July might have been National Ice Cream Month, but National Soft Serve (soft ice cream) Day is tomorrow, Aug. 19. I’ve always had a soft spot for this frozen dairy dessert. My heart melts for the following cold treats — and I’m sure yours will, too.

UBAE — which stands for “ube before anything else” — features a variety of treats showcasing the purple yam, a staple in Filipino cuisine. It’s famous for its ube cheesecake and tarts, but the store also offers ube soft serve ($6). This cold treat is dairy free and plant based; it’s light and not overly sweet, ideal for an afternoon snack. Because it’s dairy free, this soft serve is a refreshing option without the guilt.

Want something more exotic? Try the ube soft serve swirled with buko (coconut) and pandan (screwpine), which is popular for its natural sweet flavor and light-but-fragrant aroma.

Ubae Hawaii
City Square Shopping Center
1284 Kalani st. Honolulu
808-439-3224
ubaehawaii.com
Instagram: @ubae_hawaii

Double three

This dessert shop, with locations in Kalihi, Kailua and 808 Center, is famous for its spongy bubble waffle cones. The latter is the only one that features soft serve (Kalihi and Kailua stores both offer ice cream).

808 Center features two soft serve flavors from Tuesday to Thursday, and four rotating flavors from Fridays to Sundays. Vanilla bean is the only set soft serve flavor; the others — ranging from the popular uji-matcha from Kyoto and Fruity Pebbles to birthday cake, Oreo and more — change daily, depending on availability.

The 808 Center bubble waffle set features a waffle, soft serve and two toppings for $8.50.

The matcha bubble waffle is a customer favorite and features a subtle green tea flavor.

Double three
808 Center
808 Sheridan St., Honolulu
808-888-3033
Instagram: @double.three_33

Thrills soft serve

Thrills Soft Serve — founded by best friends Ridge Hayashi and Sandy Bach, who share a mutual love for ice cream — opened in May 2019 and is devoted to creating amazing soft serve. Its waffles and ice cream are made fresh in-house in small batches every day. Thrills’ mission is to reinvent and create unique flavors that spark nostalgia and “the feeling of thrills,” according to its owners.

Some of the most popular flavors includes ube, Ramune (the owners’ favorite soda), White Bunny (their favorite candy) and seasonal flavors like white peach. Cones with soft serve usually cost $6.50, but you can add multiple toppings for an additional cost. The shop changes its flavors every month to keep its supporters excited.

Thrills Soft Serve
510 Piikoi St.,Honolulu
808-888-6860
lifeofthrills.com
Instagram: @thrillshnl

Somisomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki

Somisomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki has proven Instagram-worthy, thanks to its Korean dessert called “ah-boong,” which is a fish-shaped waffle cone stuffed with your choice of filling and soft serve. Filling options that can be stuffed inside the taiyaki cone include custard, Nutella, red bean, cream cheese and taro, while rotating soft serve flavors range from milk and matcha to black sesame and ube.

Be sure to try Somisomi’s currently featured seasonal summer flavors: mango and honeydew.

The best part about this dessert — whether you get it in the taiyaki cone or in a regular cup — is unlimited toppings. That’s right — you can have as much rainbow sprinkles, Fruity Pebbles and graham cracker crumbs as your heart desires.

Somisomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Ste. 1075, Honolulu
808-206-8997
somisomi.com
Instagram: @Somisomiicecream