Where to Find Seattle’s Coolest Summer Treats

The sun is shining, and temperatures are on the rise. Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to talk about refreshing and delectable sweets and treats. My kids and I searched Seattle for unique and noteworthy desserts and rounded up a list guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth. But there’s a catch! Here’s the scoop: You won’t find ice cream on this list (but you can find it here), at least not without a twist. We wanted to think outside the cone, so we scoured the city for mouthwatering finds that go beyond the ordinary.

Lumi Dessert Café

Located in Lynnwood, in an unassuming shopping center with convenient parking, is a hidden dessert gem. The bright, airy space is a perfect place to gather and enjoy a mound of fluffy bingsu, an icy Korean dessert also known as “milk-snow.” Lumi’s mission is simple: to bring people together with delicious desserts. Lumi’s handcrafted bingsu options were a hit with my kids. Bingsu is similar to shaved ice, but made with milk, which makes it super fluffy. It’s covered with a choice of toppings, including fruit, caramel sauce, boba and chocolate, among others. From Berrylicious to taro, Oreo Crunch to mango cheesecake, the melt-in-your-mouth snow will satiate your summer sugar craving and have you coming back for more. The bingsu is served on a cute tray with a saucer of condensed milk to drizzle on top.

Lumi Desserts' brand-new Renton location opened on April 1. 

Find it:
4713 168th St. S.W., No. 101, Lynnwood
15350 Bel-Red Rd, No. 110, Redmond

Snowy Village

Snowy Village has three locations in the Seattle area: one near the University of Washington, another in Bellevue and a third in Renton. So, no matter where you live, a milky frozen treat is within reach. Snowy Village also specializes in traditional bingsoo (another spelling of bingsu) as well as Japanese taiyaki, which essentially is an adorable fish-shaped cake.

My kids and I tried the berry bingsoo, and it was so yummy. There are more fun flavors to pick from, including Fruity Pebble, cheesecake, green tea and mango.

Find it:
5264 University Way N.E., Seattle
1075 Bellevue Way N.E., Suite B1, Bellevue
827 N 10th Pl., Suite B, Renton

Cold Plate

We’re on a roll — and so is Cold Plate. Have you ever heard of rolled ice cream? You’ll find it here. It’s a unique way of preparing ice cream. Using an extremely cold surface, staff roll up the ice cream and serve it with a twist. We warned you there wouldn’t be any generic scoops in this list.

Cold Plate’s slogan is “It’s never too cold for ice cream,” and I have to agree.

Try its Strawberry Supreme (which includes Pop Rocks), black sesame or Thin Mint. Each cup of rolled ice cream is punctuated with an assortment of toppings and a big dollop of whipped cream.

Find it: 5240 University Way N.E., Suite B, Seattle

Sugar + Spoon

Did you ever get in trouble for eating cookie dough when you were a kid? Well, I have good news for you! Sugar + Spoon brings your childhood fantasies to life with edible cookie dough. What started as a classroom project at the University of Washington has taken to the streets in a small fleet of bright pink trucks. Sugar + Spoon offers cookie dough pop-ups around the Greater Seattle area. You can check out its website to see where the trucks will be parked next.

Flavors include classic chocolate chip, birthday cake, Party Animal and red velvet.

Marination Ma Kai

Aloha! I have a treat for you. Marination Ma Kai, nestled on the shores of Alki in West Seattle, serves a delicious shave ice (Why “shave ice” and not “shaved ice”? Because that’s the Hawaiian version, of course).

Anyway, Marination Ma Kai is the place to be. With sweeping waterfront views of Seattle’s glimmering downtown and Hawaiian-Korean fusion cuisine, it’s worth the trek. (Hint: It’s located right next to the water taxi dock.)

The flavors are made in-house, and the awesome sauce is a must-try topping. Simply pick your flavor from a list of many, including strawberry, mango guava and others; pick your ice cream, either vanilla or coconut; and then watch as it’s all sandwiched together for you. It’s a treat you won’t forget.

Plan to stay awhile when you visit. Lines can be long in the summer. But don’t worry, there’s lots to explore nearby, from the water taxi to the people fishing off the pier. You can even explore the rocky shores a stone’s throw from the parking lot.

Find it: 1660 Harbor Ave. S.W., Seattle

Timeless Tea

If I’m being completely honest, we wanted to check out Timeless Tea because we heard great things about its “snow ice,” but we ended up trying nearly every dessert on the menu, including a cheesecake mousse shaped like a bulldog. It is the cutest dessert in the world — almost too cute to eat.

When you go, be ready to spend some money. You’ll want to leave with more than a serving of snow ice.

Timeless Tea has three locations in the area: Seattle, Bellevue and Issaquah.

Find it:
1000 N.E. 50th St., Seattle
14320 N.E. 20th St., Unit D, Bellevue
1580 N.W. Gilman Blvd. Suite D5, Issaquah

Ice Monster

If there is a unicorn-themed dessert, my daughter will find it and she will order it. That’s what led us to Ice Monster in Bellevue. When we saw the shop had a dessert called Unicorn Sensation, we packed our bags and headed for Bellevue Square. Located in the mall, Ice Monster is the perfect place to stop when you’ve had your fill of shopping. The fantastical unicorn dessert features a mountain of shaved ice flavored with Calpico (a popular Japanese beverage) and fresh dragon fruit flavoring atop shaved ice with fresh cream, caramelized tapioca and Pop Rocks. Other flavors include mango, strawberry and bubble tea.

My little ones loved the way the shaved ice melted in their mouths — and, of course, the popping sensation, courtesy of the Pop Rocks.

Find it: 1020 Bellevue Square, Bellevue