This charming shop in Old Kōloa Town has a preset menu featuring super-soft, handcrafted shave ice and all-natural and organic ingredients; meaning no high fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring. (Dare we call it healthy…?) Some of the combos—all named after mustache styles—including The Chevron (coconut and lime topped with coconut chia-seed cream), The Professor (berries and açai topped with Kauaʻi honey, bananas and shredded coconut) and The Fu Manchu (strawberry and banana with fresh strawberry purée and bananas). 5356 Kōloa Road, Kōloa, thefreshshave.com
5 Best Shave Ice Stands on Kauaʻi in 2024
Here are your picks for your favorite shave ice stands on the Garden Isle.
There’s nothing more refreshing than a bowl—or cone!—of shave ice, especially on a hot day in the Islands. From its humble beginnings, over a century ago, when vendors peddled cups of powdered ice sweetened with fruit syrups out of pushcarts along the Honolulu Harbor, shave ice has been a favorite among locals and visitors alike. And Kauaʻi has some of the state’s best stands. Here are your favorites, as voted in our 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.
1. JoJo’s Shave Ice
The rainbow shave ice from JoJo’s Shave Ice in Waimea on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox
With three locations on Kauaʻi—Waimea, Hanalei and Coconut Marketplace in Wailua—JoJo’s Shave Ice has been a local favorite since it opened in 1992. That’s due, in part, to its homemade syrups and toppings in tropical flavors like coconut, lilikoʻi (passion fruit) and pineapples. Its house-made haupia topping is one of its most popular, made with condensed milk, creamy ice cream and coconut. Another reason JoJo’s Shave Ice is No. 1 is its generous serving sizes: Customers can pick from the Da Kine (28 oz.) or the Big Kahuna (40 oz.). Various locations, jojosshaveice.com.
2. Wailua Shave Ice
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Looking for a more upscale and unique shave ice? Head to Wailua Shave Ice in Kapaʻa, where you’ll be treated to pillowy-soft shave ice with culinary-style toppings like coconut foam and fresh lilikoʻi cream. Some flavors are seasonal—including guava and cookies and cream—and all are natural. You can also order online. And if you can’t make it to Kauaʻi, there’s a location in Portland, too. 4-831 Kūhiō Highway, Kapaʻa, wailuashaveice.com.
3. Uncle’s Shave Ice
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Uncle’s Shave Ice serves both traditional shave ice and something called “shave snow,” made with whole milk and flavored syrup that’s frozen to make a creamy treat. (It’s unique to this stand.) It offers the usual flavors—strawberry, vanilla, blue raspberry—in addition to fun, tropical ones like li hing mui, lychee and Blue Hawaiian. You can also get honey toast topped with vanilla or macadamia nut ice cream, and caramel apples. Various locations, @unclesshaveice
4. The Fresh Shave
The Fu Manchu at The Fresh Shave on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox
5. Wishing Well Shave Ice
Shave ice topped with sweetened condensed milk from Wishing Well Shave Ice on Kauaʻi.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox
This food truck in Hanalei offers traditional and organic syrups, fresh fruit toppings and ice cream. If you like tropical flavors, get the Tropical Bliss, shave ice topped with liliko‘i and coconut syrups and papaya chunks and coconut flakes, with a scoop of macadamia nut ice cream hidden underneath. The Caffeine Monkey boasts cold-brew coffee and banana syrup over vanilla ice cream topped with sweetened condensed milk. Or you can build your own shave ice. 5-5080 Kūhiō Highway, Hanalei, wishingwellshaveice.com
