Origin Hawaii - CLOSED

Origin Hawaii is a tiny bake shop that sells fresh baked goods in small batches. Their shop is a pink shipping container that is located at the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Haupoa Street. I spotted them on my way to Kualoa Ranch and pulled over so I could try their delicious baked goods.

They have cookies, croissants, and scones that are priced between $3 - $4. Everything is in a paper bag so you just grab the items you want and pay. There is small sitting area outside with a green wall and picnic table if you want to eat there. I enjoyed the speculoos guava cookie but I also recommend the croissants. You should go in the morning when they first open for the best selection. They accept cash and credit card.

48-449 Haupoa St.
Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 239-8535

Pain Suisse

Speculoos Guava Cookie

Chocolate Cardamom Rose Cookie

Soffritto - CLOSED

Soffritto is Cafe 8 1/2. The chef still has his usual dishes on the menu along with some new rice dishes and ready to eat items. What's good about this location is that the interior is new and you can order take out on certain items. If you plan to dine in, the seating is tight and if you get a big table, you'll be sharing your table with others. They are busy from 11:45am - 1pm so I recommend an early lunch if you don't want to wait long for your food. If you can't make their lunch service, they open on Saturday evenings for dinner only. My top favorites are the carbonara and the radiatore verde. The portions are reasonable and the entrees are priced between $15 to $18. The specials can cost over $20.

They are located in downtown Honolulu on Fort Street Mall next to Doner Shack along the same row of shops as Subway. The closest parking would be Mark's Garage or metered street parking. 

73 S Pauahi St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 524-4064

Focaccia

Radiatore Verde

Carbonara

Cheese Tea

Cheese Tea is a boba tea shop by Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ that offers cheese cap as a topping in your drink. I know the sound of cheese in a drink sounds odd but once you've tried it, you may find yourself wanting more. It's a thick foam made with milk, cream cheese, and salt. It stays at the top of your drink until you mix it in. I recommend the cheese cap with the brown sugar milk tea. If the cheese cap is too adventurous, you can get a milk tea, fruit tea or a smoothie instead.

The inside of the store is spacious and is themed with cat decor. It's a nice spot to hang out in because they provide parking validation when you park in the building. They don't have a line to order but it does take them a while to prepare the drink(s) so be patient. The drink prices range from $3 - $7 and they accept cash and credit.

1221 Kapiolani Blvd.
Ste 112A
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-2888

Relocated to:
94-300 Farrington Hwy Ste G-15
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 671-3288

Milk Tea w/ Cheese Cap

Messy Mango (seasonal)

Messy Strawberry w/ Boba

Brown Sugar Milk Tea w/ Cheese Cap