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Wailua Shave Ice

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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

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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]

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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

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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

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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

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References

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  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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