Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade Serves Local Goods With Island Vibes

At Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade – now open in Scottsdale and coming soon to Ahwatukee, Glendale, and Gilbert – the tropical touches are mostly just for show. Despite the surfboard hanging from the ceiling and the Spam tin centerpieces on each table, there’s not much Hawaiian about the place (and there’s no canned meat on the menu). What the shop does offer is a range of refreshing drinks, smoothies, bowls, and toasts sourced from local suppliers.

A chalkboard lists where Wow Wow’s goods come from: Dateland Arizona, Peddler’s Son Produce, Wildflower Bread Company, Press Coffee, and several other Arizona-based businesses. Part of Wow Wow’s mission is to use fresh, locally grown ingredients. The branding seems to be merely a callback to the chain’s original location in Maui.

Wow Wow offers roughly 35 different flavors of raw, cold-pressed lemonades and limeades ($4 to $8.25). There are the standards, such as classic all-lemon, strawberry mint, and watermelon basil. Each can be ordered iced or frozen. Then there are sparkling varieties, including the crisp and sugary mojito limeade, made with coconut water and sweetened with agave or local honey. Lastly, there are “life” lemonades, which seem to offer health benefits with additions like cayenne, turmeric, and charcoal.

Iced teas, cold brew coffee, and rotating kombuchas on tap are also available. Guests have the option to order any drink in a $5 mason jar that they can take home and get refilled at a 50-cent discount. Filling a growler costs $15 to $18.

The snack game is strong at Wow Wow. Colorful acai bowls are generously portioned, and in our experience, it takes at least two people to finish a large one. Play it safe with a small bite bowl, blended with almond milk, banana, and blueberries, and topped with granola, fruit slices, and honey, for $7. Or go big and choose from bowls with kale, pitaya, raw cacao, custard, and other intriguing ingredients ($8.50 to 12.95).

Add-ons such as macarons, coconut puree, and plant-based proteins cost an extra dollar.

Or you can get a hearty, thick slice of multigrain toast for $5, selecting from seven varieties, three of which include the trendiest of all toast toppings: avocado. The popular chili lime avocado toast is deliciously creamy, spicy, and salty all at once. On the sweeter side, Wow Wow has toasts with tangy lilikoi (passion fruit) spread, almond butter, cacao custard, and more.

The shop itself has an easygoing island vibe, complete with surf videos on loop, a dog-friendly patio, and leafy plants nestled all over. Wow Wow may not fully transport you to Hawaii, but it is an ideal place to chill and binge on healthy-ish treats with friends or family.

Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade. 6501 East Greenway Parkway, #152, Scottsdale; 480-508-6036.
Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.