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A rainbow-colored iced street in a plastic cup topped with whipped cream.
A snowball from Casey’s.
Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs/Facebook

Where to Cool Down With Icy Sweet Snow Cones, Shave Ices, Sno-Balls, and More

It’s prime frozen sweets season

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A snowball from Casey’s.
| Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs/Facebook

Temperatures are already rising up and up, so what better way to cool off than with the light and refreshing sweetness of snow cones, sno-balls, and shaved ices.

What are the differences between the three? Snow cones are made with granulated crushed ice and flavored syrups. Sno-balls are, texturally speaking, finer versions of snow cones. Then there are shaved ices, which are fluffier than snow cones and fashioned by shearing blocks of ice into thin layers, and then flavored. The Hawaiian version adds ice cream to the bottom. Bingsu is the Korean version with sno-ball-like shave ice and toppings that are mixed up. Halo-halo is the Filipino version, with an emphasis on colorful layers.

In Austin, find Taiwanese snow ice from SnoMo, New Orleans-styled sno-balls from Sweet Caroline’s Snow Shack, classic water ices from Jim-Jim’s Water-Ice, halo-halo from Little Mama’s, bingsu from Snow Ball Rice Ball, and plenty of others serving up loads of sweet frozen relief from the summer sun. Prime snow cone season lasts until October, and also many of these businesses operate seasonally, which usually means between March through late October.

For more cold treats, look out for Austin's best ice cream shops, ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, and Thai-rolled ice cream.

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Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice [Round Rock]

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The Hawai‘i-based shave ice chain made its way into the greater Austin area, bringing along its namesake shave ice in all sorts of fruit and sweet flavors, azuki bean options, and combinations. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Little Mama's

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Round Rock residents have been enjoying Filipino fare at this joint for a while. The special halo-halo is chock-full of freshly shaved ice, condensed milk, green pandan jellies, red mung beans, jackfruit, caramelized sweet potato, leche flan, as well as ube and vanilla ice creams. Takeout orders can be placed in person or over the phone; there are indoor dine-in areas.

The Taiwanese-styled snow ice at Sno Mo (née Snow Monster) comes with added bonuses, like red beans and tapioca. Go extra-indulgent with the snow waffle. orders can be placed in person; there are third-party deliveries available (Grubhub, Door Dash); there are indoor dine-in areas.

Sweet Caroline's Snow Shack

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The sno-balls at both locations of the New Orleans-styled truck, where everything is sourced from the Bayou City, are finer than regular snow cones but just as good. The unique combinations with amazing names include the namesake Sweet Caroline, which is a mix of coconut, strawberry, and cream, or the Incredible Hulk, heaped with grape, pineapple, and Granny Smith apple syrups, and Nerds. The other truck is found on West Slaughter Lane. Takeout orders can be placed in person.

Snowy Village

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The Korean dessert chain opened its first non-California location in Austin, dishing out bingsu, a take on shaved ice made with “snow” from a milky base, topped with sweets like fruits and cookies. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Snow Ball Rice Ball

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Taking over one of the former Snowy Village locations in Highland, SnowBall RiceBall’s name may be a misnomer, as the menu consists of more than rice balls and bingsu. Slurp a bowl of ramen before chowing down on Korean shave ice flavors like Oreo, green tea, cheesecake, and more. There’s also a second location off 183. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Casey's New Orleans Snowballs

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The family-run institution has over 60 flavors available, including sugar-free options, all made with in-house syrups. There are traditional New Orleans flavors (chocolate and cream) to fancy combinations, like the Boston cream pie with custard syrup. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Bar Peached

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The Clarksville bar offers up fun sharable bingsu. The fun Korean shave ice options include the birthday cake (served with a candle) and the matcha parfait with peach ice cream and black sesame paste. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Las Mangonadas

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Find raspado perfection at the Mexican desserts shop chain’s East Austin location. There’s a second one up on North Lamar. Takeout orders can be placed in person.

For a fancy icy treat, head to the downtown restaurant for kakigori, a pillowy mountain of Japanese shaved ice. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Jim-Jim's Water Ice

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Water ice is different from shaved ice because water and fruit or fruit puree are mixed and frozen together. Check out the location on East Sixth Street for over 30 flavor choices, ranging from vanilla to coconut or go for gelatis, where ice cream is added to the snow cones. Or head to the stand at Deep Eddy Pool for an after-dip treat. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online.

Sno-Beach

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The Zilker truck offers the usual classic flavors, like fruits and berries, and more interesting ones, like cheesecake. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Hay Elotes

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The city’s best raspados can be found at this little East Austin shop. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Shaved Ice Island

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Get both ice cream and shave ice at the South Austin trailer in front of the Westgate Lanes bowling alley, where ice flavors range from typical like vanilla to unexpected like dill pickle. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Bahama Buck’s

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The snow cone chain came to Austin, boasting of a wide-ranging menu of flavors, with an emphasis on “super sour” ones in the South Congress neighborhood. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Tropical Palms Shave Ice

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This Manchaca Road Hawaiian shave ice truck offers a variety of traditional and inventive flavors (think “Miss Barbie” with cotton candy and wedding cake shave ices topped with ice cream and gum balls), and a plethora of toppings, like cream, fresh fruit, candy, and even pickles. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice [Round Rock]

The Hawai‘i-based shave ice chain made its way into the greater Austin area, bringing along its namesake shave ice in all sorts of fruit and sweet flavors, azuki bean options, and combinations. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Little Mama's

Round Rock residents have been enjoying Filipino fare at this joint for a while. The special halo-halo is chock-full of freshly shaved ice, condensed milk, green pandan jellies, red mung beans, jackfruit, caramelized sweet potato, leche flan, as well as ube and vanilla ice creams. Takeout orders can be placed in person or over the phone; there are indoor dine-in areas.

SnoMo

The Taiwanese-styled snow ice at Sno Mo (née Snow Monster) comes with added bonuses, like red beans and tapioca. Go extra-indulgent with the snow waffle. orders can be placed in person; there are third-party deliveries available (Grubhub, Door Dash); there are indoor dine-in areas.

Sweet Caroline's Snow Shack

The sno-balls at both locations of the New Orleans-styled truck, where everything is sourced from the Bayou City, are finer than regular snow cones but just as good. The unique combinations with amazing names include the namesake Sweet Caroline, which is a mix of coconut, strawberry, and cream, or the Incredible Hulk, heaped with grape, pineapple, and Granny Smith apple syrups, and Nerds. The other truck is found on West Slaughter Lane. Takeout orders can be placed in person.

Snowy Village

The Korean dessert chain opened its first non-California location in Austin, dishing out bingsu, a take on shaved ice made with “snow” from a milky base, topped with sweets like fruits and cookies. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Snow Ball Rice Ball

Taking over one of the former Snowy Village locations in Highland, SnowBall RiceBall’s name may be a misnomer, as the menu consists of more than rice balls and bingsu. Slurp a bowl of ramen before chowing down on Korean shave ice flavors like Oreo, green tea, cheesecake, and more. There’s also a second location off 183. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Casey's New Orleans Snowballs

The family-run institution has over 60 flavors available, including sugar-free options, all made with in-house syrups. There are traditional New Orleans flavors (chocolate and cream) to fancy combinations, like the Boston cream pie with custard syrup. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Bar Peached

The Clarksville bar offers up fun sharable bingsu. The fun Korean shave ice options include the birthday cake (served with a candle) and the matcha parfait with peach ice cream and black sesame paste. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Las Mangonadas

Find raspado perfection at the Mexican desserts shop chain’s East Austin location. There’s a second one up on North Lamar. Takeout orders can be placed in person.

Hestia

For a fancy icy treat, head to the downtown restaurant for kakigori, a pillowy mountain of Japanese shaved ice. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Jim-Jim's Water Ice

Water ice is different from shaved ice because water and fruit or fruit puree are mixed and frozen together. Check out the location on East Sixth Street for over 30 flavor choices, ranging from vanilla to coconut or go for gelatis, where ice cream is added to the snow cones. Or head to the stand at Deep Eddy Pool for an after-dip treat. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online.

Sno-Beach

The Zilker truck offers the usual classic flavors, like fruits and berries, and more interesting ones, like cheesecake. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Hay Elotes

The city’s best raspados can be found at this little East Austin shop. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Shaved Ice Island

Get both ice cream and shave ice at the South Austin trailer in front of the Westgate Lanes bowling alley, where ice flavors range from typical like vanilla to unexpected like dill pickle. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Bahama Buck’s

The snow cone chain came to Austin, boasting of a wide-ranging menu of flavors, with an emphasis on “super sour” ones in the South Congress neighborhood. Takeout orders can be placed in person or online; there are indoor dine-in areas.

Related Maps

Tropical Palms Shave Ice

This Manchaca Road Hawaiian shave ice truck offers a variety of traditional and inventive flavors (think “Miss Barbie” with cotton candy and wedding cake shave ices topped with ice cream and gum balls), and a plethora of toppings, like cream, fresh fruit, candy, and even pickles. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are outdoor dine-in areas.

Related Maps