Bangkok’s 7 best places to slurp on shaved ice

What is it? Bangkok's most serious kakigori destination, and one of the most exciting dessert openings the city has seen in years. Oyatsu no Jikan – which translates, charmingly, as ‘snack time’ – is the world's first outpost of Tokyo's Azuki to Kouri, the cult dessert bar from chef Hiroyasu Kawate of two-Michelin-star Florilège. Landed at the hushed, design-conscious Velaa Sindhorn Village, it applies the logic of French fine dining – temperature contrast, texture layering, seasonal produce, precision dressing – to what is, at its core, shaved ice. 

Why we love it: The menu changes with the season and the market, which means you'll rarely eat the same kakigori twice. Their own machine, imported from Japan, produces ice that's exceptional – finer, lighter and more paper-like than anything else in the city. The signature Milk & Meringue Kakigori is the version that has anchored the Tokyo original for years. But the Bangkok-exclusive Avocado Salad Kakigori – a creamy, tangy blend of avocado, yoghurt and cream cheese – is the one that really shows what this kitchen can do. 

Time Out tip: The Chiboust Kakigori is changing with whatever’s at peak ripeness. If the passion-mango version is on, get it. Torched and caramelised on top, with bright passionfruit and ripe mango. But the headline for early 2026 is the Black Truffle Kakigori. Fresh French truffle shaved over dark chocolate sauce, with a hidden core of Hokkaido nama chocolate and a crunch of hazelnuts to finish.

Velaa Sindhorn Village, G/F, Langsuan Rd, Lumphini. Open daily 10am-10pm

What is it? Bangkok's best-loved dessert chain, and one that earned its reputation the old-fashioned way – by being genuinely good. After You has been around since 2007, building its name on Shibuya honey toast and never looked back. The kakigori here is Japanese in style: soft, snow-like shaved ice loaded with flavoured syrups, cream and toppings that range from grass jelly to sticky rice. The flagship is still the original Thong Lor J Avenue branch, but you'll find outposts across most major malls if the queue situation gets dire.

Why we love it: At its base is Thai comfort food, reimagined creatively into modern shaved ice, a format that fits Bangkok’s all-weather appetite. The mango sticky rice kakigori deserves every bit of the hype. There's mango syrup that tastes like it was just squeezed out of a mango, sweet cheese cream on top and – the masterstroke – a base of glossy, yielding sticky rice that somehow doesn't go soggy. The Thai tea kakigori, with its mellow, slightly cheesy frosting and hidden grass jelly, runs it close.

The newer mango nada kakigori is worth flagging too – a Mexican-inflected sweet-sour mango shaved ice finished with Sriracha Panich, Thailand's iconic chilli sauce. And when durian season rolls around, drop everything for the durian sticky rice kakigori: fruit sourced from a single orchard in Rayong, rich and deeply flavoured, available in three sizes for roughly a month a year. Miss it and you'll regret it until next season.

Time Out tip: Go Baby size if you're solo as the regular is arguably over-generous in portion size. The Thong Lor branch has the best atmosphere; skip Siam Paragon unless you enjoy queuing in a shopping corridor.

J Avenue, Thong Lor 13, Watthana. Multiple locations citywide. Open daily 11am-11pm

What is it? A spin-off of the well-regarded Thai family restaurant Luk Kai Thong, Pang Cha built such a reputation around its Thai tea shaved ice dessert that it eventually warranted its own dedicated cafe brand and went straight to get a mention in the Michelin Guide. The signature here is closer in spirit to Korean bingsu than Japanese kakigori – the ice is milk-based and fine, shaved into soft, cloud-like mounds – but the flavour is unmistakably Thai: deep, amber sweetness of Thai iced tea, pulled into dessert form and piled high with tapioca pearls, whipped cream and crunchy almond slivers. 

Why we love it: The presentation alone is worth the trip. A bowl of Pang Cha arrives steaming with dry ice theatrics, a mountain of ice so tall it seems structurally improbable. The bread underneath – toasted slices that soak up the melting ice like a sponge – is a divisive touch, but it works. It's a generous portion, too; three or four people can comfortably share one bowl.

Time Out tip: Order the royal Thai milk tea version for the full experience. Budget for sharing – this is not a solo dessert spot!

3/F, Central World, 999/9 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan. Multiple locations citywide. Open daily 10am-10pm

What is it? In Thai, sai means both ‘shaved’ and ‘honest’ – and Sai Sai brings the ethos at this shaved ice cafe in the old city near Rattanakosin island. Sourcing ingredients seasonally from local farmers and treats the kakigori format seriously, the menu rotates around whatever produce is at its best. They've tried everything from palm sugar and buffalo yoghurt to the tartly compelling mafai (garcinia cowa) fruit – all work incredibly well.

Why we love it: The seasonal tropical bowls, when the combination lands, can be revelatory: a recent blend of jackfruit, pineapple and garcinia cowa was sweet, sour and refreshing all at once, like the best fruit salad of your life but colder. The room is low-key and unpretentious, the vibe is local and unhurried and the prices won't freeze your account. 

Time Out tip: Ask what's in season and let the staff guide you – but if the watermelon and crispy fish bowl is on, order it without hesitation. The crunchy fish comes from Sai Buri in Pattani, the kind traditionally eaten with southern Thai rice salad and fish sauce. Sweet, salty, crunchy and cold – it's the most interesting bowl on the menu and the one that best shows what this kitchen is actually about.

242-244 Maha Chai Rd, Samran Rat, Phra Nakhon. Open daily 12pm-10pm

What is it? Southern Thai desserts don't get nearly enough credit in Bangkok's sweet scene, which is part of what makes Juitee so very welcome. A sibling-run cafe that started in Phuket and brought its best ideas north, Juitee's Bangkok outpost sits inside the Corner House – a converted old building in Charoenkrung – and serves a menu of contemporary and rare southern Thai sweets.

Why we love it:  The standout for shaved ice lovers is the o-eaw: a Phuket staple built around the bouncy, almost gelatinous jelly extracted from the seeds of creeping figs, served with shaved ice, red syrup and a tumble of tropical fruit. Juitee's o-eaw is a tropical iteration – peach, pineapple and mango alongside the classic. 

Time Out tip: Start with the tropical versions, then stay for a tao sor bun and a coffee. There’s also the o-eaw Charoen Krung – a localised take that swaps in ingredients found around the neighbourhood the cafe calls home.

951/35 Charoen Krung Rd, Bang Rak. Open daily 11am-8pm

What is it? Cheng Sim Ei is a classic Thai-Chinese dessert shophouse in Phra Nakhon, close to the Giant Swing, and it has been doing the traditional thing – shaved ice, sweet coconut milk, a choose-your-own selection of toppings – for as long as anyone can remember. This is not kakigori. It's not bingsu. It's the original: crushed ice, fragrant coconut milk, a ladle of sweet syrup and whatever combination of taro, jackfruit, lotus seeds, water chestnuts, coconut jelly and pandan noodles you're craving for.

Why we love it: Because some things don't need to be improved upon! The coconut milk here is properly coconut milk – rich, fragrant, just sweet enough – and the toppings, arrayed in an impressive spread behind the counter, are fresh and well-prepared. Choosing your own bowl is part of the ritual: you point, they pile, the ice goes on top and sweet syrup follows. The ruam mit (mixed) version is the path of least resistance and rarely disappoints. Prices are comfortingly cheap by any standard, the room is open-fronted and breezy and the street outside feels a world away from the malls of Sukhumvit. 

Time Out tip: The ruam mit bowl lets you go all-out on the toppings. Add the pandan-green lot chong noodles if you see them – they're the best.

212/1 Dinso Rd, Sao Chingcha, Phra Nakhon. Open daily (hours vary, best visited mid-morning to mid-afternoon)

What is it? Grow Tea Studio made its name on tea. The kakigori menu arrived later as a natural extension of that obsession, but now it’s a favourite. Every bowl is built around the same premium teas used in the drinks menu. 

Why we love it: This is a kitchen that thinks in flavour pairings rather than toppings lists. The current seasonal lineup shows how far the kitchen has come: the Meron Midori leads with a Yabukita-Saemidori matcha espuma; floral and delicate, hiding a core of sweet Japanese melon, black sugar beans, seedless green grapes tossed in a flavour-amplifying sauce and a grey-toned special crumble that adds texture and intrigue. The kuriio – named after the colour of chestnut – goes in an earthier, smokier direction: charcoal-roasted chestnut, wood-fired cashews sourced by the owner's mother, Chumphon forest honey and roasted Tieguanyin oolong, all designed around the principle of harmony.

Time Out tip: Kuriio is a Phrom Phong exclusive this summer – and not a permanent one, so don’t wait to try it, it’ll be gone before you know it.

Phrom Phong branch: Sukhumvit Soi 39, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana. Open Thurs-Tues 11am-7.30pm