The Best Coffee On Oahu: Waikiki

Jet lag hits hard for most travelers when visiting Oahu. More often than not the first thing on someones mind the first day after a long travel day is Coffee. If coming from the mainland, then you have experienced a shift in time and possibly woken up before the sun.

Lucky for you life starts early in Hawaii, and either as a result or as a benefit of, plenty of coffee shops can be found in Waikiki. If you happen to be taking a trip to the north shore, then check our our list for the best coffee on the North Shore.

Coffee In Hawaii: Thing To Know

For the most part, coffee in Hawaii is pretty easy to navigate. Unlike other local foods, like poke and shave ice, that have lengthy lists of unfamiliar words, there are only a few items that can often be found at Hawaiian coffee shops in Waikiki.

• Macadamia Nut Milk: Just like almond milk or cashew milk, macadamia nut milk is milk from macadamia nuts. Given that Hawaii produces about 40 million pounds of macadamia nuts each year, it should come as no surprise to find macadamia nut milk at some Waikiki and Honolulu coffee shops.
• Matcha: Powdered green tea leaves
• Pandan: A sweet, green Southeast Asian leaf
• Taro: A root vegetable widely used in native Hawaiian cuisine and occasionally used in Waikiki coffee shops.
• Ube: Filipino purple yam
• Vietnamese-Style Coffee: A type of coffee typically made with coffee beans sourced from Vietnam, brewed through a phin filter, and added to a condensed milk-drizzled glass

The Best Coffee In Waikiki

Usually the best coffee is one that is close by, and easily accessible. As there are a number of great spots to grab and start your day here is our list of top coffee spots on Oahu in Waikiki.

Kona Coffee Purveyors

Address: Kuhio Avenue Mall Entrance – International Marketplace, 2330 Kalākaua Ave #160, Honolulu, HI 96815

AdLocated in the international market place in downtown Waikiki, Kona Coffee Purveyors offers 100% Kona grown coffee, this stylish spot provides artisan coffee with baked goods provided by b.patisserie. As this location is super popular, you should be ready to wait. The line does move quickly though, so don’t get discouraged if you see a line. So as they say at Kona Coffee, “Have a sip, hang ten, come back again“.

Kai Coffee Hawaii

Addresses:

Location at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa: 2424 Kalākaua Ave #129, Honolulu, HI 96815

Location at Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach: 2490 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815

Location at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza: 2250 Kalākaua Ave K4, Honolulu, HI 96815

Easily accessible due to its 3 convenient locations in Waikiki. Kai Coffee has thrived in part due to it signature drink the Kai Latte, as well as its delicious acai bowls and breakfast wraps.

The Curb Kaimuku

Address: 3408 Waialae Ave Suite 103, Honolulu, HI 96816

Located a bit out of Waikiki, The Curb Kaimuki is worth the trip. Located is Kaiumki (The Curb Kaimuki started as a food truck) its success can be attributed to its owner, former barista Sumner Ohye. You will find all of your standard coffee drinks here – lattes, macchiatos, cortados, you name it – all roasted and brewed to perfection. Be sure to try one of their seasonal drinks, which often feature flavors like pandan and kabocha squash.

Starbucks Reserve

Address:2255 Kūhiō Ave. #101, Honolulu, HI 96815

Likely a controversial addition to this list, the Starbucks Reserve makes our list because it is more than just a regular Starbucks.

From the Starbucks website:

Behind the bar is a backdrop inspired by Hawaiian flora and geography. The piece features a hand-painted flower that is a composite of a blossoming coffee plant and Hawaiian plumeria; it appears and disappears as customers move through the space. Wooden slats made from a golden ash wood, similar to those at the Roastery’s Experience Bar, are layered over the design to reveal a cutout of the eight islands of Hawaii.

This beautiful café is the first in Hawaii to feature a Starbucks Reserve coffee bar, highlighting the company’s rare, small-lot Starbucks Reserve coffees.

Island Vintage Coffee

Address: Located in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center: 2301 Kalākaua Ave #C215, Honolulu, HI 96815

The coffee is daily roased 100% pure Kona Coffee. Its drink menu is vast and delicious, and is a bucket list stop for any coffee lover. However, the real start of the show might be the Acai Bowl. Some of the best on the island, there are very few ways to better start your day than a coffee and Acai bowl.

Ready to get out of town and go on adventure? Oahu’s North Shore, is one of the gems of the island and a coffee lovers haven. Check out our North Shore Coffee Guide.