10 Refreshing Raspado Spots in Metro Phoenix

So much more than a Mexican snow cone, raspados deserve proper respect. Typically composed of shaved ice doused in fruity syrups and finished with chunks of fresh fruit, lechera (sweetened condensed milk) and sometimes ice cream or tangy chamoy sauce, these shaved-ice showstoppers come in sweet, spicy, sour — or all of the above. Here are 10 Phoenix raspado spots worth the sip (and sticky fingers).

Frutilandia

Multiple Locations

Frutilandia is like a Mexican Dairy Queen. Bright and cheery with a menu board with photos of all the frozen treats, this dessert hub serves up the standard raspadsos. But it’s the specialty drink board that will catch your eye — staggering feats garnished to the hilt with tasty toppers. Standouts include the pina coolada, a pineapple coconut concoction that starts with freshly shaved ice and ends with a generous heaping of coconut-pineapple ice cream, condensed milk, and dulce churro.It's a sweet sip that combines house-made dulce de leche syrup, vanilla ice cream, and cajeta-filled churros.

Raspados Guerrero

4149 North 83rd Avenue

All the raspado flavors at Raspados Guerrero use real fruit syrups made in-house, except one: bubblegum. It takes artificial ingredients to get that bluer-than-blue hue and sweeter-than-sweet flavor — not that the kid in you cares. For even more nostalgia, the Chicle-toni takes the bubblegum raspado and amplifies it by adding strawberries on the bottom and cotton candy ice cream on top. Holy sugar rush!

Oasis Raspados

Multiple Locations

Oasis Raspado is turning raspados into a trendy treat — and it has the line to prove it. So, what to order? You can go for a solo flavor like strawberry, mango, coconut, or watermelon for shaved ice bathed in homemade syrup and fresh-cut fruit. Or turn it up a notch with obispo (two fruits and ice cream) and nieve (three fruits and ice cream). This place also serves mean mangoneadas and chamoyadas stacked with Japanese peanuts, serpentine candy, and chamoy for a slushie on the spicy side.

Raspados Imperial

4344 West Indian School Road, #29

Raspados Imperial, a family-owned standout on the west side, offers a wealth of antojitos, including elote, ceviche, crepes, and Cheetos bombs, but it’s raspasdos is famous. Take the popular passion mango, a two-toned treat that transforms a layered mango and strawberry raspado into an icy, spicy flavor bomb thanks to a torrent of toppers: vibrant mango spears, fresh strawberry, Japanese peanuts, spools of tamarind candy, drizzles of chamoy, and a dusting of Tajin.

Raspados Solaris

9204 North Seventh Street, #6

Raspados Solaris takes raspados to new heights — literally. More than mere shaved ice concoctions, these dreamy desserts not only invite chocolate to the party (about time), but unusually cool toppers like tiramisu and Oreos, too. Points also for fancy flavors combos, like tiguiol (horchata and strawberry), and valesol (banana and chocolate), and solaris (tres leches and berries), and the chocolate-coated cup they’re served in.

Helados Zacatecas

1145 South Mesa Drive, Mesa

A Mesa must-stop for all things fruity and frozen, Helados Zacatecas has been whipping up homemade ice cream, pretty paletas, dreamy fresas con crema, and standout raspados since 2003. The name of the game here is fresh. The family-owned hotspot uses all-natural ingredients and crafts raspados with crushed-to-order ice layered with real fruit syrups. Whether you order guava or tamarindo, the result is a high and mighty tempting treat.

Alebrije Neveria

10171 North 19th Avenue, #7

It’s easy to miss Alebrije Neveria, an unsuspecting strip mall spot on 19th Avenue north of Dunlap Avenue. The outside may be forgettable, but the inside is chic, with a blue-and-gold accent wall and long, inviting table for lingering and getting a great drink shot (these raspados are photogenic). Their menu goes beyond standard strawberry and tamarind to include chocolate, passion fruit, and horchata, a cinnamony sip topped with fresh-cut strawberries and walnuts. The elote bowls are also impressive so save room.

Tropical Fruit N'Ice Raspados

Multiple Locations

An oasis of salty snacks and chill eats, Tropical Fruit N'Ice Raspados brings the beach to you. Pick from one-hit wonders like walnut, strawberry, and lime. Each come doused in house-made syrups heavy on real fruit so each slurp hits you with the fruitiness of mango or the tartness of tamarind. Or cool down with one of the signature chamoyadas, the spicier sips available served in a pineapple for even more of a tropical twist.

Raspa2 Jalisco

3056 North 68th Street, Scottsdale

Raspa2 Jalisco serves signature mangoneadas, chamoyadas, and diablitos decked with tamarind candy and banderilla sticks. But even the regular raspados at this south Scottsdale spot are epic. Available in strawberry, guava, tamarind, coconut, mango, pineapple, and pecan — or double up flavors for no extra charge. Snowy scoops and real-fruit garnishes are heaped well over the cup’s edge for a fiesta feel. Start the party next door at Tacos Jalisco to pair this treat with those beloved carne asada tacos.

Realeza Michoacana

2520 North 16th Street

You can't miss Realeza Michoacana. The flashy storefront on 16th Street has been serving real fruit raspados, paletas, and ice cream treats since 2001. Everything is made in house, down to the ice cream flavors and raspado syrups. Expect a range of flavors, from pineapple coconut, a creamy concoction with thick chunks of tangy pineapple that tastes even better with a scoop of ice cream on top, to the tornado, a watermelon-cucumber-mango flavor storm doused in Squirt, Japanese peanuts, Tajin, chamoy, and lime.