There’s nothing like making a wrong turn, only to discover that you’re on the right path to something wonderful! We had just got off of an early flight to Kauai, picked up our rental car and up ahead, the words “COFFEE BAR” sang a chorus of caffeine.
Much needed caffeine.
So we pulled up to a front-row parking and walked right into Ha Coffee Bar. It didn’t quite have the same ambiance as a typical coffee shop (cough, Starbucks, cough), which was a good thing. Instead of cramped sitting quarters, Ha had high ceilings and so much space, you could literally do a cartwheel. The flood of natural lighting that poured through the windows seemed to really open up the room as well.
Then there’s the bar; an actual old-school bar decked out with a neat row of high stools. Behind the bar, a tall wooden shelf that stretched across the entire wall, up to the ceiling. A giant scroll of recycled brown paper served as Ha’s menu, where hand-written items filled the page.
I was digging the ambiance; now, what about the coffee? We got a latte, mocha and gluten-free blueberry ginger scone. The verdict: very, very good! The guy behind the bar told me that they get all of their baked goods locally; in addition to gluten-free items, they had pie slices, cookies, cupcakes, salads and sandwiches.
I will definitely be returning to Ha the next time we’re on Kauai. The literally saved me from drowning in my own morning grouchiness (lack of caffeine) and brightened my outlook on Kauai’s coffee scene!
HA COFFEE BAR • 870 Halewili Rd, Kalaheo, HI 96741 • Opens Mon-Sat 630am-5pm, Sun 9am-5pm • 808-335-0813 • www.hacoffeebar.com
