POSITIVE COFFEE

Positive Coffee - Drive-Thru Coffee & Empanadas
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Positive Coffee serves brewed coffee with steamed milk and a great attitude. A drive-thru that was established with the mission to make people’s days better, the service here is excellent. The coffee and empanadas are good, too.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

Positive Coffee serves brewed coffee with steamed milk and a smile. A selection of really good pastries makes this drive-thru one of the best places to get breakfast.

The direct-sourced coffee at Positive Coffee is brewed via Chemex pour-over, which isn’t the fastest method but produces a decent cup. They’ll have some ready when you drive up, and it takes just a minute to add your steamed milk. There’s also a 48-hour cold brew that’s refreshing over ice, or cacao that can be served hot or chilled.

If you’re unsure how to order, this is one coffee menu that doesn’t overwhelm you. Simply follow the prompts on the bus windows, which will guide you through choosing your beverage (hot coffee, cold brew, cacao) and milk (organic whole, organic coconut, none). Add some sweetener if you want to, and your entire beverage will be made with just three basic questions.

Accompanying the coffee is an assortment of fresh, local, and organic pastries. These aren’t just your average cafe’s muffins and danishes, though. While you might find some of those, the empanadas at Positive Coffee are much more filling and also more delicious.

Prices here are $4.25 for a 12-ounce cup of coffee or cacao, which is their only size. Pastries are similarly priced.

As good as the coffee and pastries are, it’s the high-quality service that really makes Positive Coffee stand out. You can be on your way within just a few minutes of ordering, yet owners Meredith and Rob will still manage to lighten your mood. They founded the drive-thru coffee truck on the principle of spreading positivity through specialty coffee.

Come by Positive Coffee for a cup of coffee and empanada, and start your day off in a good way.

A few of our favorite menu items at Positive Coffee include:

Brewed Coffee With No Milk
The base of every coffee shop’s menu, brewed coffee without milk shows the characteristics and quality of the shop’s (or drive-thru’s) beans. The beans at Positive Coffee are excellent, and brewing them via pour-over brings out every aspect of their quality.

48-Hour Cold Brew With Coconut Milk
Cold-brew is a rich and smooth way of making coffee, and those traits are emphasized by the especially long 48-hour process that Meredith and Rob use. The body and mouthfeel are perfect for adding milk to, and organic coconut milk is a distinctly Hawaiian (and vegan) way of lightening this beverage. Complimentary coffee ice cubes at Positive Coffee ensure that the brew doesn’t get watered down even on the hottest days.

Chilled Cacao with Whole Milk
Hot chocolate is a favorite wintertime beverage in the North, but chilling is a popular way to enjoy cacao in Hawaii. Get the chilled cacao at Positive Coffee for a refreshing and non-caffeinated drink, and add whole milk to create an especially rich texture.

48-Hour Cold Brew and Cacao
The texture of cold brew and chilled cacao perfectly pairs, so why not split a cup with half of each? Add your preferred whole or coconut milk, or get half of each if you can’t decide on that either.

Empanada 
Don’t forget to pick up at least one of the empanadas. They’re hot, delicious and filled with savory food for a non-sweet treat. Get two if you haven’t had these Latin-American pastries before. They tend to disappear quickly.

Insider Tip:
Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with either Meredith or Rob, at least one of whom will be behind the counter. They’re extroverts who love to connect with customers — and a great resource if you’re deciding what to do in the area.