Dallas-Fort Worth has seen a wave of Hawaiian food in recent years, starting with the poke trend in 2018 and more recently with Hawaiian-themed restaurants specializing in soothing “plate lunches” of rice and meat.
All of this Hawaiian infusion brings us a sweet side effect: the frozen treat commonly known as the dole whip.
This soft serve frozen, pineapple-flavored, dairy-free ice cream is a miraculous revelation. First there is the texture: a perfect frozen creamy firmness that melts quickly when you eat it. (They have special machines that do it that way.) And then the taste: pineapple is a refreshing surprise that you might not be able to predict in a soft serve where plain old vanilla and chocolate rule the day.
Formerly known as Dole Whip, now officially Dole Soft Serve, the treat – a combination of dried pineapple juice and stabilizers – was created by Dole in 1986, who sold it to tourists at their plantation in Hawaii. But it developed a cult following after it was introduced at Disney theme parks, where it was advertised as being exclusive to Disney, though the blend, made by Iowa-based Kent Precision Foods Group, is available to any vendor.
Six Flags, another theme park, was offered at some locations in 2012. Six Flags Over Texas opened in 2015, making it one of the few places to get it on-site at the time.
It stayed a theme park thing until Hawaiian hit the city and Dole Whip started to get trendy. It’s vegan too. Now you can find it not only in Hawaiian restaurants but also in Froyo eateries and a burger stand in an expanded selection of flavors like lime, cherry, raspberry and a new watermelon.
Two DFW catering / food trucks make it even more accessible. One is a Dole Whip-themed food truck called Southern Dole Whips – the motto is, “You no longer have to drive to theme parks to get a Dole Whip. We can bring them to you! ”- who publish a monthly schedule and a changing menu with flavors.
The other, Sweet Frog DFW Mobile, is a Virginia-based food truck chain that primarily makes frozen yogurt, but also makes dole whip flavors.
Here are all of the places to get Dole Soft-Serve near Dallas-Fort Worth:
Bobber
The restaurant / booth in the AT&T Discovery District Food Hall in downtown Dallas offers Wagyu burgers with queso, fried eggs, bacon and more. But Dole Whip is half the battle. They’re called Bobbers Burgers & Whips, after all, so you know Dole is in the house. They always have pineapple and a rotating flavor like mango.
Kettle Ice Cream
The Orange County-based ice cream concept, with locations in Dallas and Carrollton (and another opening soon in Grand Prairie), is known for its “puffle” cones, which when filled with ice cream create a flower-like appearance. With flavors like Earl Gray Lavender, they’re not off the shelf. Their range includes “Pineapple Express”, AKA Dole Soft-Serve with pineapple flavor, which they position as a vegan flavor.
Cinnaholic
This chain is home to the decadent yet vegan cinnamon bun topped with frosting, cookie dough, nuts, candy, and more. Their vegan profile makes them a logical place to find Dole Whip, and some (if not all) stores run them, including Frisco, Fort Worth, and Addison, where they have two flavors: pineapple and raspberry.
Dole Soft Serve Fruit Swirl at Six Flags Over Texas
The theme park in Arlington is home to a brand stall selling pineapple and mango flavors. You can get a cone or an extra tall plastic cup that has chopped pineapple on the bottom and dole whip on top.
4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge
The Arlington Tiki Bar is a cocktail paradise dedicated to drinks like Mai Tai. They have Pineapple Dole Whip Soft Serve that you can order with or without alcohol.
Hawaiian Bros.
Founded in Kansas City, the fast-casual chain specializes in island comfort food, including the classic Hawaiian lunch with rice and pulled pork or teriyaki chicken. They are expanding this fall in Dallas-Forth Worth, including a location at 6011 Greenville Ave. in Dallas, which opens October 19. They offer Dole Whip in the original pineapple as well as in a changing taste.
Menchia
The California-based frozen yogurt chain was on the Dole Whip front early on, serving it only in the original pineapple flavor in all of its branches, including eight branches in the DFW area from Allen to Plano to Fort Worth.
Pineapple Grill Texas
Pineapple Grill was founded as a food trailer and catering company in 2017 before expanding to a stationary restaurant on 121 E Harwood Rd. in Hurst in December 2018. They are Hawaiian owned and operated and take great pride in the authenticity of their Hawaiian dishes, from plate lunches to spam musubi to dole whip in the classic pineapple.
Pokeworks
The New York-based Poke chain has two DFW locations – one at The Hill in Dallas and the other at Richardson Restaurant Park on 746 S Central Expy. – and they did a great job getting their way beyond the poke trend with poke, bowls, wraps and salads, all healthy and all satisfying. They serve pineapple dole whip, plain or with an optional pinch of ground red chilli pepper.
Pure poke
The fast-casual restaurant in Frisco, which serves poke, salad, and rice bowls, is owned by husband and wife John and Sophia Kim. They are loving and conscientious, from the care they put in preparing the food to serving a free miso soup when you dine there. They have Pineapple Dole Whip Soft Serve in a generous 9-ounce serving for just $ 3. Come to the Dole Whip, stay for dinner.
Swizzle
The Tiki Bar on 1802 Greenville Ave. serves rum classics like Mai Tais as well as funny drinks for two, which are served in the hollowed out shell of a fresh pineapple. There is also a menu of Polynesian / Hawaiian foods like pork, spam and chicken katsu, but also edamame dip with taro chips and, the reason we are here, pineapple-flavored dole whip.
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