One of the many redeeming qualities of living in Texas in the summer is the variety delicious drinks. And thankfully, here in Fort Worth, there are a number of places to grab aguas frescas, luicuados, and raspados.

What’s the difference? Aguas frescas ("cool waters”) are made from fruit, seeds or grains (such as rice-based horchata) blended with water, and often sugar and lime. Luicuados are similar with a fruit base blended with water or milk. Licuados are often thicker than aguas frescas, similar to milkshakes but often not as heavy. Raspados are shaved or blended ice with fruit or a fruit based syrup, a natural slushy if you will. Whatever you choose, these cool treats are what your body needs to make it though the hottest summer months (that and lots, and lots of water).

 

Selene’s Aguas Frescas

2401 NW 26th St
Fort Worth, TX 76106
Cash only.

Driving up to Selene’s Aguas Frescas on NW 26th Street, I knew I was getting close when I started seeing neighborhood residents walking home with giant cups of aguas frescas in hand. One of the only food trucks dedicated to aguas frescas, Selene’s offers a variety of fruity, colorful, and refreshing aguas frescas with flavors such as guava, melon, pineapple, horchata, strawberry and banana and mixed fruits.

 

Additionally, they offer a variety of other cool treats such as “salpikon” (mixed fruit salad with chile and lime), “Piña Loka” (crazy pineapple), and snacks (botanas) such as “tostilokos,” “cochinadas” and fresh fruit salads. Friendly staff and fun menus make Selene’s an essential summer stop.

 

La Media Naranja

Inside La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth
4200 South Fwy # 1384
Fort Worth, TX 76115
Cash only.

Inside La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth’s massive two-story food court, La Media Naranja offers a wide selection of natural juices, aguas frescas and licuados. Try single fruit juices (such as fresh squeezed orange juice), or a blend from their menu such as the vampiro (vampire) made with carrot and beet juice giving it a blood like color, or the apple and guava licuado I tried on a recent visit.

Whatever you choose, La Media Naraja is a great place to try some classic Mexican juice blends.

 

Frutería Cano

1004 N Sylvania Ave
Fort Worth, TX 76111

Fruteria Cano offers an intimidatingly large menu that seems to span all the free wall space. Everything from natural juices, licuados and aguas to ice cream, raspados, fresh cut fruit with chile and lime, and other prepared snacks grace the menu.

 

I opted for something simple and got a raspado natural with fresh mango. The towering cup of frozen, fruity goodness was the perfect way to close out the day and watch the Texas sunset.  

 

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