Tropilicious Ice Cream & Sorbet

Since late August, I had read an article about this local company’s 1995 entry into Hawaii’s ice cream scene that prompted me on an ice cream/​sherbet eating binge. I’ve been going to Tropilicious’ factory on Mokauea Street to pick up several of their luscious frozen tropical treats. However, the Mokauea Street location isn’t set up for relaxing around with your frozen treat.
Over the years, I’ve seen Tropilicious super premium ice creams and fat-​free/​non-​dairy sherbets offered at restaurants, supermarkets and on airlines. All of the flavors are inspired by Hawaii’s local flavors and made locally. I was super excited when the young office worker (female) who had been greeting and helping me with my requests told me about Tropilicious’ plans to open an ice cream shop toward the end of September. Well, as I was anxiously waiting and wondering WHEN they’d open, I was surprised by an e-​mail announcing the opening of the Tropilicious Ice Cream Shop.
This location has a small parking lot in front so you can go into the shop and order your frozen treat then have a seat. The shop is sparsely decorated but is bright and clean. Admittedly, this ice cream shop is in a light industrial area, just blocks away from their factory so there isn’t a scenic view. The shop is behind a roll-​up door that is open to the public but, if you blink you could easily miss it. I’m told that the factory is also planning to relocate to this location, too, behind this storefront.
I had planned on going today to get me a scoop (or two) of Li Hing Mango Sherbet or maybe Haupialani or Lychee Sorbet or any of their Dreamsicle flavors. We ended with a 3-​scoop cup of mango sorbet, watermelon Dreamsicle (combination of sherbet & ice cream) and white chocolate & Oreo cookie ice cream. Service was friendly and enthusiastic. There were 4 young women who greeted us as soon as we opened the doors and asked us if we wanted to sample some of the flavors. We knew what we wanted so we just ordered it and the young woman scooped it into a cup for us to enjoy. It was a perfect cooler on this hot Hawaiian day.
Support local and get these luscious flavors to cool you down.
#413

Got 2 cups of ice cream for $ 1.75 each. The black sesame was delicious. Service is friendly but a little slow. This isn’t an ice cream shop. You go into the office and it looks like an office, except there is a freezer with some pints and cups in it. You can order flavors that are not in the freezer. There is ice cream, sorbet, and «dreamsicle.» I’d return to try more flavors.

New to this locally made ice cream & sorbet. Usually get mine from Foodland or Tamura’s.
Total fan of their Haupialani Coconut Sorbet! Just dreamy & went perfect with my homemade Key Lime Pie (put the lime in the coconut). Apart from my favorite, Roselani’s Haupia ice cream, this ranks second. Their Liliko’i (passion fruit) sorbet is another winner & nicely balanced, not too sweet with authentic fruit flavor. Their Green Tea ice cream isn’t as tea intense as my very favorite version from Dave’s, but not as weak as I’ve had at other places (i.e. 31 Flavors). Still, it’s creamy goodness.
I will definitely try their store off Sand Island Access Road. $ 3 pints sound reasonable. A habit I already can tell will be a hard one to give up.
#Yelp 365: ⁰¹⁸⁄₃₆₅

One addiction to the next.
Much like La Galateria, Tropilicious distributes its ice cream and sorbets to many business across Hawaii and also sells them at nearly all super markets. But why pay 2−3x the price when you can get them for wholesale at their factory?!
$ 1 a cup and $ 3 a pint! Now that’s CHEAP!
My favorites:
Mac Nut (of course)
Orange Creamsicle
I’m not a haupia fan, but their popular haupialani sorbert is good.
Location: Located in sand island, it’s very easy to spot:
Parking: There’s a few stalls directly in front of the store as well as street parking.
How to buy some: There are three nondescript doors, just open any of them, find an employee, and ask if you can buy some ice cream (they are nice).

After going on an ice cream frenzy, or should I say gelato, I recently saw that one of my friends received a gift certificate from Tropilicious Ice Cream + Sorbet from the Cholo’s Waimea Bay Swim. In need of a new dessert place, I decided to check this place out with a friend.
At first I was a bit skeptical, I wasn’t sure if they sold cups and/​or pints out of their headquarters, but decided to head out there anyways. Now, this isn’t your typical ice cream area. Off nimitz highway, on sand island, it’s hidden by all the scrap metal filled streets, and the pier down the road. Took a few times, and a lot of U-​turns to find this place, so keep your eyes out. But once you do find Mokauea street, you can’t miss it, it’s a long white building. Word of advice: there isn’t much parking around this area, so you might have to park across the street, or down the road and walk, but unless you’re like me, you can always make your own parking stall. Once you get there, go through the last door, towards the right, that is where the office is, and they will be more than willing to help you.
The prices are awesome!!! A cup is $ 1, and the pint is $ 3. The pints have more flavors, but decided to go with a cup of green tea ice cream. I thought it was great, I mean I did finish it, in five minutes. The green tea flavor wasn’t too overwhelming like other places I’ve tried, and very smooth.
Can’t quite say I’m in love yet, but I am in definite need of seconds!