Shaved Ice! Such a refreshing treat to have on a hot summer day. Back in my home of Puerto Rico we call them piragüas. These are one of my daughter’s favorite treats in Hawai’i. Every time we would go up to Hale’iwa, my daughter Bella would beg us to take her here. It never failed. She knew once she saw the North Short sign on the side of the road that Matsumoto was nearby.
One day my husband and I decided to see what all the fuss was about it. We decided to endure the long wait in line. After about 20 minutes we finally were able to place our order. Let me tell you that it was definitely worth the wait. This shave ice is so soft that it just slowly melts in your mouth. Each bowl is filled with so much flavor and color. It’s like a little piece of heaven on Earth.
HOW TO AVOID THE LONG LINES
Now there’s ways of going and avoiding the long lines and waiting times. If you want to go one day and avoid all the tourist, the crowds, the lines, and everything else then the best time to go is during the week when everyone is working or in school. You will literally be in and out in less then 10 minutes. That’s how we used to do it and I didn’t have to keep hearing the kiddos getting inpatient about not having their shaved ice yet.
Best time of year to go to avoid the crowds is during the Spring, Winter, and Fall seasons. Over the summer the amount of people visiting is at the highest.
TYPES OF SHAVED ICE
During our time in Hawaii we went to several places to eat shaved ice but nothing compared to Matsumoto. They are AMAZING! Whether you get just a regular shaved ice or one with ice cream in it, you will never regret it and always come back for more. It’s definitely worth the wait and the long lines.
Matsumoto is very creative when it comes to their shave ice. You can get them in a regular bowl or a waffle bowl and even add other ingredients to it like ice cream, milk, mochi, or azuki. You are probably wondering what some of those ingredients are. Mochi is “a short-grained, sweet, glutinous rice with a high starch content, used in Japanese cooking,” according to the Google definition. Azuki, which is also known as adzuki, is a redish brown colored bean that is grown in East Asia and the Himalayans. It is boiled in sugar to create a red bean paste which is used in sweet dishes. Azuki is common in various dishes in China, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea.
Besides the different ingredients you can add to your shave ice, you can also choose up to three different flavors. They also have several combinations for you to choose from.
MY FAVORITE FLAVORS OF SHAVED ICE
Matsumoto has many flavors for you to try. It was always hard for me to find a flavor cause I wanted to try them all. Here are all of the flavors along with my all time favorite ones.
Flavors: Rainbow, Pineapple and Coconut, Lychee, Li Hing Mui, Watermelon, Strawberry, Lilikoi and any of these flavors with ice cream added to it. It tastes amazing with ice cream too.
Combinations: Hawaiian and Tropical
Extras: Ice cream
You can view Matsumoto’s full menu and all of the flavors here.
HOW TO GET THERE
Matsumoto is located in Hale’iwa, Hawaii in this new little area of shops. There’s a nice size parking lot in the back and restrooms near by. It’s right across the street from Hale’iwa Bowls (more about Hale’iwa bowls-The best acai bowls- in my other blog post. Click here. ) and between Island Vintage Coffee Company and Global Creations & Interiors (map below).
So if you’re ever spending a day at Hale’iwa definitely stop by Matsumoto to cool off and enjoy a sweet treat. The prices are descent and definitely worth it. On your way out don’t forget to stop by their gift shop and grab a little something.
LOCATION
Matsumoto Shave Ice Hawaii
66-111 Kamehameha HWY Suite #605
Haleiwa, HI 96712
808-637-4827
matsumotoshaveice.com
PARKING
There is parking on the back side of the plaza area of Matsumoto. There is an entrance on both sides of the plaza. If this parking is full there is also parking across the street down one of the roads where you can park on the side of the road. It is easier to find parking during the week days versus the weekend.
Needing a rental for the time you will be on the island? CarRentals.com has loads of options for you to choose from and convenient pick up at the Honolulu Airport. You can book yours here.
Have you been to Matsumoto before? How did you like it? What are you looking forward to the most when visiting Hawaii? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear your answers.
If you enjoyed this article, feel free to sign up for our newsletter here so you can stay up to date on upcoming travel adventures, tips, gear reviews, recipes and more. You can view more of our Hawaii travel guides here as well. Don’t forget to share or pin to save it. Thank you for reading.
2 Responses
It’s good to know that milk or ice cream can be added to a gourmet shaved ice. My friends and I are visiting Hawaii in July and we are trying to find the best shaved ice spot on the island. Thanks for the article and we’ll have to find places like this so we can enjoy some good shaved ice in Hawaii.
Yes. It is so good too. Hope you enjoy the delicious shaved ice they have at Matsumoto.