If you live on the island or are vacationing to the islands, it can be really hard to stay away from the common tourist trap of “Kona Coffee.” If you’re looking for some coffee places that are good-priced, but give you an experience that is outside the “norm” and tourist-saga, then continue reading!
6. Brue Bar on Merchant Street
This is a calm and quiet, but hipster coffee shop that prepares its drinks on a cold-brew drip tower! It’s a fantastic place to study and is close to the University of Hawaii Campus. It’s located on Merchant Street, which is a quick bus ride or Uber away. It’s worth the commute and if you are ever in need for a group coffee delivery, they cater to your coffee needs!
5. Peace Café
A vegan cuisine inspired cafe, Peace Cafe is all about promoting healthy food and happiness to everyone who walks in. With specialty drinks like Black Sesame Kinako Latte, SoyLatte, Matcha Green Latte, and more, you’ll find your body energized as well as your heart. Also, I must mention that Peace Café provides many vegan desserts if you have a little sweet tooth! Check it out on South King street!
4. Italica Bar and Café
Do you like to look at expensive beautiful cars? Do you like coffee? (I’d hope you’d like coffee if you’re reading this article) – Either way, if you answered yes, check out Italica Bar and Café. Tucked away inside an open show room of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, and Bentley cars, is an Italian specialized café that newly opened in 2017. Located inside Velocity Honolulu downtown, this is a great escape to treat yourself to an Italian-style brewed coffee and a boujee afternoon.
3. Green World Coffee Farm
If you’re looking for Insta-worthy photos and some delicious espresso, come to Green World Coffee Farm. Held on 7 acres of land on the way to North Shore, Green World Coffee roasts fresh coffee every day! They provide a wide range of coffee and tea samples and even purchase beans from outer island local farms like Maui, Molokai, Kauai. After you grab your coffee, you can walk outside and participate in a self-guided tour through the garden and learn how it gets roasted!
2. ARVO Café
Inside Paiko, a Botanical Garden where you can DIY your own terrariums, is ARVO Café. Located in the hipster area of SALT in Kaka’ako, this is one of the top Instagrammable cafes on island. They feature a beautiful atmosphere with specialty coffees like tie-die lattes, featured in the picture below. Check it out, and while you’re there, make a plant arrangement at Paiko!
1. Surfers Coffee Bar, “More than a cup of coffee”
Ranked at the top of my list, Surfers is non-profit coffee shop located in Wahiawa, Hawaii. It’s been my secret escape from downtown Honolulu for years, and now I’m sharing this amazing shop with all of you! As a non-profit, all the proceeds are given back to community and other non-profit global organizations. They host live music events on Fridays, host art-crawls, and most importantly, Surfers gives you a vibe that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to Seattle. Although Surfers has an amazing company message, their endless menu and flavors will keep you coming back for years like me!