Whether at our Waterfront Plaza office or our Kapolei printing plant, there are no shortages of good eateries where I work. This means it’s pretty rare that I frequent the same place again and again. But not so with Island Vintage Coffee at Kapolei Commons.
I’ve gone for business meetings, lunch on the go and a snack with a friend — and as I write this, I’m daydreaming about the cacao moana acai bowl ($15.95 for 24 ounces). There is a 16-ounce version for $13.95, but why anyone would get the smaller size of one of Island Vintage Coffee’s acai bowls is beyond me.

Everything I’ve ordered — and I’ve ordered a lot — has been downright delicious. But it can be hard to choose what to eat. To say the menu is extensive is a bit of an understatement. There are dozens upon dozens of items from breakfast dishes and acai bowls to sandwiches, poke bowls, plate lunch-style plates and shareables. It can be a bit overwhelming, so I’d recommend checking out the menu before you head in. The first time I went, I was the person holding up the line because I couldn’t decide what I wanted, and the line at Island Vintage Coffee Kapolei can get really, really long, especially on weekends. I felt so bad and vowed it would never happen again.

During a recent lunch with my family, I got my tried-and-true turkey avocado panini ($21.95) that features locally made mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula and a chile aioli on dark rye bread. It’s a simple sandwich with quality ingredients, and it’s so dang good. I appreciate the abundant helping of turkey and thick avocado slices, which positively skew the bread-to-filling ratio toward the latter (no one likes the last few bites of a sandwich being just bread). I get this dish with the side salad if I feel like I need to be a bit healthier, but you can upgrade to breakfast ulu, fries or sweet potato fries for $2.95 more.

To my surprise, my husband got the keto braised beef loco moco ($28.95). It’s all the makings of a local-style loco moco but with cauliflower truffled risotto instead of rice. Upon first glance, it looks like soup, and the texture is similar to soup. But don’t be fooled because this was a real winner. The braised short rib is tender and flavorful, and the gravy melds well with the risotto. Pop that over-easy yolk atop the dish, and it adds a creaminess to each bite that makes it feel like elevated comfort food.

In true fashion, we always order appetizers, too. Crave editor Kelli Shiroma Braiotta recommended the portobello fries ($14) and nori chips ($10), and if you follow her on social media, you know to take her recs seriously. The portobello fries were my favorite of the meal — my poor husband didn’t even get a whole one to himself (he halved one with our daughter). These morsels are panko-crusted portobello mushroom slices that have all the savory goodness of the mushroom with that perfectly crisp exterior, and the dish is served with spicy aioli, barbecue aioli with sesame seeds and truffle aioli dipping sauces.

The nori chips, meanwhile, were my daughter’s favorite. They’re crispy on the outside and covered with sesame seeds. It’s a straightforward item that would pair well with a refreshing beer — or milk, in my daughter’s case.

Island Vintage Coffee Kapolei

Address 
Kapolei Commons
4450 Kapolei Pkwy. Building D, Kapolei

Phone
808-312-1416

Website
islandvintagecoffee.com

Hours
6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily

Food: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5 
Price: $$
Parking: free at Kapolei Commons