Front: opera cake, Basque cheesecake, pavlova. Back: ube cruffin, dark chocolate calamansi cruffin, brownie, haupia cake. Photo: Katrina Valcourt
HAla Tree’s 100% Kona coffee has been in my phone’s “Favorite Coffees” album since 2023. I’ve been ordering it through Grok Coffee because the Hala Tree Café in Ka’a’awa was too far for a Hawai’i Kai girl like me.
not anymore That location closed in early June, and Hala Tree’s new flagship opened in Lilia Waikīkī 12 days later. The entrance is on Kānekapōlei Street, just off Kūhiō Avenue. This whole blog is new to me – my grandmother he lived on Walina street for years, but now everything between the Food Pantry and the buffet restaurant Perry’s Smorgy has been replaced by something shiny.
Photo: Katrina Valcourt
At the new Hala Tree Café, floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate a space large enough for a couple dozen people to hang out comfortably (there’s some outdoor seating, too). Espresso drinks, cold brew and drip coffee are made with 100% Kona coffee that is grown, processed and roasted at Hala Tree Family Farm on Hawaii Island. It’s truly a farm-to-cup experience, with a QR code on each bag of coffee telling you where on the farm it came from and the roast date.
Cascara Cola and ‘Uala Latte. Photo: Katrina Valcourt
The signature drinks are fun, especially the Uala Latte ($8), with a slightly earthy, super-creamy sweet potato syrup, and the Cascara Cola ($7), a macadamia, blood orange, spiced coffee cherry frothy tea that tastes like a cross between Mexican Coca-Cola and Christmas. It has less caffeine than the other drinks, so that’s what I’ll drink during the afternoon. I can’t stop thinking about it. There’s also matcha, including mango and lavender honey variations.
Ka’a’awa Avocado Toast. Photo: Katrina Valcourt
The food menu is basically the same as the Ka’a’awa location, but built by Chef Abigail Langlas. The candy veteran grew up in Hilo, studied pastry arts in Europe and made desserts at Alan Wong’s and Honolulu Coffee. Most famously, Langlas opened Cake Works and until recently was the pastry chef at Neiman Marcus’ now-shuttered Mariposa and eBar. Their menu at Hala Tree is as memorable as the coffee.
So even if you’ve had avocado toast before, get it again: A thick slice of house-made sourdough, crunch from garlic chiles and bacon lends texture to the Ka’a’awa Toast ($14), a salty, tangy bite balanced by a sweet milky goodness. There are also biscuit sandwiches, like the K-Pop ($12), with bulgogi salmon and kim chee, and the Kama’āina ($10), with a fluffy egg and teriyaki-glazed Spam. Overnight oats, chia pudding, and other seemingly simple breakfasts are elevated with things like homemade granola and liliko’i coconut cream.
The bakery program includes grab-and-go items from prepackaged banana bread slices and cookies to pavlovas, cruffins and more. Baked goods will rotate, so don’t get too attached to anything.
Dark chocolate and calamansi cruffin. Photo: Katrina Valcourt
The dark chocolate calamansi cruffin with blood orange marmalade looks lovely, and while delicious, I’m more surprised by the sweet opera cake with macadamia nuts and Kona coffee, a nice lemon scone with delicious liliko’i butter, and a haupia cake, all of which would go really well with a cup of black coffee. And I’ve been saying for years that I don’t like coconut. But you know what? After this creamy haupia cake where coconut is front and center, I’ll just say it: I love coconut.
Pavlova with whipped cream. Photo: Katrina Valcourt
Langlas and his team make Basque cheesecake, ube cruffins with coconut cream, brownies, chocolate croissants and more from scratch every day, using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible.
The cafe just opened on July 1st. At the time of writing, Hala Tree does not validate parking at Lilia, but the Waikīkī Market does. Elsewhere, the International Market Place is across the street. You may be able to find some places along Kānekapōlei or use ours Quick parking guide. me He spent a lot of time in Waikīkī when I was younger, so I have a weakness for it, but Hala Tree Café is worth hunting down for parking.
Photo: Katrina Valcourt
Keep your eyes peeled for some after-hours workshops in the future. And if you’re ever in Captain Cook, the farm offers tours, tastings, roasting experiences and more.
Daily 6am to 5pm, 2380 Kūhiō Ave., Space RU 111, Waikīkī, halatreecoffee.com, @halatreecafe
SEE ALSO: A new coffee culture
Katrina Valcourt is the executive editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
