Houston's Best Snow Cones

Houston's best snow cones: The top places for the perfect summer treat

Everyone is familiar with the classic summer treat, the snow cone. But nowadays a cup of crunchy ice and goopy syrup made of who-knows-what really just doesn’t cut it.

Entrepreneurs are recognizing the increased competition and upping their game. The fight to be Houston's best snow cone is more intense than it's ever been. Houston's a big food city — not everyone can make the cut (sorry Tampico).

Here are Houston's top snow cone shops:

5. Mango Beach

The best thing about this tucked-away hut is definitely the price range. If you don’t really care about smooth ice or all-natural syrups, you can get your classic ballpark snow cone here.

It is also conveniently located fewer than 20 steps away from a number of open playing fields, making it a good treat to cool down with after a pick up game of kickball.

The Details: 2304 White Oak Drive, Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, 75 cents to $2.50.

4. MAM’s

MAM’s House of Ice has become so popular that owners decided to open a storefront in the Heights. But with popularity comes the crowds. If you don’t mind an average wait of 30 minutes on a good day for a well-made snoball from a selection of 48 flavors, then MAM’s is the place for you.

Feeling particularly adventurous? Try one of the specialty combos or get crazy with toppings such as gummy bears, ice cream or fresh fruit.

The Details: 1040 W Cavalcade St., Open Tuesday through Sunday noon to 8 p.m., $2.50 to $6.50.

3. Oasis

As one of the few stands on the list outside of the Heights bubble, Oasis is a much more convenient option for those in the Memorial neighborhood. As you drive up to this hidden hut you will see a long list of 165 flavors to choose from, which go far beyond your basic cherry or bubblegum.

There's a long list of 165 flavors to choose from, which go far beyond your basic cherry or bubblegum.

With finely shaved ice that melts in your mouth, reasonable prices and quick service, it's hard not be satisfied after a go-to Friday afternoon pick-me-up of half margarita and half wedding cake.

The Details: 2602 S Dairy Ashford (new location), Open noon to 7 p.m. daily, $1.75 to $4.50.

2. Yeti Sunshine

Yeti definitely has the cute factor going with a metallic shop and adorable mascot. Known for all-natural ingredients, this place takes on a different approach to flavors, fostering its own, like Hibiscus Mint, Vietnamese Coffee and the best seller, Lime-Thai Basil.

The ice is hand shaved and the serving sizes are very reasonable for the price. As long as you can find them, you won't be disappointed.

The Details: Yeti is constantly moving its trailer around to different Houston areas with unique hours so just check its website.

1. Texas Blizzard

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner! Cozied up to the side of Fitzgerald’s, this tiny trailer knows how to stack a fluffy snow cone.

What puts Texas Blizzard at the top is that it gathers the best qualities of every other snow cone spot and puts them under one roof.

I was pleasantly surprised when I tried its most popular flavor, mango, and saw the snow cone standing at least four to five inches above the edge of the cup. In the first bite, you can distinctly taste the bits of mango in the syrup. You suddenly realize how serious Texas Blizzard is about the word natural.

What puts Texas Blizzard at the top is that it gathers the best qualities of every other snow cone spot — great ice, a wide array of flavors, an easy to find location, a short wait time and kind staff — and puts them under one roof. The total two minutes that it took for me to pull up, order and enjoy made this stop an instant highlight.

The Details: 2706 White Oak Drive (Double check Texas Blizzard's calendar for private event bookings), Sunday through Thursday (closed Mondays) 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., $3 to $5.25.

A small half red velvet and half wedding cake from Texas Blizzard.

Photo by Kate Bentsen

A small half red velvet and half wedding cake from Texas Blizzard.

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in like the rose

Mimo duo open tiny Italian sandwich and gelato shop in Houston's East End

Photo by Eric Sandler

Chef Fernando Rios and Mike Sammons recently opened La Rosa.

When sommelier Mike Sammons and chef Fernando Rios teamed up to open their East End Italian restaurant Mimo in 2023, they did so by serving sandwiches that eventually went away once the restaurant moved to only being open for dinner with full service.

Thankfully, the sandwiches are back at La Rosa, the duo’s new sandwich restaurant that, like Mimo, is located in the East End’s Tlaquepaque Market shopping center. Currently, it’s open Tuesday-Sunday with sandwiches for lunch (12-3 pm) and gelato until the early evening.

“I have always wanted to do a sandwich shop. That’s always been a weird dream since an experience I had in Italy when I was younger,” Sammons tells CultureMap. “Even back in the days at 13 Celsius, that was a big driver for the mortadella sandwich we still do there.”

La Rosa’s menu is as compact as its space, which has four indoor tables, a little dining counter, and a couple of outdoor tables. It consists of three sandwiches:

Mortadella, with fior di latte, arugula, pesto di pistachio, mostarda, and garlic aioli
Formaggio, a vegetarian sandwich with corn and zucchini fritters, arugula, pesto di pistachio, mostarda, and garlic aioli
A daily special that, on April 29, was made with bresaola, pecorino, horseradish crema, capers, arugula, and lemon.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Chef Fernando Rios and Mike Sammons recently opened La Rosa.

“We R&D’ed the hell out of them,” Sammons says about the sandwiches. “I can’t tell you how many mortadellas we’ve tasted and how many different kinds of fior di latte. Even the way we do the pesto di pistachio — dry as a bone or super wet with lots of olive oil.”

Alright, Mike, explain how nerdy you and chef got with the ingredients in the mortadella sandwich.

“First of all, when it comes to the mortadella, you have to be able to cut it so thinly you can look through it. It has to have a certain integrity and still have bite to it,” he explains. “The fior di latte has to be creamy and snappy. You have to be able to crush it flat so it oozes all over the sandwich. The pesto di pistachio has to have a real presence of raw pistachio.”

The duo applied a similar discipline to finding the right platform for La Rosa’s sandwiches. Sammons says he and Rios tried all kinds of bread, eventually settling on a telera roll from Houston favorite El Bolillo.

“It’s more of a vessel. Bread is always the star of a sandwich, but we want the star of the show to be almost a little hidden, like an uncelebrated special guest,” he says. “It’s crisp and crunchy with a toothsome bite that’s light and airy in the middle. It holds everything together but doesn’t dominate.”

Similarly, they’re sourcing gelato from Houston’s SweetCup Gelato. Sammons says he tried multiple vendors, but Sweet Cup’s lemon sorbet is the one flavor that most reminded him of Italy. In addition to classics like pistachio, chocolate, and strawberry, chef Rios can work with Sweet Cup on flavors that will be exclusive to La Rosa.

Rios is already rotating the specials. The opening weekend’s meatball sandwich quickly gave way to this week’s bresaola. Diners have plenty to look forward to, including favorites from the old days like Italian beef and chicken parm.

Sammons has some aspirations, too. He plans to add beer and wine to the current non-alcoholic offerings of soda and sparkling water.

The little shop has been surprisingly busy, he adds.

“We sold out Sunday, which was unexpected,” Sammons says. “If we keep doing that, we’ll make more. So far, everyone has been supportive. I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be great.”

news-you-can-eat sandwiches openings la rosa