Espresso Mafia

Espresso Mafia – An Unassuming Coffee Truck Serving Exceptional Drinks on Maui
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Visit Espresso Mafia when you crave tasty hot or cold espresso drinks and more. This Maui hot spot gathers crowds who appreciate the creative, well-made drinks and exceptionally friendly service. Don’t miss a stop here when you’re in Makawao.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

Make a detour to Espresso Mafia in Makawao for creative and flavorful coffee drinks. Though located inside a tiny food truck, the family-operated coffee stand makes up for the space by serving great drinks and tasty pastries that many visitors claim are the best on the island.

No matter what time of day you visit, you’ll likely meet many others in search of tasty coffee drinks from Espresso Mafia. This popular coffee truck does have a covered seating area to relax in with your coffee drink or snack.

What makes this coffee truck so popular is its tasty menu offerings and the genuine, heartfelt service by the owners. They really want every guest to have an exceptional visit and do everything possible to offer friendly service and great food and beverages. Compared to similar places elsewhere on Maui, the prices at Espresso Mafia are much lower, which is another way that you feel like you are visiting a place that puts service first.

The menu at Espresso Mafia is simple. It features locally sourced cold brew coffee and Italian espresso drinks. Nitro coffee drinks here start with triple-filtered cold brew using local Maui coffee. Then, they infuse the coffee with nitrogen from the air for a super-chilled coffee served at a cold 37 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the only coffee shop on Maui to use nitrogen from the air rather than from tanks.

If you feel hungry, check out the food menu for sandwiches, pastries, and snacks from local bakers. Espresso Mafia also sells gluten-free treats to allow even more people to enjoy their menu. Throughout the year, the seasonal snacks and drinks offerings change to keep the menu fresh.

Sample any of the following highly recommended menu items at Espresso Mafia:

Maple Sage Latte

The Maple Sage Latte is an addictive, unique coffee drink that you must try at least once. As with other lattes, you can choose to get this drink hot or iced. This drink includes Italian espresso, maple syrup, and sage syrup. Don’t miss this unusual, flavorful specialty drink. What sets the espresso apart here is its mild, lighter roast compared to that found at Starbucks. This lighter roast yields a milder flavor that does not overpower the syrups used in coffee drinks, like the Maple Sage Latte.  You may want to add an extra shot of espresso to your drink if you want an extra bold flavor.

Coconut Cold Brew

Cool off from the heat with a Coconut Cold Brew. This drink takes 16 hours to make, but you won’t have to wait that long. The process starts with the slow, 16-hour brewing time for the cold brew coffee. Compared to drip coffee, cold brew does not have the same bitterness. The process creates a highly concentrated coffee with a lot of smooth flavors. Espresso Mafia mixes cold brew coffee with its house-made coconut syrup and coconut milk. The barista shakes these ingredients together and pours them over ice for a flavorful drink to cool you down.

Honey Cream Latte

The Honey Cream Latte is a great drink when you want something a little sweet. It uses local honey to sweeten the beverage, which also includes cinnamon and vanilla. It tastes mellow and sweet for a comforting coffee drink that satisfies any time. You can enjoy it iced or hot. For a twist, try the dairyless option with the house-made Mafia Mylk. This milk substitute combines the richness of coconut and macadamia nut milk with salt, vanilla, dates, and maple syrup. This addition to coffee drinks is so tasty that Espresso Mafia sells it by the bottle, too.

Great drinks, low prices, and exceptional service keep Espresso Mafia popular as one of Maui’s best coffee trucks. Stop by when in Makawao to enjoy one of the most memorable café experiences you’ll have on the island.

Insider Tips:

-Bring your patience as this popular coffee truck often has long lines but fast service. The tasty drinks are worth the wait, according to previous visitors here.

-Espresso Mafia has plans for a full café in the near future to allow for more seating.