In Hawaii, shops serving shave ice, domes of soft ice strips doused in colorful syrups, compete for ubiquity with other local staples such as poke places or stand lei. And you can count on waiting in line: Part of the charm of a shave ice shop is the jostling of people — surfers, construction workers, tourists — you’re bound to find there, all trying to figure out which syrups to order once they get to the front.
Shave ice first reached the shores of the islands in the early 20th century, when Japanese immigrants arrived to work on Hawaiian plantations, bringing with them a taste of kakigori, the sweet, airy dessert of thin ice flakes with origins dating back to the Heian period (between 794 and 1185). Some opened general stores selling the frozen treat, which was unexpectedly popular in the tropical climate. In the everyday colloquial Hawaiian Pidgin, his name became shave ice. (On the Big Island, however, the term “shave ice” prevails.)
What started out modestly enough—ice, syrup, cup—has since evolved into desserts of decadent sundae-like proportions. Mammoth mounds of ice that can sit on top of a bowl of adzuki beans and smothered in condensed milk and topped with five flavors of syrup, from calamansi to root beer, plus mochi balls and rust-colored li hing mui powder, made from grated plum skins. Ask a longtime island resident to recommend a place, though, and their reasons for choosing them tend to go beyond flavors and toppings. The age of the store, its location and the childhood memories it conjures up all carry weight. Here, a few locals share their favorites.
Waiola Shave Ice (Kapahulu location), Honolulu, Oahu
Recommended by: Ren MacDonald-Balasia, florist and founder of Renko Floral
“I get the projects — usually little ones [passionfruit] and POG [passion orange guava] ice cream syrup, mochi, adzuki beans and condensed milk. It takes three people to finish, but it’s worth it. Arriving on the beach at the end of the bowl, when everything is mixed up in a messy mess, can only be described as heaven.”
Waiola Shave Ice (Mō’ili’ili location), Honolulu
Recommended by: Bundit Kanisthakhon, architect
“I love that it’s unassuming and remains a community institution that hasn’t changed to cater to social media. The texture of the ice and the sweetness of the syrup is just right.”
Recommended by: Robynne Maii, Chef and Owner of Fête Hawaii Restaurant
“I like the place – it’s a tiny service window in a side street with benches – and the natural fruit syrups. I highly recommend the mango and coconut with adzuki beans and condensed milk. It’s a great example of modern shave ice.”
Recommended by: Maile Meyer, owner of Nā Mea Hawai’i and Native Books
“Shimazu’s, formerly B&S, on School Road along the highway, is a place for old-timers and neighborhood kids, and the quality of the flavors, ice balls and mochi has remained unchanged. My favorite part is how you go there and see people who went as kids with their kids and now their kids’ kids.”
Recommended by: Andrew Mau, owner of clothing and gift boutique Island-Boy Shop
“Their signature flavor, Strawberry Milk, is made from scratch with the real fruit! I like that they don’t overpack their ice, which leaves plenty of room for the flavor to seep through. They epitomize the mom-and-pop shave ice experience with a menu that changes weekly.”
Recommended by: Roger Bong, owner of Aloha Got Soul record store and label
“Some of my fondest childhood memories are beach days on the North Shore that inevitably included a stop at Aoki’s Shave Ice. Then it was picturesque and much less busy than on the road.”
Recommended by: John Koga, sculptor
“There is only one place with shaved ice on the island of Hawaii with not-too-sweet natural fruit flavors, perfectly smooth ice texture and quality local ingredients. We always go to Kula Shave Ice in Hilo when my daughter visits home from New York and order the liliko’i shave ice flavor with Waipi’o Valley poi [taro root pounded into a paste] as a base and haupia [coconut pudding] cream on top.”
Recommended by: Kirk Kurokawa, artist
“Ululani’s makes its own syrups and uses ice cream from [the Maui-based company] Roselani. It’s always a meeting point for our visiting family and friends, because who isn’t up for some shave ice?”