Wailua Shave Ice Portland
Ice cream shop · Downtown ·
Hawaiian shave ice with fresh fruit, haupia foam, and creative toppings
Hawaiian shave ice with fresh fruit, haupia foam, and creative toppings
"A shave-ice shop with locations in Portland, Oregon, and on Kauai that moved from hand-crank machines to electric shavers to handle heavy crowds; co-founder Cory Arashiro stresses that finely shaved ice (not mashed or grated) is key to the ideal texture and that either manual or electric shavers work at home when demand is low. Syrups are made from fresh fruit juice and cane sugar, and the signature topping is haupia foam (a whipped coconut-milk topping); traditional Hawaiian accoutrements like snowcap (condensed milk), coconut flakes, mochi, and li hing mui sit alongside playful additions such as Oreos, Nutella drizzle, and marshmallows." - Kat Thompson
"Tucked inside Union Way, this Hawaiian-style shave ice shop serves photogenic fluffy ice spheres topped with fresh fruit and haupia (coconut milk) foam. Vegans can have their pick of creations, from the vivid violet ube topped with toasted coconut to the tropical pineapple-meets-strawberry Lava Flow. Customers can order online in advance through the website — just be sure to arrive at Wailua on time so your shave ice isn’t left sitting and melting at the service window." - Waz Wu
"For years, this Hawaiian shave ice shop has been a favorite among tourists and locals spending afternoons downtown, finishing a day of shopping with snowballs in fruit-juice-tinted pastel hues. Most varieties arrive with a dollop of house “foam,” like the coconut-y haupia foam or purple ube foam. Vegans will find plenty of options here without sacrificing flavor; the Lava Flow, a pineapple-strawberry shave ice with coconut foam, is a highlight." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"When I moved to Portland, each summer required frequent visits to Wailua Shave Ice for Hawaiian shave ice, which is served topped with a dollop of haupia foam." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden
"This tiny downtown shop that has food truck roots in Kauai commanded lines when it first opened. These Hawaiian snow cones use finely shaved ice piled into fluff flavored with fresh fruit and all-natural syrups to craft traditionally tropical styles like Da Mango One (mango fruit and juice with condensed milk). The cafe also occasionally serves some special only-in-Portland concoctions, like one using Tea Bar’s Mint Majik (peppermint tea and spirulina). Wailua has implemented pickup procedures, but online pre-ordering is a must." - Jenni Moore