There’s nothing like a bowl of icy dessert on a hot summer’s day in Auckland.
From bingsu (빙수, Korean shaved ice) to tsuah bing (礤 or 刨冰, Taiwanese shaved ice), there’s just something special about shaved ice desserts with their soft ice and delicious toppings.
Lucky for us, Auckland has quite a few great new spots to treat yourself to these delights.
To help you find the best, I’ve compiled a review of some of my favourite places.
Perky’s Coffee & Desserts - Signature Snowbowls in an Amercian Café
Fairly new on the scene, this Newmarket spot is modeled after an American diner.
They serve a range of foods, but the main part of the menu is their Signature Snowbowls. Flavours include strawberry, mango, chocolate, coffee, and coconut, as well as an extra seasonal flavour.
With ice cream on top, Perky’s is generous on the sauce and toppings - perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Snowbowls come in a range of sizes priced from $15 – 29.
Perky’s Coffee & Desserts 442B Khyber Pass Road, Newmarket
Meet Fresh - Taiwanese-style Tsuah Bing
A classic Auckland spot for Taiwanese-style tsuah bing and other desserts, Meet Fresh had to make it on my list.
Meet Fresh offers desserts with traditional ice textures and milk ice options. The toppings at Meet Fresh are vast including red bean, mochi, brown sugar, taro strawberry, mango, and more.
Bowls of shaved ice go for between $19 – 22.
Meet Fresh Various locations
TSUJIRI - A Place for Matcha Lover
If you love matcha and Japanese desserts, TSUJIRI’s the place for you.
Their shaved ice selection is small and designed for single servings, including classic shaved ice with matcha soft serve, matcha combined with houjicha shaved ice, or kuromitsu (black sugar) matcha shaved ice.
All options come with minimal toppings, but the ones they do include, such as tasty mochi and other chewy bits, are delicious.
Shaved ice cups go for about $14.
TSUJIRI Various locations
Snowman Dessert Café
Snowman are specialists in bingsu and have been a popular snowflake ice spot for many years.
Bingsu is a Korean iced dessert that combines fluffy shaved ice with creamy milk, and is quite different to the usual shaved ice we find in New Zealand.
Snowman's offerings are consistent and delicious as well as visually appealing. They boast a variety of flavours, including red bean, green tea, chocolate, Oreo, coffee, and some more unusual options such as cheesecake, mint chocolate, and black sesame.
They also offer seasonal flavours like peach, melon, mango, and strawberry.
Bowl prices range from $15 – 45.
Snowman Dessert Café 42/44 William Pickering Drive, Rosedale
