Continue your daily caffeine ritual at any one of these superior Waikiki coffee shops. Hawaii locals love black drip coffee, but don’t worry, Waikiki’s best cafes also know how to make excellent espresso-based beverages. Don’t leave without trying Kona coffee, homegrown on Hawaii Island.
1. Kai Coffee
Kai Coffee tops our list as the best cup of coffee on Oahu! They use Hawaii-grown coffee beans and have milk alternatives like macadamia nut, hemp and coconut. Their signature drink is the Kai Latte, a macadamia nut latte. They also have easy breakfast fare like sandwiches and wraps. This locally-owned business has two Waikiki locations, in the Hyatt Regency atrium by a waterfall (Daily, 6am-5pm) and outside the Alohilani Resort on Kalakaua Avenue (Daily, 6am-6pm).
2. Kona Coffee Purveyors
Kona Coffee Purveyors is a premium Kona coffee shop paired with the outstanding b. patisserie, out of San Francisco. Their coffee is of the highest quality, made from coffee beans artisan roasted from a single high-elevation estate in Kona on Hawaii Island. Try their cafe mocha crafted with Valrhona (French chocolate). They freshly bake heavenly pastries including pineapple coconut almond croissants and buttery kouign amanns. Find them at the Kuhio Avenue entrance of the International Market Place in Waikiki (Daily, 7am-4pm).
3. Hawaiian Aroma Caffe
Hawaiian Aroma Caffe encompasses four trendy tropical cafe-bars in Waikiki. They serve creamy coffee, smoothies and cocktails, along with next-level açaí bowls, specialty waffles and sandwiches. They use only the best combination of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. Visit them at the OHANA East by Outrigger (Daily, 6am-12 Noon), Ilikai Hotel & Luxury Suites (Daily, 6am-3pm), and two locations at the Waikiki Beachcomber – upstairs by the pool (Daily, 6am-7pm) and downstairs at The Gallery Waikiki (Daily, 7am-11pm with live music nightly).
4. Knots Coffee Roasters
Knots Coffee Roasters serve locally roasted coffee by Big Island Coffee Roasters on a beautiful open-air terrace in the lobby of the Queen Kapiolani Hotel (Daily, 6am-4pm). They also offer grab-n-go snacks and beer, wine and cocktails. They introduced coffee jelly to Waikiki, try it in their signature Soft Serve Tokyo Style drink. The “On Tap Nitro” Cold Brew will keep you charged up and for something different try the Butterfly Pea Latte. This is one of our most frequented cafes, it’s a great spot for remote working.
5. Honolulu Coffee Experience Center
Honolulu Coffee Experience Center is Honolulu Coffee’s flagship store (Daily, 6:30am-4:30pm), by the Hawaii Convention Center. It offers a farm-to-roast-to-cup coffee experience in Waikiki, visitors can witness the roasting process, taste test brews, enjoy cafe foods, browse the gift shop and book a Private Roasting Tour. This is another great spot for remote working, with ample parking and a large outdoor courtyard. We love their espresso shots, they come with a glass of sparkling water and a few chocolate coated coffee beans.
Image Credit: Waikiki Beach Stays/Ashlee Galea
