Nicoco

So yummy! Great vegan ice cream! Delicious service, and waffle cones made right in front of you. We…read morestop here any time we come to Hilo!

The young girl working was so sweet. She had just started her shift and I was trying to taste the…read morechocolate fudge (spicy). She gave me several tastes as she could no decipher her bosses writing. It was good but not spicy like the Diablo I had tried in Venice. In the end I got a freshly made waffle cone with spicy chocolate fudge and vanilla olive oil. It was delicious and I got a little heat on my last few bites. Highly recommend. The fluffy clouds also drew me in. So cute!

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Gelato

Gypsea Gelato

4.8(372 reviews)

63.4 mi

Very delicious ice cream!…read more I chose two flavors: a lavender flavor (I don't remember the exact name) and Kona coffee, which I really wanted to try since we were on the Big Island, where Kona coffee is made. We loved both! What surprised me most was how well these two flavors worked together. When you mix the lavender ice cream with the Kona coffee, the taste comes very close to the lavender coffee flavor which I, personally, enjoy a lot. I know it's not for everyone, but if you like it, this combination is amazing! Honestly, there were so many other flavors I wanted to try but since I was the only one getting ice cream and we were planning to have dinner, I limited myself to two. Unfortunately, it was our last day and we didn't have time to come back, otherwise, I definitely would have tried more. Hopefully next time! P.S. I appreciated that they make their own waffles! And the worker was also great, helping people ahead of me to pick the best flavors!

Stopped by after snorkeling and the gelato was amazing! Loved the macadamia nuts flavor, and the…read moreTahitian vanilla bean was also great. Service was friendly & fast. They're cashless and accept card/contactless payments. There were plenty of tables & seats inside, and parking was easy and convenient.

Seating Area at Gypsea Gelato Kealakakua

Inside

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Raspberry sorbet and Mac nut

Two Ladies Kitchen

4.6(1.5k reviews)

17.7 mi

Finally got to try Two Ladies Kitchen and they didn't disappoint... there's definitely a reason…read morepeople line up to buy! I knew there might be a line so I planned ahead and placed a phone order. There's a separate line of phone orders too which was really nice. But if you wait in line they do come out with samples - just saying. Also they have pre-packaged mochi packs - which make great gifts. I bought a bunch of mochi to take home to mainland (I froze it after buying) and took it to my parents house where we cut 10 pieces into 3 pieces to do a mochi tasting. Honestly all of them were great, but top 3 were: - shiso - I didn't know what to expect, but the flavors works so well together. Such a unique combo, with subtle shiso flavor! Highly recommend. - kamato - I didn't know if I'd like it so only got one piece.. after trying I wish I had more. - peach - this is my perfect mochi. The white filling just works and it's not too sweet. I know the strawberry is their #1 seller so I tried it and it's really good, it was maybe my 5th favorite of the mochis tried. All in all a great mochi shop that's I'll definitely visit again!

Never have I ever tried mochi with a fresh fruit filled center so if you haven't either, then Two…read moreLadies Kitchen is a must stop if you're visiting Hilo. The mochi is made fresh daily, and it's highly encouraged to place an advance phone order prior to pickup so the shop can manage the high demand. The space at the front counter is very limited, so expect a wait outside to order and/or pickup. Their fruits menu changes seasonally, so we just had to try 1 of each item: - Strawberry - Mandarin Orange - D'anjou Pear - Bing Cherry - Green Grape - Cotton Candy Grape - Nectarine - Strawberry Short Cake We also had to order their Peach and Lilikoi flavors. Everything was so pillowy soft and mochi-licious!

Two Ladies Kitchen - Fruit mochi - Cherry Mochi, Rainier Cherry Mochi, Mandarin Orange Mochi, Grape Mochi, Peach Mochi, Strawberry Mochi, Li Hing Mui Apple Mochi

Fruit mochi - Cherry Mochi, Rainier Cherry Mochi, Mandarin Orange Mochi, Grape Mochi, Peach Mochi, Strawberry Mochi, Li Hing Mui Apple Mochi

For a limited time their new li hing mui apple mochi!

Two Ladies Kitchen - Butter Mochi, Lilikoi Mochi, Kamato Mochi, Nantu Mochi, Shiso Mochi, Azuma Yaki Manju, Furusato Manju, Okinawan Sweet Potato Mochi

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Butter Mochi, Lilikoi Mochi, Kamato Mochi, Nantu Mochi, Shiso Mochi, Azuma Yaki Manju, Furusato Manju, Okinawan Sweet Potato Mochi

Gypsea Gelato

4.7(373 reviews)

68.3 mi

I am editing my previous review because the response to my complaint from the managers was…read moreincredible. Their customer service reply really made up for the previous experience with their staff and they ensured me they would address the issue with their team. :) Old review: I visited the Gypsea Gelato in Kona today and was extremely disappointed with the service. I ordered a single scoop child's cone and was told "We only have our Ube waffle cones, we are out of the rest... but don't worry they don't really taste like ube". I said ok, that should be fine since my daughter wants a cone. When I get to the register, after they had already filled her cone, I was told the price was $8.50 for the child's size ice cream and charged an additional $3 for their "specialty cone". Prior to choosing the cone, I was not told anything about it costing $3 additional dollars. Nor that a kids size scoop for that cone would be $8.50 when it should usually be $4.99. So I paid $11.50 for a child's ice cream. When I brought my concern up to the 3 teenagers working there, they all made me feel as though I was in the wrong for not knowing my child's cone would be $11.50. One of the staff checked to see if there was a price on the front of the sample cone thinking she could rub that in my face but there was no price shared. So, I had literally no way of knowing how much I would end up paying until it was too late and no apology or kindness was shown whatsoever. Another staff member said "we aren't in charge of what they give us"... and to that I say, that doesn't absolve you from sharing the price of this speciality option -which again, was the only cone option offered. Had I known I would be paying $11.50 for a child's cone, we would have happily ordered the $4.99 cup. I'd appreciate if the manager would get in touch with me -not so much for the outrageous cost but more for the fact that their staff provided such poor service in not sharing the price, and not trying to kindly resolve the issue.

There is usually a line into this spot. We went here for an after dinner treat. I had a small with…read moreKona Coffee and Lilikoi. My husband had raspberry and Lilikoi. There's no seating inside, but they have some picnic tables outside and cushions on the stone wall.

Toasted coconut haystack in a cone

Small lemon cookie and salted caramel

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Mauna Trail + Tahitian Vanilla Beans

Gypsea Gelato - Waikoloa Beach Resort Kings' Shops

4.2(65 reviews)

67.1 mi

Came here for dessert to save our disastrous dinner. Ice cream place closed ridiculously early so…read morewe had to back track here. I got the mauka trail which is full of big chunks of macadamia nuts. More than I was expecting but it was still decent. This place hit the spot. We walked around and enjoyed our gelato before heading back.

I got the raspberry sorbet and the Oreo gelato, and I was beyond impressed. Not only was the flavor…read moreamazing, this is the smoothest gelato I have ever tasted. Not a single chunk of ice, my spoon scooped through like butter. They have a really nice ocean themed atmosphere on the inside, and the service was nice. Would definitely try if you're looking for dessert in the kings shops.

Gypsea Gelato - Waikoloa Beach Resort Kings' Shops

Front door

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Kula Shave Ice

4.8(441 reviews)

17.9 mi

Good little shave ice spot in Hilo. Right next to the (basically, in) the Hilo Farmer's Market…read more Yummy house combos, good variety of make your own choices and friendly service. Excellent spot for a treat downtown.

The best shaved ice I've ever had…read more Food 5/5 The Lava Flow is absolutely to die for. The haupia cream and lilikoi butter at the top with the strawberry infused ice was like heaven. The textures were all there. Service 5/5 Standard, nothing special. Ambiance 3/5 Outdoor seating area for all of the restaurants in the area. It was pretty crowded and the area isn't that clean. There's also lots of horseflies.

Half orange and half blueberry

The Hapa (choc, coconut flakes, haupia ice cream) & The Local (love the local - lilikoi, soursop w ice cream

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Their many accolades!

Makani's Magic Pineapple Shack

4.3(546 reviews)

18.2 mi

Food: 5/5 Portions: 5/5…read moreCleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 5/5 Price: $$ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes ADA access: yes Dogs: yes- outside Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: delicious fruit, friendly staff, super large portions

Ice Cream 5/5 Not usually what I go for but it was delicious…read moreand different! I ordered the Unicorn which is the ube & dragonfruit combo. They're more on the icier side than creamy. Service 5/5 Standard, nothing special. Ambiance 5/5 Indoor seating. We were the only customers so it was a nice peaceful treat for us. It was raining that day and humid so my ice cream was melting faster than I could eat lol.

Unicorn ice cream in pineapple bowl

Soft Serve Ice Cream: Unicorn (Ube and Dragonfruit) on a Pineapple from 8.23.2024

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Cookie monster

Fresh Off The Grid

4.9(288 reviews)

71.3 mi

Fresh off the Grid IS open. Best BBQ Pork I have ever had in my life and I'm 63…read more Sara is such an awesome person. She is very friendly, pleasant and helpful with island information we had. It's outdoors, which is very nice also I would definitely 1000% go back again and again Thank you Sara Diane & Joe

This is a hidden gem but 110% I would recommend it. Drive is…read moreworth it as it's scenic and so green. Try fruit bowls and smoothy. Poke bowl and nachos are great.

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Da Hawaiian Brain Freeze Shave Ice & Ice Cream

4.5(295 reviews)

16.8 mi

Best bang for your buck. The shaved ice here is HUGE!! We couldn't even finish it…read more Lots of shaved ice flavors and ice cream flavors. HAPPY ICEING!!

After snorkeling with turtles, a sweet treat before driving back to Waikoloa was necessary. Da…read moreHawaiian Brain Freeze was worth the wait. It took about 15 or so minutes to get three halo halos, but the flavor, and love thats put in them was delicious! Thankfully, after being in the hot sun there was AC in there as well as seating.

Mini shave ice is huge!!

Halo halo

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Root beer float and mini shave ice (the cup for size)

Original Big Island Shave Ice

4.7(813 reviews)

67.1 mi

Best shave ice on big island. This award winning shave ice place uses amazing island flavored ice…read morecream and fresh fruit juice to flavor shave ice. You can get the artificial flavors like cotton candy but try the real fruit syrups here. Yum! There is usually a long line but the ling goes fairly fast. It's worth the wait. The staff is friendly. The restaurant has tables outside to enjoy your treats. We loved this shave ice place with real fruit juices.

Came out here the other day after a beach day. It was good shave ice, kinda expensive but worth it…read more Did not scrimp on the syrup. I opted to build my own vs choosing one of their premade. Service was friendly, and we enjoyed the shave ice out by the marina.

Mana's Chantilly

Almond Joy

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Halo halo

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Annie S.

0

3

0

8 years ago

Nicoco Gelato is the cutest little shop in the town of Pahoa, 30 minutes outside of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii and is definitely a destination eatery. If u come to the Big Island you HAVE to check it out and experience a taste of Aloha in this funky little island town. Owned and operated by the sweetest couple, Ashley and Sean, it's so fitting they are selling this yummy sweet vegan icecream. Each time I made the trip (you will definitely want to go more than once) one or both of them were there and will let u sample flavors (because there are so many great flavors it's hard to decide), but I haven't had a flavor I didn't like yet, so sometimes sampling just makes it harder to choose! I love all of their exotic tropical fruit flavors, much of the fruit they use they have harvested themselves, but their tiramisu gelato is a winner for sure. And then to make it even better, they make their own waffle cones right there. You can get it in a cup too but the waffle cones are amazing. I give it 10 stars, for quality, consistently good customer service, innovation and creativity. Da best on da island! Mahalo for all your hard work Ashley & Sean and for creating Nicoco . read more

Zoe A.

0

2

0

8 years ago

WOOOWWW. this was the greatest ice cream i have ever had hands down. this delicious creamery was soo good after a long day and i was really in the mood for some ice cream but wasn't sure if there were any vegan places in town. as far as flavors, they have a variety. i got cookie dough and boy that was just about the single best decision i have ever made. you can literally TASTE the fresh coconut milk that they use and it is the perfect amount of sweet. i ordered it in a waffle cone and wow. just wow. they make it fresh in front of you and serve it to you in less than 5 minutes and its all warm and scrumptious and melts your ice cream just enough so that it makes some yummy ice cream soup around the edges in the best way. anyway, 100% would return and 100/10 recommend. read more

Laura M.

62

2

0

8 years ago

WOW. Gelato in Hawai'i made with locally sourced and organic ingredients, all dairy free and vegan, and made with lots of love. I love visiting this adorable gelato shop in Pahoa, taste-testing all of their incredibly unique flavors, and enjoying the fun colors of the shop. Thank you, Nicoco, for having new flavors so often and keeping all of your ingredients and processes so high qualitly and incredibly DELICIOUS! Its so wonderful that I never have a stomach ache after eating their gelato because its dairy free and has only a few simple ingredients. MAHALO! P.S. My favorite flavors are Lemon Ginger Haupia and Juniper Mint Chip. :) read more

Megan S.

0

2

0

8 years ago

At this adorable pastel ice cream counter resides a splendid ice cream experience. Handcrafted artisanal gelato in an array of seasonally rotating flavors for every palate. Local ingredients star in inventive flavors like Violet Mango and Coffee Almond Crunch, which sit next to gourmet classics like Midnight Chocolate and Juniper Mint Chip. I've been eating Nicoco ice cream for years now, and I keep coming back, because it's my favorite vegan option on the island, and because Sean and Ashley make my ice cream dreams come true....warm, crisp waffle cones filled with luscious, frosty scoops of mint chocolate chip! read more

Food P.

0

1

4 years ago

Best ice cream/gelato on the island! If you visit Hilo, this stop is a must! The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our son's dietary needs, and even added some treats to his gelato. For people who loves spicy food, I highly suggest to try black scorpion; it can pair very well with rose pistachio gelato- this combo is my favorite. I don't think I've tried anything close to that even in Italy! Next time I'm on a Big Island, this will be on my bucket list! Thanks for such a wonderful and unique treat! read more

Pohaku R.

0

4

0

11 years ago

Creamy, decadent, healthy, and VEGAN!!!...Nothing better to cool you down on a hot tropical day then a scoop or two of their fresh local made coconut based dairy free frozen desserts...the owners obviously put a lot of care thought and passion into crafting their artisanal flavors...I'm partial to their flavors that lean towards chocolate!..."midnight" is my favorite...but if you get a chance to try it don't plan on sleeping anytime soon afterwards...makes my brain buzz for hours after eating it every time! read more

Hawai'i T.

0

1

0

11 years ago

Vegan gelato at its best. I live in Hawai'i and look fwd to eating Nicoco's yummy gelato every week. Fun, tasty flavors with new ones popping up all the time. Chocolates, seasonal fruits and some creative combos that produce a consistent Rebel Yell, " I want more, more , more!!!" Pomegranate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip are a few of my favs. Here in Hawai'i its always gelato time and Nicoco's satisfies my cravings in fresh, local vegan style. Highly recommend you give it a try. read more

Charles L.

0

1

0

9 years ago

I visited Nicoco in Pahoa during a trip to the Big Island in November 2017. I found these young business owners to be friendly, hard working and dedicated to creating unique and great tasting flavors. They care about their product and use only locally sourced ingredients, providing customers with an amazing variety of delicious flavors daily. I highly recommend stopping by for a healthy and tasty treat. Try the mint chip! read more

Lisa C.

0

9

0

4 years ago

An amazing find! Super creamy and delicious with very unique flavors. They had ice cream made with local fruit flavors of things I'd never even heard of. The woman working the counter was polite and very patient while I took forever to decide. Definitely don't miss if you're in the Pahoa area. read more

Zoe E.

0

2

0

9 years ago

This the best locally made product around! Even if you aren't vegan, you'll enjoy this gelato for sure. The flavors are delicious and unique with lots of seasonal options highlighting local ingredients. So excited they now have a storefront in Pahoa! read more

Ashley G.

271

1

0

8 years ago

I love their gelato!! It's my favorite, and they always have new flavors, which is awesome! My 6 year old son loves it too! If you're in Pahoa I highly recommend you stop in and try read more

Avrey C.

136

4

0

8 years ago

A delicious vegan gelato spot with the nicest owners, Ashley and Sean! If you're looking for a yummy treat and great company, be sure to check them out! read more

Robert L.

0

1

0

8 years ago

I foodgasmed like 5 times!!!!! Every lick got better and better. The flavor, so pleasing to the tastebuds: experiencing Nicoco is a spiritual climax! read more

Ian L.

0

1

0

8 years ago

As a vegan I have grown accustomed to bland and sad ice cream concoction but then I had Nicoco. This is hands down the best gelato I ever had! read more

Cindy S.

42

1

0

11 years ago

I am amazed by the variety of flavors each week that they serve!!! My taste buds get excited each time!!! A definite must try!

Laura M.

0

3

0

8 years ago

Creamy, balanced, incredible flavors, ethical sourcing. What can I say? I'm smitten!

Nicoco - gelato - Updated August 2026

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