The snowy treat known as shave ice (not “shaved”) came to Hawaiʻi with the Japanese and Okinawan immigrants who worked on the sugar plantations in the late 1860s. By the mid-20th century, the modern version of shave ice, with its rainbow of flavors and additions such as ice cream and “snowcaps” of sweetened condensed milk, was typically found at humble Japanese-American grocery stores such as M. Matsumoto on O’ahu’s North Shore. Today, you can expect even more flavors, gourmet natural syrups, and options such as chewy mochi balls or sweet red adzuki beans. Here are our favorite spots for shave ice on Kauai.
We have cross-checked our picks with top sources like The Hale ‘Aina Awards, Tripadvisor, and Open Table to make sure that we're offering you the best shave ice on Kauai. Bon appétit!
5-5190 Kuhio Hwy, Hanalei (808) 378-4612
Fresh ingredients and large portions for a great price! At Jojo’s, the size options are the Da Kine (28oz) or Big Kahuna (40oz). They have 16 flavor combinations, but if you’d like to invent your own, go for it! You’ll just need to decide your favorite mixture of flavors, ice cream, and toppings.
Open Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 7 pm. Closed on Sunday.
3540 Koloa Rd, Kalaheo (808) 631-2222
Fresh Shave names its hand-crafted syrups made from local organic ingredients after mustache styles — the Handle Bar, the Chevron, and the Fu Manchu are a few favorites. All you have to do is decide what style “mustache” is your favorite!
Open Monday through Saturday from 12 pm to 6 pm. Closed Sunday.
2827 Poipu Rd, Koloa (808) 651-5169
Waikomo offers fresh fruit and toppings in addition to many great flavors. This healthy and refreshing dessert is served in a compostable cup. The utensils are eco-friendly as well — this is a plastic-free company. So you can enjoy the tasty treat and feel good about eating it too.
Open Saturday through Thursday from 12 pm to 5 pm. Closed Friday.
4-1306 Kuhio Hwy, Kapa’a (808) 634-7183
Picnic tables shaded by umbrellas set the tone for this laid-back food truck. They have lots of flavors and toppings to select from for their traditional shave ice made with fresh local fruit. There are also tasty smoothies and açaí bowls on the menu, in case you want to chase your shave ice with something just as fresh and tasty.
Open daily from 12 pm to 8:30 pm.
5-5080 Kuhio Hwy, Hanalei (808) 639-7828
You can’t miss this colorful food truck with a wooden roof. The space may be small, but Wishing Well is scooping locally sourced goodness to fill your cup. They focus on local and sustainable here, so you know your cones and utensils are all Earth-friendly. It’s a delicious and refreshing treat you can feel really good about.
Open every day from 9:30 am to 5 pm.
Comments