The Best Places To Eat Shaved Ice Dessert In Hong Kong

Need to feel refreshed? Shaved ice is the perfect summer treat to quench your thirst but is also an equally delicious dessert all year round

We all know how smouldering hot it can be in Hong Kong during summer. And while beach hats, sunscreen and other clothing can help protect us from the heat, we can't help but melt from the strong summer sun. We're continuously looking for ways to cool down whether it's buying portable electronic fans or eating ice cream but an equally refreshing dessert to beat the summer heat is shaved ice.

This icy and creamy dessert is known across Asia with various names: kakigori in Japanese, bingsu in Korean, tsubabing in Taiwanese Hokkien and so on. Each place also has their own spin-off version of shaved ice such as halo-halo or chendol. Shaved ice is a summer staple that'll keep you feeling refreshed whether you're on the beach, island hopping or simply just out and about.

We're round up the best shaved ice dessert shops in Hong Kong that are not only perfect for summer, but all year round.

Shari Shari Kakigori House

Shari Shari Kakigori House is one of the city's premier Japanese shaved ice dessert spots. It offers a range of flavours, from crowd favourites such as hojicha and kinako cream to seasonal delights like lemon and tiramisu.

Shari Shari's branches are minimalistically designed, opting for simple aesthetics which will remind you of your trips to Japan. You can have fun with your order here too, customising with different add-on toppings from Adzuki red beans to Shiratama mochi.

G/F, 14 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, +852 2529 1223

G/F, 47 Staunton Street, Soho, Central, +852 2661 2347, facebook.com/sharishari.kakigori

Cheung Chau Bing Sutt

Island hopping is a must during summer especially with international travel still on hold. This laidback spot in Cheung Chau is the place to be if you're looking for a refreshing snack after a long day. Cheung Chau Bing Sutt boasts a fine selection of shaved ice options together with chewy toppings, a scoop of ice cream, and complete with oozing condensed milk.

The blockbuster choice here is the Baileys shaved ice with red beans and taro balls while the Thai milk tea shaved ice with red beans and taro balls is just as mouth-watering.

G/F, No.19C, Pak She Praya Road, Cheung Chau, Hong Kong

Nun Desserts Cafe

Treat your tastebuds to the delicious Korean shaved ice at Nun Desserts Cafe. Thanks to the softness of this dessert, the shaved ice here simply melts in your mouth.

Diners flock to try the crispy caramel ice flavour, but those looking for something unique should try the D24 durian ice flavour instead. The servings here include flavoured sauces drizzled on top and ice cream regardless of the flavour that you pick.

Nun Desserts Cafe, G/F, 119 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, +852 5791 2141, facebook.com/nun-mongkok

2DP

2DP is loved by vegan and vegetarians alike thanks to its range of dishes that are all vegan and vegetarian-friendly, including its signature dessert, the watermelon shaved ice. This cool treat is served in an actual watermelon with the centre scooped out hollow to fill in with milk-flavoured shaved ice instead.

Good news for those who are lactose-intolerant like me, you can request soy milk-flavoured ice as an alternative. Circular watermelon is served on top, piling up to become a shaved ice watermelon extravaganza.

2DP, G/F, The Lamma Towner, 12-12A Hau Fook Street, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 3705 9590, facebook.com/2decimalplacest

Meet Fresh

Looking for your share of Taiwanese treats? Meet Fresh is a crowd favourite that boasts refreshing dessert for you to try: tsubabing or Taiwanese shaved ice. Quench your thirst with their signature red bean shaved ice that's deliciously covered in condensed milk and red bean paste.

Equally as refreshing is the pudding mochi shaved ice which includes taro balls, mochi and egg pudding—all Asian treats rolled into one. Not convinced yet? Meet Fresh also uses fresh, natural and healthy ingredients.

Various locations across Hong Kong, facebook.com/MeetFreshHongKong

T-Fresh

Compared to its Korean and Japanese cousins, Taiwanese shaved ice is not quite as well-known, but T-Fresh's jumbo shaved ice might just be your new favourite. Not only do you have the option of choosing your own five toppings, but the generous size promises to fill you up. While this might look like a typical ice cream dessert, the shaved ice is actually hidden underneath all the toppings.

Whether you or your friends have a penchant for sweets or not, this is perfect for sharing or even just going back to and swapping out different toppings each time. You can choose from taro balls, mashed sweet potato, egg pudding, tapioca balls, red bean, grass jelly, peanuts and many more. Now, aren't you spoiled for choice?

T-Fresh, G/F, 19A Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2119 2600, t-fresh.com.hk

ChaTraMue

ChaTraMue brings the flavour of Thailand to you, offering its signature Thai milk tea shaved ice to liven up summer as an ideal treat for a hot day. To combat the sweetness, a small portion of grass jelly and biscuit puffs will also be served.

It's recommended to check the time before you dine in here, as the shaved ice is only available at a limited time, from 2 pm–2:30 pm and 8:00–9:30 pm. But with social distancing measures changing dining hours constantly, it's best to check directly with restaurant for the most up to date availability.

Various locations across Hong Kong, facebook.com/chatramuehk

Via Tokyo

Via Tokyo is a cult-favourite dessert spot in town, home to some of the best Japanese desserts including its smooth soft serve. It's not surprising that it also has shaved ice on the menu, with classic flavours such as matcha, hojicha and Hokkaido milk available.

Via Tokyo also has seasonal specials such as mango, along with the soft serve parfaits being a must-try.

Shop 1A–1B, G/F, Leishun Court, 106–126 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, +852 2895 1116 facebook.com/viatokyo

Chung Kee Dessert

Long-standing Chinese dessert establishment, Chung Kee Dessert has been serving sweet treats for 20 years backed by its numerous branches across the city. Though their sweet tofu pudding and sesame soup are among the classics, don't immediately turn your backs on their shaved ice offering.

You can either opt for a tall pyramid of ice with various toppings or go with the no-fuss mango or lychee option. Or even better, you can even combine the flavours, either Yakult with mango or coconut with pineapple if you can't make up your mind.

Various locations across Hong Kong

Bibi & Baba

Ever heard of chendol? It's an icy sweet dessert that's popular in Southeast Asia. It's not exactly shaved ice but still deserves a mention on this list as an alternative.

Bibi & Baba bring Nyonya cuisine—a marriage of Southeast Asian and Chinese flavours—to Hong Kong including chendol too. The chendol here is layered with pandan and mung bean jelly served on a shaved ice ball, then drizzled with coconut cream and palm sugar for that extra finish.

G/F, Pao Yip Building, 1–7 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +85 2555 0628, bibiandbaba.hk

Auntie Sweet

This Cantonese dessert store is launched by TV producer, Jonathan Chik and artist Moses Chan. Don't be surprised if you see a long queue outside as diners love their bean curd dessert among many other sweet treats. They also have shaved ice on the menu, available in a number of flavours including mango, durian and black sesame among the bestsellers.

You can bring your furry friend along and treat them to their exclusive doggie menu consisting of cupcakes in various flavours available at the Tin Hau branch.

G/F, 13 Tsing Fung Street, Tin Hau, Hong Kong, +852 2508 6962

G/F, 11 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Topics

shaved ice dessert shaved ice summer dessert korean shaved ice japanese shaved ice bingsu kakigori tsubabing baobing halo-halo chendol summer dessert via tokyo bibi & baba

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