh Shave is another top spot on Kauai for delicious shave ice, serving all-natural products, eco-friendly cones, and utensils. Their handcrafted syrups feature unique names that bring character and personality to their small local business. They also serve soft-serve ice cream and fresh smoothies – not forgetting soft-serve ice cream made from all-natural ingredients! For something genuinely quirky, try their soft serve ice cream made of all-natural ingredients or their soft serve made with all-natural ingredients that add character and personality!
Surfing Monkey Shave Ice provides an alternative to more traditional shave ice joints in Wailea and Kihei with all-natural syrups, shaved ice, and toppings made with fresh local fruits such as Lychee, Hibiscus, Papaya, and Green Tea shave ice flavors.
Breakwall Shave Ice in Lahaina offers something special for adults called Tege Tege: adult-oriented shave ice topped with fruit, boba, and ice cream for an irresistibly delicious treat!
JoJo’s
JoJo’s offers some of the finest shave ice on Kauai at its multiple locations across the island, offering large, high-quality shaved ice at an incredible value for only $10.99 each! Made with fresh ingredients and natural fruit syrups, their menu boasts 16 flavor choices with mixing-and-matching available; also try their unique Hawaiian Bowl that combines shaved ice with either taro or pineapple bowls for an irresistibly refreshing treat!
Hawaiian shaved ice is an irresistibly refreshing tropical dessert made of shaved ice topped with flavorful syrups and toppings such as ice cream and mochi balls, making it a favorite snack among locals and visitors. You’ll find it satisfying any craving at traditional Hawaiian food shacks and trendy mobile food trucks!
Be it vanilla or chocolate shaved ice, this refreshing treat will surely quell any summer heatwave in Hawaii. Topped off with fresh fruits or even ice cream for extra color and new flavors, shaved ice is an ideal dessert to bring with you on any special occasion.
Shave ice, also known as snow ice in the US, has long been a favorite snack among Hawaiians, who have long used Hawaii’s high-quality shave ice shops to satisfy their sweet cravings.
Hee Fat General Store in Kapaa Town may draw long lines, but the wait is worthwhile! They feature an easy-to-read menu board and generous portions. All shaved ice orders include an ice cream scoop and living mui. There are multiple sizes, including Da Kine and Big Kahuna!
Uncles Shave Ice provides delicious shaved ice in a souvenir coconut cup with bamboo straw. Their natural syrups offer many flavor combinations; my favorites are mango and lilikoi flavors, which pair perfectly with vanilla mac nut ice cream!
