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When you’re ready to cool down from the inside out, Pearland answers the call with destinations serving up icy treats suited to fulfill every frosty craving. Opt for chilled coffees, refreshing teas, ice cream, frozen cocktails, milkshakes and more. There are plenty of exclusive flavors, mix-ins and unique combinations, too. Check out the Visit Pearland dining page for more stellar selections.

Daiquiri Xpress, 3525 South Main: When memories of the past collide with creativity in the present, tasty things can happen. Such is the case at the vibrantly-hued Daiquiri Xpress, where owners Antonio and Jacky draw on their backgrounds to bring delicious Mexican street food and refreshing frozen cocktails to raving fans. The namesake cocktail is available in eight variations (or build your own), and each is served bedecked with a pile of gummies and candies. Opt for customer favorites like the La Pinche Sancha Daiquiri, which is a sweet, tangy and spicy frozen mango daiquiri, or Netflix & Chill Daiquiri that features three layers of Hurricane, Hypnotic and Liquid Marijuana daiquiri flavors finished with sweet-and-sour gummies. Pre-selected flavors cost $9.75 for 16-ounces and $16.25 for 32-ounces, and create-your-own cost $8.50 and $15, respectively. You can also purchase share-sized drinks that cost $20 for a half-gallon and $36 for a gallon. 

Build your own masterpiece with unlimited selections from the 15 frozen flavors of margaritas or daiquiris, such as Pina Colada, Hurricane, White Russian, Lime Margarita, Mango or Creamsicle. Candy is $1.50, and extra shots are $1.50 for singles and $3 for a double. If a morning-after cure is in order, an iced michelada may be just the ticket. Choose from one of nine beers (or Topo Chico) blended with lime juice, housemade sauces, Tabasco and Taptatio, and finished with chamoy and Tajin. Note that alcoholic drinks are available for delivery, but I.D. is required. For those abstaining, booze-free daiquiris cost $6 to $12 and come in eight flavored lemonades like lemon, watermelon, strawberry and Blue Hawaiian.

There is an extensive food menu, too, that includes tacos, nachos, elote, burritos and churros. Choose from four food and drink combos, like Mariachi Tacos, flautas or Fried Quesadillas that each includes a 32-ounce daiquiri. The kids’ menu includes a choice from four combos such as street tacos or flautas that include a virgin daiquiri.

La Monarca, 6200 Broadway: This family-owned and -operated ice cream parlor and snack shop opened in 2008. It has since expanded to 10 Texas locations. Frozen treats include housemade ice cream, popsicles, mangonadas, smoothies, milkshakes and specialty desserts.

Choose from more than 26 ice creams that reflect a range of flavor profiles, from essential vanilla, chocolate and strawberry to less-common Cheese with Blackberry, Yellow Cherry, Gansito (chocolate-covered pastry with strawberry and cream filling), Ferrero Rocher and avocado. Sorbets include guava and mango. 

Popsicles follow a similar menu, and include rice pudding, strawberries ‘n’ cream and banana with chocolate, and dairy-free flavors like watermelon, pineapple, mango or cucumber with chile and soursop. Mangonadas come in nine flavors that include cantaloupe, mixed fruit and tamarind. There are also banana splits, smoothies, milkshakes and esquimal (chocolate-covered popsicles).

Mia Thai Tea, 3220 Kirby: This vibrant tea shop opened in 2022, and offers a wide selection of cold and blended tea-based drinks, many of which are available without caffeine.

Choose from 15 kinds of milk tea such as Thai Green and Mia Lava Boba, 19 fruit teas available with green or black tea in flavors like hibiscus, mango strawberry and dragon fruit-peach, smoothies or slushies in 16 combinations like Japanese Matcha Frappe, S’Mores Chocolate Chip Blended and Mixed Berry Slush. The Secret Menu includes the Rainbow Milk Slushy and Jasmine Green Tea with Honeycomb. Complete drinks with toppings like aloe vera, assorted bobas and jellies, special house cream and “sea salt cream”.

There are mochi and ice creams, too, and flavors may include Brown Sugar Boba, chocolate and almond. Customize drink selections with raw honey or stevia sweeteners, and almond milk or Lactaid. Guests can even request sugar levels from 0% to 100%. Follow on Facebook for current specials and updates.

Red Circle Ice Cream, 8201 Broadway: The original location of this modern ice cream parlor opened in Houston’s International District in 2017 and has since expanded to three regional shops. The company motto is sweet and to the point: “Eat Ice Cream. Live Happy.” 

For your own taste of happiness, try one of the shop’s more than 100 rotating flavors of ice cream, plus add-ons of housemade churros and Pufflelicious (Hong Kong-style egg waffle). Cap off your creation with toppings for a truly customized, Instagram-worthy treat. Ice creams are available by the scoop or as part of a macaron sandwich, and there are six preset Frosty Churro selections that include housemade churros served with vanilla soft serve and toppings. These include the S’mores Smash with chocolate drizzle, marshmallows and graham crackers, and Caramel Crunch made with a caramel drizzle and caramel popcorn. Sundae-style combinations of egg waffles, ice cream and toppings include Monster Mash with chocolate dream ice cream, marshmallows, Oreos and Pocky sticks, plus build-your-own options.

To drink, try Insomniac Iced Coffee (Vietnamese coffee with inner cup drizzle and optional ice cream), Iced Thai Tea or housemade lemonades in mango, guava or passion fruit available with a scoop of sorbet. For a fun spin, try the Tango Loco, which is any lemonade flavor with a chamoy and Tajin mix-in. There is also a Churro Dream Shake, which is a choice of ice cream, a cup drizzle, whipped cream and choice from cinnamon sugar churro, glazed, graham cracker or Cap’n Crunch churro stix. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for seasonal specials such as Pineapple Upside Cake, Mellow Fluff and Wicked Pumpkin.

Refresqueria Puerto Escondido, 3538 Broadway: Visit this casual Mexican snack house for sweet and icy drinks and treats with a slew of flavor and topping combinations. A big draw is the Raspa snow cone (similar to Hawaiian shaved ice, which has a more delicate texture than typical American snow cones). The flavors include pineapple, mango, watermelon and rainbow. Deluxe versions combine flavors and toppings in one package finished with diced fruit, ice cream, condensed milk and waffle cone sticks. Ice cream is available by the cup or cone, or in a Banana Split, and popsicles come in assorted shapes such as sandwich or cartoon characters.

Frosty drinks include Mangonada (a sweet-savory-spicy mango drink with chamoy and chile), Mangonada Supreme finished with chunks of mango, a tamarind straw and Salsaghetti candy and Maleada, which is an ice cream and fruit milkshake finished with whipped cream and chocolate topping. There are smoothies, too, such as the banana, apple, melon and pineapple, plus frozen yogurt.

Rollie’s Frozen Custard, 3695 Kirby: Brenda and Arthur Wilson opened this family-owned and -operated sweet stop in 2019, and quickly created a loyal following of satisfied customers. Order decadent frozen custards in just about every presentation imaginable including waffle cups, sundaes and shakes.

The standard roster of flavors includes vanilla, chocolate, and butter pecan, but follow Rollie’s on Facebook for the monthly calendar of rotating daily selections. The latter may include classic lemon, Blueberry Cheesecake, Creamsicle, Pumpkin Spice, Key Lime Pie or Amaretto Chocolate Chip. 

Crush virtually any craving with one of 27 sundaes, such as the sweet and nutty Rocky Road made with chocolate custard, marshmallow fluff and roasted almonds, Elvis made with vanilla custard topped with marshmallow fluff, peanut butter sauce and sliced bananas, or Raspberry Fudge Truffle with hot fudge and raspberries over vanilla custard. Fruit lovers can opt for the iconic banana split stuffed with three scoops of custard, chocolate syrup, pineapples, strawberries, chopped peanuts, whipped cream and cherries, or combinations like the Caramel Apple with caramel sauce and apple topping.

There are Blasts, which include a choice of custard and a topping mixed in, shakes made with custard blended with a choice of syrup or fruit topping, malts, and floats with a choice of soda over frozen custard. Dairy-free options include Dole Whips in pineapple and strawberry.

The Snowcone Lady’s Snack Shack, 4218 Broadway: This cheerful, year-round outpost is popular for sweet treats, savory snacks and a family-friendly atmosphere. Menu highlights include snow cones that start at just $1.50. Additional favorites include chamoys, banana splits and specialty sundaes. The latter include the Fruit And Ice Cream Combo with two scoops of Blue Bell ice cream and fresh fruit, and the Ice Cream Sundae with three scoops with a choice of flavors, whipped cream, caramel, chocolate or strawberry sauce and sprinkles. For a creative combination of cool and sweet, try the Snow Cone Fruit Chill, which is shaved ice accompanied by diced strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, bananas or pineapple, then finished with chamoy, Tajin chile, choice of snow cone syrup, sour belts candy and a tamarind stick. Shakes and Fraps round out the menu, in flavors such as Banana with Cinnamon and caramel, respectively.

The large, inviting, pet-friendly patio is ideal for hanging out with friends and family. (Treat your furry friend to a Pup Cup with whipped cream!) Entertaining games include basketball, corn hole, oversized Connect Four, hula hoops, tabletop games and more. Additionally, there are regular movie screenings and seasonal sports games available on the flatscreen TV. Follow on Facebook for special events.

Yonutz, 11200 Broadway: Based in south Florida, this cheerful franchise chain made a name for itself both on Instagram (the main account has over 106,000 followers) and as winners of Dessert Wars two years running. The Pearland location opened in June, and customers gravitate to signature selections including the Yonutz SMASHED donuts and Yonutz SMASHED Shake, which combine donuts (regular and mini-sized) with an assortment of ice creams and toppings.

The Yonutz SMASHED are ice cream sandwiches and available in twelve standard fillings. Purists may wish to try the Chocolate Brownie made with chocolate ice cream, chocolate drizzle, brownies and M&M’s or the Biscoff that combines vanilla ice cream, cookie butter and Biscoff cookies with salted caramel and Biscoff cookie crumbles. Intriguing selections include the Pebble Rebel made with strawberry ice cream topped with vanilla drizzle, Trix, Fruity Pebbles and Cap’n Crunch, Party Animal with frosted animal cookies, and the S’Moreo with a graham cracker crust and marshmallows. Most donut fillings are available as a shake, too, along with choices such as Reese’s and tiramisu. Have fun with the Create Your Own SMASHED donut (or shake) menu and choose from 8 ice creams like cookie dough or coffee mocha and one of 27 sweet cereal and candy toppings such as Lucky Charms, rainbow sprinkles and chocolate icing (additional mixins are seventy-five cents each for donuts and shakes).

There are SMASHED Ice Cream cups, too, which are sundae-esque treats with toppings in flavors like Banana Pudding mixed with vanilla ice cream, banana cream pie and Golden Oreos or Strawberry Shortcake. 

While not cold, per se, the Mini Donut Decorating Kit is too cute not to mention, and comes with plenty of plain donuts, frostings and toppings to create tiny, bite-sized crafts.

Waygood Coffee, 2715 Old Max Court: Cool down with cups of coffee goodness, or choose from an assortment of fruity, iced options at this Pearland newcomer. Seven of the shop’s 10 signature brews are available frozen, so you could conceivably pick up one for every day of the week. Choose from standbys such as the Waygood Latte made with caramel and vanilla, the White Walker with chocolate truffle flavoring or the Bees Knees made with honey and lavender. There are also nitro-infused cold brews in classic, Blue Jasmine (oatmilk blue pea latte) and Waygood Chai. For a spin on cold foam, add the Waygood Cloud to any cold drink for “a fluffy, marshmallow cream-like texture” in a variety of flavors.

Find additional ways to refresh with iced teas in intriguing flavors like Peachy Lychee or the Targaryen made with lavender and dragonfruit. There are Sparklers and Lemonades available in assorted flavors like pineapple coconut and guava, with optional plant-based caffeine infusions. Preset Energizers also include plant-based caffeine and come in five combinations, such as the cherry-lychee Bayou Blast and Spring Break with pineapple and mango. 

Additional blended drinks include Raspberry Lemonade, Mango Matcha, Strawberry & Cream and Frozen Hot Chocolate.

Complete drink orders with local bites like breakfast tacos from Tina’s Mexican Cocina  and cookies, muffins and more from Kraftsmen Baking & Cafe. Waygood Coffee is also on the Pearland Mural Tour, which is an inviting way to experience local art throughout the city.

You can also check out the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau on social media for the latest updates. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. There is even a YouTube channel with videos that take you right to the people and places that make Pearland a great food and drink destination!

Ellie Sharp