When you’re feeling more than a little snacky, refuel your mind, body, and spirit with a trip over to Pono Coffee & Bakery. Set along the shores of Kapaa in East Side Kauai, this cozy coffee shop and bakery all-in-one goes all out in creating delicious treats and the drinks to match. The team starts their day well before the sun comes up, so they can kick open the doors at 6am sharp. Since Sunday is so busy, they take an extra hour to get everything ready, and then invite their patrons in at 7am instead.
Whether you get to Pono Coffee & Bakery right when they open or later in the day, you’re likely to land in a long line. It’s well worth the wait, however, especially if you want to get both baked goods and a beverage. As you wait for your chance to order, you can gaze in wonder at all the sweet and savory treats plus enjoy the strong scent of coffee in the air.
When it comes to baked goods, Pono Coffee & Bakery rolls out the sweet and savory creations everyone loves. As true Hawaiian classics, the manapuas and malasadas are the stars of the show, of course. But their offerings don’t end there. On the savory side of the equation, they have meat and cheese stuffed rolls of all kinds, including their popular Flying Saucer. As for sweets, they have scones, cinnamon rolls, turnovers, and donuts galore. They even occasionally have individual slices of cake (Guava Chiffon, anyone?) ready to grab and go.
To help elevate all their flavors even more, they have coffee brewing all day long. The baristas at Pono Coffee & Bakery can skillfully craft all the most popular espresso drinks, like lattes and Americanos, and then serve them up iced or hot. For a truly special beverage, set your sights on their Kona Mocha Frappe, which comes blended with all your favorite island flavors. Prefer to keep it simple? Ask about their drip coffee instead. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you’re still in luck because they have hot and iced tea, too.
As you put in your order, you’ll always get plenty of aloha thrown your way. The team prides themselves on offering the highest quality of service to locals and tourists alike. They provide a warm welcome to every single person who walks through the door, and then show their gratitude for their visit. If you have any questions, they’re happy to answer them, so feel free to speak up any time you want more information.
You’ll want to try these items at Pono Coffee & Bakery:
Flying Saucer
For a taste of Hawaiian fair food on demand, just zip on over to this shop for their tasty Flying Saucer. They make this fan favorite by stuffing their fluffy dough with beefy-cheesy deliciousness. Then, they swipe butter over the top and bake it until golden brown outside and melty inside.
Malasadas
When you want to savor all the best island flavors, treat yourself to the ultra-sweet and delicious Malasadas at Pono Coffee & Bakery. They make these little sweet buns from scratch, and then add all the most popular filling flavors. Once they come out of the fryer, they roll in a cinnamon-sugar mix to finish them off right.
Dirty Chai
When you simply cannot decide between coffee and tea, go with the Dirty Chai. Made using one part espresso and one part chai tea, this drink promises to delight your tastebuds from first sip to the very last. Want to make it taste even more decadent? Ask for steamed half and half instead of milk.
The baked goods at Pono Coffee & Bakery sell out fast, so go early in the day to avoid missing out. Alternatively, you can call ahead of time to have them box up your selections well before you arrive. With that move, you can rest assured that they have all the items you want plus skip the long wait.
Insider Tip:
If you want to save money on food while visiting Kauai, grab a loaf of their Pono Bread and use it to make tasty sandwiches instead of eating out all the time.