Kool Keokea

People sometimes ask me where Oprah lives on Maui.  Well, I know of one property that is up here - way, way upcountry near the town of Keokea.  So far up that it's actually cool and mild during the day.

How to get to her house?  Sorry, go stalk this celeb on your own time!  No star maps from me buddy!

One of the most prominent and well-known stops in this tiny picturesque town is Grandma's Coffee House.  G-Ma's serves some of the best Maui-grown coffee around and has a wonderful old-fashioned feel with a scrumptious homemade breakfast and lunch.  Here's my egg salad sandwich I enjoyed on their outdoor deck:

Here are some local "black and tans."

For more info on Grandma's : Grandma's Coffee House

Drive-Thru Java Joints

Modern culture has attached us to our vehicles.  You have drive-thru fast food, drive-thru liquor stores, and even drive-in movie theaters.  I really enjoy a satisfying cup of Joe, and for some reason, I have always gone to brick and mortar coffee shops.  Enter the drive-thru coffee stand.

I found two of these in Kahului today.  I know I drive past these stands all the time, but I never actually stop to pay any heed.  Well, no longer my friends.

Big Wave Espresso

A fairly recent venture, Big Wave Espresso rests on Dairy Road across from the Shell station.

Letty (not pictured) explained that her husband built the entire structure himself.  I naively asked if the shop is built upon some kind of wooden platform and she said it's actually a trailer.  Duh!  So, the shops are now mobile too!

I ordered a small drip blend to-go and noticed they had a full selection of coffee drinks, sorbets, and smoothies.














Akamai Coffee Co.

Recently celebrating 3 years in business, Akamai Coffee Co. - akamai means "smart" in Hawaiian - also sits right off of Dairy Road.  You can't miss this Caribbean-blue box that calls like an oasis in the vast gray mass that is the Home Depot parking lot.  Chatting with Kimberly, I discover she had the idea to open a drive-thru coffee shop due to the fact that in her native Seattle, these kinds of establishments apparently abound, yet there weren't any on Maui.

I ordered a small mocha and the cups even have a red Akamai Coffee logo on them, and yes, the lady on the sign and the cups is Kimberly.

Please note that I am not affiliated with either Big Wave Espresso or Akamai Coffee Co. in any way, nor did I receive any kind of compensation or endorsement for this post.