15 Best Kona Ice Flavors, Ranked

Kona Ice, founded in 2007, serves shaved ice from tropical trucks that play calypso tunes that will transport you to an island paradise no matter where you live. Kona Ice offers their customers delicious shaved ice with a welcoming, fun environment for everyone. Unlike traditional ice cream trucks that roam neighborhoods looking for customers, Kona trucks tend to advertise their location on social media and might be found at parks, street fairs, and beaches.

Kona Ice prides itself on giving back and makes fundraising for schools, scouts, sports, and arts programs simple. Order a truck, everyone buys cool treats, and the organization gets a portion of the sales; Kona Ice can even attend events indoors with their Kona Mini units. Kona Ice loves to bring a tropical flair to your door if you want to add a festive touch to a corporate event or private party.

There are plenty of flavors to choose from, and part of the fun is playing mixologist. Each truck offers crafted flavors, or you might prefer to create unique combinations using the Flavorwave dispensers at the side of the truck. We have plenty of favorites to inspire you if you've ever wondered about the best Kona ice.

Wedding cake without calories and fat? Sure, if it's this rich, vanilla-flavored Kona Ice. While modern wedding cakes are flavored to order, from chocolate to carrot cake, filled with mousse, fruit, buttercream, or caramel, the classic wedding cake is vanilla, often with an almond undertone. Wedding Cake from Kona Ice mimics that traditional flavor, and the best part? Wedding Cake pairs endlessly with other Kona flavors; it's more of a challenge to find one that doesn't work with it.

One Tik Tok user loves Wedding Cake combined with piña colada and Bahama Mama, which blends orange, pineapple, and coconut; this combo sounds reminiscent of cocktails at a lush beach resort. Your favorite fruit Kona Ice would work deliciously, too, and so would Chocolate, Caramel, Cappuccino, or Root Beer. If memories of your own wedding cake make you sigh with longing, there's sure to be a Kona flavor combo for you, and Wedding Cake is likely an excellent base to recreate it.

Orange Ya Happy? has a smiling orange logo, and we agree — it's a pure orange delight. Beating the heat and humidity with a refreshing citrus flavor is an obvious choice, but Orange Ya Happy? is an excellent backdrop for other flavors. Remember: A major part of Kona Ice fun is creating your personal favorite.

Orange Ya Happy? mixed with Orange Ginger mimics Kona's specialty Orange Mule flavor (not every truck carries every craft syrup). If you're a fan of sour candy, try combining Orange Ya Happy? with Citrus Sour Swizzle, Cryin' Key Lime, Lip Smackin' Lemon, or Pucker Up Peach for the ideal cup of sweet and tangy ice.

If an elevated creamsicle flavor is your jam, combine Orange Ya Happy? with rich vanilla ices like Creme Brulee, Cheesecake, or Egg Custard for a taste that'll take you back to childhood. Kona Ice also offers many fruit flavors that complement orange perfectly; Ninja Cherry, Red Raspberry, or Passionfruit are favorites, but you can hardly go wrong here. Whether you like a rainbow of flavors or the simple pleasure of Orange Ya Happy? all on its own, this flavor will have you smiling as you enjoy your icy treat.

Watermelon Mint is a popular Kona Krafted flavor for a good reason. You're missing out if you've never combined mint with sweet, juicy watermelon. Redditors agree, sharing recipes from cocktails to salads starring watermelon and mint leaves. This flavor is one the purists among us prefer to savor without mixing. The cool, refreshing taste of mint works with vanilla, chocolate, and many kinds of fruit, but mixing Watermelon Mint Kona Ice with other flavors might produce a muddled mess.

If your heart is set on mixing flavors, try Limeade as a sure hit with Watermelon Mint. After all, watermelon, lime, and mint make a fantastic ice pop, so it stands to reason that they'll make a banging shaved ice, too. Depending on personal tastes, you could add several Kona lime flavors. If you want a creamy lime flavor, Key Lime Pie might be your go-to, or if you want an intense lime flavor, Cryin' Key Lime is a strong contrast with the sweet fruitiness of Watermelon Mint.

Kona Ice calls it "mid-summer in a cup" and Yelp users gave Watermelon Mint top marks. Do yourself a favor and try Watermelon Mint next time you find a Kona Ice truck.

Blueberry Acai + is the star of the Vita Blend line at Kona Ice. All the Vita Blend flavors have added vitamins and 40% less sugar, contain fruit infusions and antioxidants, and are sweetened with stevia. Kona Ice reports that Blueberry Acai + is excellent for cholesterol, and the color is simply divine. Kona Ice is a treat that's good for everyone since, in addition to the Vita Blend flavors, they also offer sugar-free and Fruit First flavors. All of these are perfect if you're looking for ways to have a treat while still sticking to a healthy diet. The Klassic flavors are only 50 calories for eight ounces of icy snow, so whichever flavor you're into isn't going to get you far off track.

Blueberries and acai berries are both considered superfoods. They're great for your body and nutrient-rich, with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols that may fight disease and improve our health. While it's good to keep in mind that some hype about superfoods is, well, hype, nobody argues that fresh, whole foods are great nutritionally and bring plenty of benefits. And while Kona Ices aren't exactly fresh, whole foods, if you can order dessert with some nutritional value, we say that's a win-win.

Nothing says island paradise like a piña colada. This delicious cocktail combines coconut cream, rum, and pineapple, often whirred up with ice and topped with cherries, pineapple, and coconut. It originated in Puerto Rico, though stories of its invention vary, from pirates using it to soothe seasickness to hotel bartenders coming up with the idea. Do we really care who came up with the recipe, though? All we need to know is that this cocktail tastes like summer in a glass. In July, Puerto Rico even has an annual festival celebrating this creamy tropical drink. Those lucky enough to attend can sample drinks and desserts centered on the piña colada.

Kona Ice proves that rum isn't even the best thing about piña coladas. Kona's Piña Colada blends coconut and pineapple in a way everyone loves — even dogs. Suppose you're a member of the club that loves bananas in a colada. In that case, Kona Ice recommends mixing Piña Colada with Monkey Business to make a new flavor they call Banana Colada. Sounds yummy to us!

If you've wondered why red flavors like cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and watermelon are so popular, you might be surprised to learn that people consider red foods sweeter and more fun than other colors. Most of us love these fresh berries, but strawberry flavor science is complex regarding flavoring. This is because strawberries contain over 1,000 flavor volatiles, producing an aroma that contributes heavily to our perceptions of their actual sweetness (via Blue Pacific).

Humans' love of red food likely explains why Strawberry'd Treasure is consistently one of Kona's top flavors. While it's easy to enjoy Strawberry'd Treasure by itself, adding a contrasting flavor like Green Apple, Lemonade, or Sour Berry Blast would be a treat. If you're a classic strawberry and cream fan, adding Ice Cream (the Kona Ice flavor), French Vanilla, or Cheesecake might make your day. And for the grownups, a combo of Strawberry'd Treasure with Daiquiri, Margarita, Cosmopolitan, or White Wine Spritzer would make any time cocktail hour.

Kona suggests that strawberry-banana lovers add Monkey Business to Strawberry'd Treasure. Their Instagram followers loved the idea, with one reviewer exclaiming that trying it "almost made me drive 20 minutes back to get another one." While results of a Kona poll between Strawberry'd Treasure and Orange Ya Happy? were split relatively down the middle, we'd suggest mixing these two flavors would make everyone happy.

Lucky Lime, another of Kona's top ten flavors, is like a better version of fresh lime. It has some bite to it, but not so much that your mouth puckers. Lucky Lime falls closer to the Persian lime than the Key lime since the tart notes are subtler and less astringent.

One Facebook fan said it could use "extra sour," but Kona has her back, too. Mixing Lucky Lime with Cryin' Key Lime would bring the sweet-sour flavor plenty of folks crave. Other lime flavors would complement Lucky Lime, too; try Coconut Lime, Cherry Limeade, or Key Lime Pie. Of course, citrus fruits are always delicious together, so Lucky Lime pairs beautifully with Orange Ya Happy?, Paradise Pink Lemon, or Hawaiian Dreamsicle.

Since pineapple is another tropical flavor that works well with lime, Bahama Mama, Pineapple sunrise, Mai Tai, or Pineapple Cream would be sweet counterparts to Lucky Lime. One customer introduced an unexpected idea — Lucky Lime and Blue Raspberry to make cactus juice. While actual cactus juice comes from prickly pear or nopales cactuses and has nothing to do with lime or blue raspberry, it still sounds like a must-try.

Kids love blue flavors for the shock of blue mouths and tongues. If blue raspberry gets boring, Island Rush is a popular Kona choice. This tropical punch Kona embodies summer and will please adults and kids alike. Fruit punch has been around for hundreds of years, although it was initially an alcoholic beverage when it got its start in the 17th century. Since rum preserved the fruit juice blend, sailors could use it on long journeys for which beer didn't stay fresh. Queen Victoria, reported to be a fan of opium and even gum laced with cocaine, drew the line at alcohol, so fruit punch eventually became the kid-friendly drink we know today.

Island Rush goes well with so many tropical Kona flavors you know and love. Try it with Monster Mango, Coconut Lime, or Bahama Mama. Contrast it with another fruit flavor, like Strawberry Kiwi, Passion Fruit, or Ninja Cherry, or keep your palette blue and mix in Cotton Candy Blue, Blue Coconut, or Blue Raspberry.

Island Rush is even a game for iPhone, where players take Kona the Penguin across the island of GoobaJooba in a running, jumping obstacle course full of powerups. Not only is this game fun for everyone, but it also allows you to earn rewards like free ices and themed cups. It sounds like a new hobby for Kona aficionados!

Mangos, that tropical delight chock full of beta carotene, antioxidants, and vitamins C, K, and A, are beloved worldwide for their sweet, juicy flesh and versatility. Whether you eat them fresh, turn them into a dessert, or use them in a stir fry, salsa, or salad, adding mango to your diet is always a great idea. Most people's main complaint with this slippery stone fruit is how hard they are to cut, but there are plenty of tricks to make the job easier.

Monster Mango has the luscious taste of mango without any hassles, so no wonder Kona rates it as one of the most popular flavors they serve. With its dazzling orange hue and intense flavor, Monster Mango is always a crowd pleaser and works well with many other Kona Ice favorites. Kona recommends pairing it with Mango Jalapeño, which would be a perfect all-mango blend of spicy and sweet.

If you prefer your treat to be nothing but sweet, just about any of the fruit Konas would blend effortlessly with Monster Mango. Coconut Lime, Mai Tai, or Pineapple Sunrise would intensify the tropical vibe, and imagine the color palette you'd have with Blue Coconut, Monster Mango, and Ninja Cherry. Whichever you choose, you can't go wrong with Monster Mango.

Most Kona Ice flavors describe what you're getting, but Unicorn might be a head-scratcher if you just read the order board. We're here to tell you to go right ahead and order this one. Unicorn is a spellbinding mixture of papaya, orange, and vanilla. Sound magical? Kona thinks so, and there's no argument here.

If you are one of the many people unfamiliar with the taste of papaya, it's often described as similar to mango, melon, and peaches. Therefore, Unicorn's flavor profile is a better version of a creamsicle, delivering an extra shot of tropical zest to the creamy orange-vanilla treat.

Unicorn might be best enjoyed all on its own to taste the fusion of three flavors. If mixing flavors is your favorite part of ordering Kona, we'd recommend playing up the orange or vanilla notes rather than trying contrasting flavors. For extra vanilla creaminess, Unicorn would be perfect with Creme Brulee, Ice Cream, or French Vanilla. If orange is your happy place, go for Orange Ya Happy?, or maybe Orange Ginger to add a little zing. If you can't decide, Hawaiian Dreamsicle has both orange and vanilla. No matter the choice, you'll be enchanted by Unicorn as a single flavor or a combo.

A popular way to preserve cherries is canning them in a syrup made from bourbon, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla, and Kona Ice ran with that idea to create Bourbon Black Cherry Vanilla. This flavor is sophisticated and will appeal more to adults than kids (though none of Kona's flavors contain alcohol) because the bourbon lends a note of caramel that mingles with cherry and vanilla in a lush, elevated combo that will keep you coming back for more.

Kona Krafted flavors have universal appeal, and it's no different for Bourbon Black Cherry; many customers say every flavor is delicious or list several because they can't decide. Krafted flavors do exceptionally well on their own since, by definition, they're crafted to allow the flavors to layer perfectly. Those who like an extravagant Kona might order soft serve at the bottom of the cup; the blend of ice cream with the flavors of Bourbon Black Cherry is a real treat.

Those that prefer to stick with icy snow could consider ordering Caramel to play up Bourbon Black Cherry, or go for Cheesecake, Wedding Cake, or Creme Brulee for a solid vanilla base (now imagine any of those desserts topped with preserved bourbon cherries, and you might be making a grocery list for a fancy dessert). Bourbon Black Cherry Vanilla is sure to be a hit whichever way you get it.

Caribbean Cherry + is another offering in Kona's Vita-Blend line, sweetened with stevia and lower in calories than other Kona ices (the sugar-free varieties are the only Kona ices that are calorie-free). This flavor is enhanced with a type unfamiliar to most of us, the Acerola cherry, a tropical cherry that offers extra vitamin C and antioxidants.

Kona bills Caribbean Cherry + as a natural source of several B vitamins crucial to metabolism and cell repair, including thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Of course, we probably won't count on Kona to provide the recommended RDA of vital nutrients, but every little bit helps. Certainly, fun foods with a nutritional boost are always welcome. Pairing Caribbean Cherry + with Pomegranate + or Blueberry Acai + will cover a broader spectrum of vitamins with outstanding flavor.

If sweet and sour combos appeal, try Cryin' Key Lime or Citrus Sour Swizzle along with Caribbean Cherry +, or add a spicy note with Mango Jalapeño, Strawberry Sriracha, or Raspberry Cayenne. Kona's devotion to appealing to adults (and the kids they supposedly come to the truck for) is another thing that sets this company apart.

Lavender lemonade has become a popular summer drink, prized for its delicate herbal flavor and pretty, pale purple hue. Kona Ice jumped onto the trend, and Lavender Lemonade is a hit everywhere they go. Customers rave about the taste and think the person who created it deserves a raise, adding that it's perfect for a hot summer day. Yelp reviewers agree, noting that Lavender Lemonade is a "delicious, very sophisticated adult flavor."

If you can't resist mixing flavors, Kona Ice offers several lemonade-based syrups. For a rainbow of lemonade goodness, add Paradise Pink Lemon, Mangoade, or Classic Lemonade along with Lavender Lemonade. If contrasting flavor combinations are more your style, go for Coconut Lime, Cherry Limeade, or Citrus Sour Swizzle. Lavender Lemonade will pair beautifully with Rose Petal Lemonade or Moonflower to stick with an elegant herbal theme.

To elevate Lavender Lemonade to a decadent dessert, request it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the way it's served in Hawaii. Kona Krew members happily provide vanilla ice cream and condensed milk at the bottom of the cup upon request, so try this if you're craving a creamy delight.

Blue raspberry flavor has always been a bit of a mystery — after all, raspberries are red, or in the case of black raspberries (not to be confused with blackberries), black. It tastes like berries, just maybe more so. Kids love staining their mouths and tongues bright blue, and since the dazzling tropical hue isn't found in natural foods, blue raspberry flavor began with ICEEs and soon became a trend in candy and frozen treats like Kona Ice.

Blue Raspberry is one of Kona's most ordered flavors, with fans all over social media proclaiming it their favorite. Kids love it paired with either of Kona's cotton candy flavors (choose Blue, Pink, or both), and though that could be a bit much for adult palates, you can't argue with it as a shot of energy on a hot day.

Blue Raspberry with Passion Fruit, Cranberry Grape +, or Appletini might appeal to adults who want more sophistication along with their childhood favorite. Blue Raspberry is also excellent with the scoop of soft serve ice cream Kona will put at the bottom of your cup upon request if you're looking to add some richness, and if you're lucky, the ice cream might dilute the blue color to your mouth.

We get it; Tiger's Blood is quite an intriguing name for shaved ice, but rest assured that no tigers are ever harmed to make Kona Ice. This flavor is a mixture of strawberry and coconut, and Kona bills it as the most-ordered flavor, with Blue Raspberry in second place. Strawberries might not be the first fruit that comes to mind as a delicious pair with coconut, yet customers rave about it, one fan joking that they didn't realize Kona even had other flavors.

Tiger's Blood pairs well with many of Kona's other offerings, so it's hard to go wrong if you make an art form of mixing flavors. Single-fruit flavors like Monster Mango, Lucky Lime, Peach, and Lemonade make luscious combos, or you might prefer playing up the coconut notes with Blue Coconut or Coconut Lime. Another option is making a tropical mocktail using Piña Colada, Mai Tai, Pineapple Sunrise, or Blackberry Mojito.

No matter which Kona Ice you decide is your favorite, you can feel good supporting a company that continually strives to help local communities while delivering a healthy, affordable icy treat in a fun, welcoming way.