Nu Cafe Ice Cream & Boba — Restaurant in Houston

Looking for something different, look no further. Nu Cafe has an assortment of fizzy drinks, bubble drinks, and ice cream that will keep you busy for several visits.

Located in the largest Chinatown shopping center, its surrounded by many restaurants offering a huge variety of asian food & cuisine. Nu Cafe makes the perfect end to your asian dinner.

Nu Cafe features Taiwanese Ice. Which is a variation of your standard ice cream. Taiwanese ice is prepared with more water than milk, frozen into a solid block and then shaved off using a food processor type machine that cuts paper thin layers of ice cream. You then select a fruit, bubble, or gelatin topping, and sauce of your choice, and it all comes out on a plate stacked up little a little mountain of snow.

Vanilla? Chocolate? sure.. but what about, almond, durian, mango, taro, & lychee? Your sure to visit more than once, or share your order with someone because you cant make up your mind.

Toppings include about a dozen types of fruit jelly (gelatin), fresh fruits, marshmellows, chocolate chips, brownies, & candies.

To add to all this, drinks with syrups and sodas, boba, smoothies, teas, and other items are offered as well.

My personal favorite is the Vanilla Ice, with a side of rainbow jelly & sweet and condensed milk on top.

This is an amazing spot to try something new, its a great place to take the kids, and the perfect way to end your evening...

If you're looking for a refreshing way to beat the heat, this shaved ice spot is the place to go! From the moment I walked in, I could tell this wasn’t just any regular snow cone joint — this was next-level shaved ice.

The texture of the ice was perfect — incredibly fine, like snowflakes, with a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth consistency that didn’t turn into a soupy mess. They’ve mastered the art of shaving, for sure. But what really sets this place apart is the syrup selection. It’s not your typical sugary drizzle; they’ve got a variety of unique, hand-crafted flavors that taste as fresh as they look. I went with the tropical medley, which combined mango, passionfruit, and a hint of coconut. Each bite was a mini vacation!

The toppings were a dream, too. From mochi pieces to condensed milk drizzle, you can customize your shaved ice to fit whatever mood you're in. I even added some fresh fruit, which made it feel like a tropical smoothie bowl but way cooler.

The vibe was chill (pun intended), with friendly staff who were happy to walk me through the options and offer recommendations. It was the perfect balance of cozy and fun — and I was out of there in no time, ready to dive back into the sunshine with my new favorite treat.

Honestly, I can’t wait to go back and try more flavors. If you’re a fan of icy sweets or just need a refreshing pick-me-up, this shaved

Also big thanks to Ermac...

Everyone knows to come to Nu Cafe when it's your typical hot Houston weather and you need an ice cool dessert to cool yourself off. Yes, I am talking about their trademark snowflake ice because that dessert is just so crazy! Yes, they do have other stuff on the menu like Taiwanese savory food, fruit plate, drinks, but almost everyone who goes there are there for the snowflake ice.

For their snowflake ice, they have a variety of flavors. For people who never tried it before, I would suggest simply start with the original milk flavor. Oh, also, for quality assurance, they now ask you to fill out the check list on how you want your snowflake ice to be so they shouldn't make a mistake by picking the wrong flavor or putting the wrong toppings on the side. I have tried pretty much all of the flavors of snowflake ice and my top favorite is still the peanut flavor.

For the toppings, I always prefer to have fruits instead of the traditional shaved ice toppings like red bean, Taiwan style jellys, etc. Yes, some may think peanut flavor ice will not go well with slices of mango, but it really taste great together. Oh, be sure to remember that like many of the places in Chinatown, it is best to bring a lot of cash with you.

For those who never try this snowflake ice before, please do come and try it at least once...