Wailua Shave Ice

Wailua Shave Ice
Restaurant information
Established2015 (2015)
State
  • California
  • Hawaii
  • Oregon
CountryUnited States
Websitewailuashaveice.com

Wailua Shave Ice is a Hawaiian shave ice restaurant chain, based in Kauaʻi. Established in 2015, the business also operates in San Diego and Portland, Oregon.

Description

In Portland, Oregon, the business operates at Union Way (southern entrance pictured in 2016)

Wailua Save Ice serves Hawaiian shave ice in three locations: Kauaʻi, San Diego, and Portland, Oregon. In Hawaii, the business has operated a food truck[1] and at Kauai Village Shopping Center.[2] In Portland, the business operates at Union Way on West Burnside Street in downtown.[3][4]

Wailua offers various flavors of shave ice with toppings. Syrups are made with fruit juice and cane sugar. Haupia foam, or whipped coconut milk, is the signature topping.[5] Lilikoʻi cream is another topping option.[6]

Shave ice varieties include the 'Almond Joy', which has coconut syrup, nutella, and toasted coconut,[1] and the 'Coconut x Coconut x Coconut' (or "Triple Coconut"),[7] which has coconut milk, haupia foam, and shredded coconut.[8] The 'Da Mango One' has mango juice, mango, and condensed milk,[1][9] and the 'Dragons Blood' is made with dragon fruit, pineapple juice, organic honey, and pieces of pineapple as a topping.[10] The 'Lava Flow' has coconut foam, pineapple juice, and strawberry puree,[8] and the 'Love Potion #9' has vanilla bean syrup, strawberry puree, and strawberries. The Wailua Sunrise has orange juice, pineapple juice, and pieces of orange and pineapple as toppings.[1] Other seasonal flavors of shaved ice include cookies and cream as well as guava.[6]

Desserts can also come with a vanilla ice cream base.[1] The menu also include acai bowls,[11] butter mochi, lemon peel gummies, and Li Hing lemon peel red vines.[12]

History

Cory Arashiro and Brandon Baptiste co-founded the business in 2015.[5][13] Josh Tamaoka is a co-owner.[13]

Wailua initially operated as a food truck,[10][14] also described as a "vivid red food wagon".[15] In 2017, the business announced plans to open a first brick and mortar shop at Kilauea Lighthouse Village.[16][13]

A second location opened in San Diego.[7]

The Portland location opened as the chain's third in June 2017,[4] in the space previously occupied by Little T Baker. Before establishing a permanent presence in Portland, the business completed a "test-run" at Lardo in 2016.[1][17]

Reception

Tasting Table included Wailua in a 2017 overview of Kauaʻi's best shaved ice.[18] In 2017, Martha Cheng included the business in Hawaii Magazine's 2017 overview of "must-try Kauai street eats, pop-ups and food trucks".[19] Wailua was also included in the magazine's lists of the five best shaved ice stands on Kauaʻi in 2019 and 2024.[20][6] In 2019, KGW said the business was Portland's "most Instagrammable way to cool off".[7] Cheng later included Wailua in Eater's 2021 list of the nine "most refreshing" shaved ice establishments in Hawaii.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Taste Test: Wailua Shave Ice". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  2. ^ Guides, Fodor’s Travel (2024-07-30). Fodor's Kauai. Fodor's Travel. ISBN 978-1-64097-731-0.
  3. ^ McCollom, Hollyanna (2019-05-14). Moon Portland. Avalon Publishing. ISBN 978-1-64049-368-1.
  4. ^ a b Bakall, Samantha (2017-06-24). "Wailua Shave Ice brings a taste of Hawaii to Portland, just in time for summer". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  5. ^ a b Thompson, Kat (2025-06-27). "Yes, You Should Make Your Own Shaved Ice at Home This Summer". Eater. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  6. ^ a b c Fox, Catherine Toth (2024-10-02). "5 Best Shave Ice Stands on Kauaʻi in 2024". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  7. ^ a b c "PDX's Most Instagrammable Way to Cool Off". kgw.com. 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  8. ^ a b Doughty, Andrew (2022-09-20). The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed. Wizard Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-949678-17-8.
  9. ^ Carr, Madeleine (2025-05-15). "9 Ways to Sink Your Teeth into Mango Season in Hawaiʻi". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  10. ^ a b Fox, Catherine Toth (2020-11-25). "Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at these 3 Kapa'a Eateries". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  11. ^ Hughes, Caelan (2023-04-10). "We asked, you answered: The 15 best places to get shave ice in Hawaii". HawaiiNewsNow.com. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  12. ^ "Don't sleep on Portland's shave ice: 5 places to cool down". KOIN.com. 2023-05-12. Archived from the original on 2023-05-19. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  13. ^ a b c Murar, Katie. "Wailua Shave Ice expects to open Kilauea Lighthouse Village store by summer". Pacific Business News. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  14. ^ Hill, Tiffany (2019-03-15). "Your Guide to Kapaa Town on Kauai". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  15. ^ Dekneef, Matthew (2016-08-03). "Kapaʻa: A Guide to Kauaʻi's Most Charming Town". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  16. ^ McGivern, Billy. "Local food truck Wailua Shave Ice opening first store on Kauai". Pacific Business News. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  17. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2017-06-23). "Hawaii-Based Shave Ice Spot Opens Just in Time for Portland Heat Wave". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  18. ^ "Best Shave Ice In Kauai". Tasting Table. 2017-03-06. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  19. ^ Cheng, Martha (2017-08-15). "Must-Try Kauai Street Eats, Pop-Ups and Food Trucks". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  20. ^ Allen, Kevin (2019-03-21). "The 5 Best Shave Ice Stands on Kauai". Hawaii Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
  21. ^ Cheng, Martha (2017-10-25). "The 9 Most Refreshing Shave Ice Spots in Hawai'i". Eater. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
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