More Than A Cup of Joe at Mocha Java

Mocha Java Cafe is one of many places to get some grub in the Kakaako area near Ward Theatres. Despite the name, the small eatery offers more than just a cup of joe.

In fact, it has all of its bases covered – including breakfast, brunch and lunch. A newcomer would easily get overwhelmed by its extensive menu, neatly handwritten on a hanging chalkboard. The staff did a good job, though, with organizing the dishes by category (soups, salads, sandwiches etc.). That really helped me my first time; still, I feel like I haven’t even tried a tenth of their menu.

What I would recommend, however, is the acai bowl and pretty much any breakfast item. I believe I’ve tried most of those at one time or another; all of which were very tasty. But the mac nut French toast seems to be the most popular, with the eggs benedict coming in second. I like that they try to use local ingredients in their dishes, too.

As far as the coffee, it seems to always depend on who makes it. Sometimes I love it; other times, I’m left to doctor up my cup. If you have time to hangout, it’s nice to get your coffee “for here” instead of to go. Mocha Java is known for its huge ceramic mugs with beautiful latte art. I’m such a fan of latte art.

The cafe’s set up is still kind of weird to me. Mocha Java is split into two sides of the indoor courtyard, both of which sell the same things. One perk would be being able to order from whichever side has the shortest line. There are also two seating areas in front of each side. I guess one could say there is doubly as much goodness!