Culture
A Brief, Cold History of Shaved Ice Around the World
Humans have been chasing cold sweets for a very long time.
Ice was once a luxury
For most of history, ice in summer was a marvel — hauled down from mountains and stored in ice houses for royalty and the wealthy. Early iced desserts, from Persian faloodeh to Roman snow-and-honey, were treats for the few.
Cultures from China to the Middle East to Japan all developed their own versions long before refrigeration.
Ice for everyone
Once ice-making and freezing became cheap in the 1900s, shaved ice democratized fast — and every warm-weather culture ran with it in its own delicious direction. What was once royal is now a joyful street treat everywhere.
Explore more: Our menu · More Culture · All locations
Meet the cutest ice on earth 🌵
Prickly Ice is opening soon in Hawaii, Arizona, Michigan and San Diego. Every bowl is hand-shaved snow sculpted into a smiling little cactus and buried in fresh fruit.
Get Opening-Day Alerts
