Coffee Gallery: North Shore’s Only Coffee Cafe

Look to the ceiling when you step into the Coffee Gallery at the end of Haleiwa town. It’s covered with used burlap coffee sacks once stuffed with the locally-grown beans of Waialua, Kona and Kealakekua. Now those grounded beans fill the coffee cups of customers sitting below, hoping to get their caffeinated fix in the islands.

Burlap coffee sacks, the new wallpaper?

As the only coffee cafe on the North Shore of Oahu, Coffee Gallery has nearly monopolized the espresso scene. They offer 50-plus varieties of coffee beans from Hawaii and beyond. Hawaiian, Latin American, Indonesian and Asian coffees – this place surely doesn’t discriminate when it comes to the tasty preferences. To make sure you get a chance to try them all, Coffee Gallery rotates the types of beans for house use. Customers not from here may purchase them online, as they ship globally.

After a full day of surfing or swimming on the North Shore, we always end up at the Coffee Gallery. Not only is it a great way to wake up before the long drive back into town, but it’s the perfect way to support small local businesses. However, after reading customer reviews on the shop, it looks like they might not need my plug after all. Many gave them five stars, saying it’s “the best coffee on the North Shore,” “the best desserts we’ve ever had” and a “nice espresso escape!”

Get a baked good or a real meal. The menu is also written in Japanese.

And it’s called a “gallery” because it not only serves up coffee, tea, baked goods and sandwiches but also showcases beautiful locally-made artwork. They make great gifts to take back home, in addition to the coffee grounds, mugs, T-shirts and bags also for sale. I would like to see them use more biodegradable products, rather than plastic utensils and cups. That’s my only complaint; other than that, I’d say it’s a must-visit when on the North Shore.

COFFEE GALLERY • 66-250 Kamehameha Hwy., Hale’iwa, HI 96712 • Opens 630am-8pm daily • Free wi-fi • 808-637-5571

Posted by: Bruce Fisher on Aug 31, 2012