Photo: Maria Burke

Just as I’m bemoaning the dearth of local craft ice cream parlors in Kailua, I drive past a door on Ku‘ulei Road newly painted with a trio of ice creams. Could it be? It is! Despite its unlikely name, Please Come Again opened in early November as if in answer to my craving.

Photo: Maria Burke

In the former Double Three location, the new shop by Jo and Kyle Wailyn, a couple from the Bay Area, feels like a hip boutique that happens to sell ice cream. The 16 flavors are just as cool, with many ingredients sourced locally. Different-size scoops are available in a cup, sugar cone, handmade waffle cone, four-flavor flight and an affogato topped with freshly pulled Tradition Coffee Roasters espresso.

SEE ALSO: Ultimate Guide to 11 Luscious Local Ice Cream Shops

My favorites so far:

• Ube Crush—a yammy blend for true ube lovers, with zero purple extract. Real ube flavor and crunchy bits of polverone form a combo that keeps me going back for more.
• Shiso Mint Chip—expertly blended flavors of mint and aromatic shiso with bold shards of Mānoa Chocolate.
• Only in the Darkness Can You See the Stars—a unique twist on cookies and cream that starts with a super fragrant base of Lā‘ie Vanilla ice cream (I’m not a vanilla girl, but the finesse of this one has me swooning). Activated charcoal and Oreo cookies are blended in, resulting in a jet-black mixture with a subtle flavor and an extra toothsome mouthfeel.

Only in Darkness Can You See the Stars, keiki scoop in a sugar cone. Photo: Maria Burke

Most of the other flavors showcase local ingredients. Like the Tropical Rainbow Sherbet made entirely of local fruits, Cinnamon Malasada featuring Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop goods, Guava Lava swirled with Aloha Bites guava jam, and Kona Snow, a mind-bending concoction of cream infused with Tradition Coffee Roasters 100% whole Kona beans.

Although Please Come Again hasn’t been crafting ice cream for very long, the flavors and textures show staying power. Stay tuned for grab-and-go pints and cakes. And a little birdie told me to look out for a poha berry and basil combo coming soon. See you there.

Tips:

• Want to taste as many flavors as possible? Bring a friend and get a flight (or two).
• The fresh waffle cones can be ordered on the side, so you can have your cone and eat it too.
• Bring a cooler and ice if you’re getting ice cream to go—the stuff melts quickly.
• Parking is available on Ku‘ulei Road and behind the shop in Kailua Square.
• Keep an eye on their IG for seasonal flavor change ups.

What: Craft ice cream
Where: 322 Ku‘ulei Road (across from Kailua Elementary School)
When: Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday noon to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: From $4.50 for a keiki scoop in a sugar cone to $16 for a four-flavor flight
Payment: Card or phone payment, no cash
Contact: pleasecomeagainhawaii.com
Follow: @pleasecomeagainhawaii

SEE MORE SWEET TREATS:

Sweet Treats: Don’t Sleep on the Hojicha Frappé at Matcha Café Maiko
Sweet Treats: Where to Find Hawai‘i’s Only Snowthies

Kyle Tatsumoto’s Reader Top 5: Best Meaty Fried Rices on O‘ahu last month drew immediate responses—including 58 on our Instagram post, mostly from readers shouting out their own favorite meaty fried rices. Choices covered nearly the entire island, from Mililani Restaurant to Elena’s Restaurant in Waipahu to Bogart’s Café and Café Morey’s on Monsarrat and were pretty much all one-offs.

Except for one: Times Coffee Shop in Kailua. Amazingly, six readers shouted out the meaty fried rice at this 65-year-old institution on Hāmākua Drive:

Times Coffee Shop fried rice. Photo: Kyle Tatsumoto

@k00kykat8o8 U guys missing DA BEST breakfast fried rice @timescoffeeshopkailua ❤️❤️❤️ #handsdowndabest

@wutangcomedy yup. Any best fried rice list without Times even ranking is suspect!

@scottshiira Times Coffee Shop in Kailua is ono too

@hopenapokipala Mitsuba and Times Coffee Shop need to be in the conversation

@mclovinit73 Times coffee shop in Kailua is the best!

@jaahdan Times coffee shop

SEE ALSO: Old-School Diners We Love: Times Coffee Shop in Kailua

Naturally, we reached out to Kyle to ask if he’d tried Times’ famous fried rice. By this point, he was up to 93 meaty fried rice breakfasts around O‘ahu. He told us that while he’d had Times’ version, that was many years ago, and he would happily head over the Pali to try it again.

Last week, Kyle texted us:

Photo (and sign): Darrell Lee

“Today, we traveled to Kailua, to Times Coffee Shop, for my 100th fried rice. The fried rice was OK with lots of Portuguese sausage and bacon, but it didn’t have much seasoning. The Times Coffee Shop fried rice may have had too many round onions in it, causing the somewhat sweet taste. But the couple sitting across the aisle from us, tourists from California, paid for our breakfasts.”

So there you have it. To each his own—much of Hawai‘i does love a salty-sweet combo, but not Kyle. Then he added this bombshell:

“Café Kalawe ranks #5, knocking Jack’s [Restaurant] out of the Top 5.”

Whoa.

Café Kalawe. Photo: Kyle Tatsumoto

“Café Kalawe’s lup cheong fried rice has a lot of big chunks of lup cheong in addition to the Portuguese sausage and bacon,” he explained. “It had a lot of seasoning, maybe from the bacon grease.”

At this point, we had nothing but questions for Mr. 100 Meaty Fried Rices. Here’s a quick Q&A:

Frolic: What is it about meaty fried rice? What makes you seek it out above other dishes?

KT: I started ordering different things for breakfast. It’s impossible to eat pancakes or rice/eggs/sausage every week, but it is possible to eat fried rice. I think meat just balances the fried rice by adding flavor. It also adds chewy texture.

Frolic: Did you grow up eating and craving meaty fried rice?

KT: I grew up eating fried rice, but my mom usually made it healthier with a lot of vegetables. And it constantly changed, depending on what was leftover.

Frolic: What do your friends and family think about your quest?

KT: My mom and wife think my fried rice quest is crazy. Everyone else thinks it’s cool.

Frolic: Now that you’ve tried 100, what’s next for Kyle the eater?

KT: I originally thought I would quit at 100, but now people are suggesting new places to try, so will probably go to 105 or 110. Might try cake noodle or saimin after.

Congratulations, Kyle, and many mahalos! What will you discover on your cake noodle and saimin quests? Keep us posted!

SEE ALSO: 

Reader Top 5: Best Mac Salad on O‘ahu
Best Mac Salad on O‘ahu: Our Readers Weighed In

No. 3: Thieves Stole Tight Tacos’ Equipment. Then This Happened

Ballesteros at the Palm Tree Music Festival. Screenshot courtesy of @tighttacoskaimuki

Published May 22, 2024

Yesterday was one month to the day since thieves drove off with Tight Tacos’ van and all its grills, tents, tables and everything else Reggie Ballesteros and Rizza Cozio needed to do off-site events and catering. Ballesteros’ first-person account tells what happened in the two weeks after—a huge outpouring of grassroots support that gave Tight Tacos heart and hope. That’s still ongoing, Ballesteros texted us last night. “I hear it a lot: ‘We heard about the theft.’” Catering gigs and business at the Kaimukī restaurant are still going up, he says, with sales now about a third higher than before. But there’s still no trace of any of the missing equipment.

Read the post

No. 2: First Look: Hawai‘i’s First Tokyo Central Opens in Kailua

Photo: Maria Burke

Published May 14, 2024

Maria Burke, our former digital dining editor and still a Frolic contributor, was waiting to cover this story. A Waimānalo girl, she’s seen Kailua evolve over the years, including the presence of more chains. Few places have been immune to this, so I wondered why Maria was so excited about the coming of Tokyo Central, part of the Don Quijote retail group. In response, she listed a string of closures of longtime businesses she grew up with. The result, she said, was fewer Asian food and grocery options in a neighborhood with a large local Asian population.

It was a good reminder that all our neighborhoods come with different histories and, even in an age of globalization, are evolving toward different futures. “In a small community with three Safeways, a Foodland, a Whole Foods and a Target, Tokyo Central brings something totally different,” Maria writes, “and I couldn’t be happier.”

Read the post

No. 1: Top 15 Picks of a Las Vegas Man Who Eats Out in Honolulu 180 Times a Year

Screenshot courtesy of @brickfiretavern

Published May 29, 2024

Two things I love most about this post: Young Park’s passion for Honolulu’s food scene and the fact that most of his picks come from small, locally owned businesses. Someone as volubly opinionated about food as Park is a rarity; rarer still is someone who can back up his opinions with corroborated details. Park makes it a point to get to know a dish, and sometimes the story of whoever made it as well: When he and his wife find a place they like, they eat there several times a week.

So when I pinned him down, he talked about specific qualities that set his favorite dishes apart; and if a restaurant’s better-known specialty was not a standout, he noted that, too. But even I couldn’t believe it when this post soared into the No. 1 spot just two days after publication. Young, if you’re reading this, how about sharing your favorite Las Vegas eats? For real!

Read the post

For the record, the next three most-read posts were All the Food Coming to Filipino Fiesta 2024, 9 New & Coming Eateries on O‘ahu: May 2024, and Ka‘a‘awa’s Crouching Lion Returns With a Revamped Look and Menu.

Photo: Maria Burke

If you grew up on the Windward side, you know that before the coming of Whole Foods, Target and boutiques on every corner, Kailua was home to Liberty House and Holiday Mart. After Holiday Mart turned into Don Quijote, my mom would take me there almost weekly to buy slippers, poke, fresh fish for frying and the odd Maui & Sons T-shirt. Don Q was the local superstore, and after it closed (to make way for Target) in 2011, I missed it.

So when I heard in March that our OG Times Supermarket was closing, I was crushed—until news came that Tokyo Central was taking its place. PPRM HI, the parent company of local faves Times, Big Save (Kaua‘i), Marukai, Shima’s and Fujioka’s Wine Times, is part of the Don Quijote conglomerate of Japan. And it owns seven Tokyo Central stores on the mainland.

Kailua and Hawai‘i’s first Tokyo Central opened last Friday, May 10, and let me tell you, I am all kinds of excited. I’ve been to the new store three times in four days (and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone). It has the vibe of a mini Don Quijote, with Marukai moments sprinkled throughout.

Photo: Maria Burke

When you walk in, the store looks exactly the same as Times. The friendly cashiers were always a draw, and many are still there. What’s totally new is a Sanrio section (!) dedicated to super kawaii gifts and trinkets. I’m equally elated and scared for my wallet.

Photo: Maria Burke

Now for the food: When it comes to grab-and-go options, this place doesn’t disappoint. Where the steak plates used to be is now a self-serve okazuya and deli where you can grab fruit cream sandwiches, nishime and hot food like Okinawa yakisoba or wagyu skewers with rice and potato mac. Nearby, the poke counter is still intact with all the favorites, plus a fresh raw fish zone. You can find moriawase sashimi sets, tubs of ikura and blocks of salmon and ‘ahi for cutting at home.

SEE ALSO: Parade of Poke: All the New Poke Coming to Frolic’s May 18 Poke Fest

Photo: Maria Burke

In the corner is a new sushi station stocked with trays of chutoro, hirame and other seafood, even full trays of Hokkaido uni. You can also order uni gunkan, inari bombs or saucy, aburi (torched) creations. I’m extra excited to bring one of the sushi platters to a potluck (cue the applause).

Photo: Maria Burke

The proteins don’t stop there. Options have expanded, and beyond the fresh fish area are beef, pork and chicken—everything from stir-fry cuts to shabu shabu kits and of course, shelves of wagyu. Freezers are filled with a mix of conventional items and Japan imports like unagi, buri kama (young yellowtail collar), natto and gyoza. There are entire islands of ice cream, ice pops and jellies. And among the fresh noodles and dairy is much more of a soymilk presence than before.

Photo: Maria Burke

Between all the specialty Japanese goods, you’ll also find regular supermarket items like big blocks of bologna (a very Times moment) and other Western staples and brands. There’s a little something for everyone so you might not have to store-hop.

One of my main questions going in is about the produce: Will we still have local options? The answer is yes. Just as you find at Times, there’s ‘Ewa sweet corn and a few other local veg. The array has expanded, and while most things are wrapped in plastic, it all looks fresh.

Fancy Japanese fruits offer a super fun splurge moment. I pick up strawberries from Nagano Prefecture for $12.99 and never look back. A Japan Fair area will feature specialty items from different locales. Right now it’s Wakayama Prefecture, with lots of ume and mikan (mandarin) treats.

Phew. There’s a lot of ground to cover in a relatively small footprint—and I haven’t mentioned the liquor, snacks, candies and chocolates or ramen. A small bakery area has some Japanese treats and other pastries, but nothing that excites me. I’m hoping that changes.

Photo: Maria Burke

To me, Tokyo Central feels like it was put there for locals just as much as visitors. The rubbah slippah crowd is talking story in the aisles while grabbing green onion or checking out the sashimi selection. In a small community with three Safeways, a Foodland, a Whole Foods and a Target, Tokyo Central brings something totally different, and I couldn’t be happier.

Daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 590 Kailua Road, tokyocentralhawaii.com, @tokyocentralhawaii

Photo: Robbie Dingeman

Slipping into the brown vinyl booths at Kailua’s Times Coffee Shop feels reassuringly familiar. I’m already anticipating the sturdy white mug of coffee sliding across the just-wiped wood-grain laminate. Most likely, I’ll order eggs over easy with housemade corned beef hash patty. If my kids are with me, somebody’s getting the plate-sized buttermilk pancakes with banana or blueberry.

Servers in running shoes crisscross a bright orange tile floor cracked and worn by years of traffic. They swoop in shortly after you write your name on the clipboard by the door, sorting out who arrived first, getting everyone settled and taking your orders. Usually I’ll run into a buddy from the gym or a high school classmate of mine or my kids. In a neighborhood with the standard assortment of corporate chains, this local diner stands out like a hometown hug.

Housemade corned beef hash, eggs and brown rice and loco moco with fried rice. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

On any day, you’ll find in its booths families, friends, couples and solo diners. Our family finds our way to Times with relatives from off island, after doctor visits or simply when we’ve been rushing too much. There’s something about being able to order exactly the same thing for years. A cousin insists it’s the most local breakfast place in Kailua, focused on food, not frills, down to the old-fashioned toast with those little individual containers of jelly and jam.

SEE ALSO: Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop Has Reopened as a Malasada Truck in Kailua

Most of the ample plates range around $10 to $15. Some of the most popular include the meaty fried rice with a signature sweetness from a teri sauce, although I prefer the more savory off-menu shoyu version. There’s even a veggie version with kale, carrots, mushrooms and tomatoes instead of Spam, ham and sausage bits. Also popular: a hamburger patty made from scratch and served in the loco moco, a plate lunch and a burger—all of which can be made vegetarian with a plant-based patty.

The first Times Coffee Shop in Kailua opened a couple blocks away on Oneawa Street in 1959. Manager Tricia Low-Ham explains that the Shimabukuro family sold the restaurant to her parents, Samson and Veronica Low, in the early 80s. At the old location, the Lows doubled down on the popular dishes, especially the fried rice—“That’s always served as the foundation for the menu,” she says—and focused on service, quality and affordable prices. The family tweaked recipes to make them their own, even after moving to the current spot.

Low-Ham started working in the business as a teen, earned a degree in travel industry management at UH Mānoa and gradually took over. She’s been there 32 years and loves it when students or former residents return after years away and say, “Kailua’s changed so much, but you’re still here!”

The family behind Times Coffee Shop Kailua. From left, Tricia Low-Ham; her mother, Veronica Low; and nephew Samson Low. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

While Low-Ham’s father died in 2003, her mother is still there, and five years ago, Samson’s grandson and namesake—who goes by Sam—joined the business full-time. Low-Ham credits her nephew for his hard work, cooking and contemporary touches: he runs the social media, added a QR code for the menu and comes up with marketing ideas such as an eggs Benedict special for Mother’s Day.

SEE ALSO: A Local’s Guide to an O‘ahu Road Trip: Waimānalo to Kahana

The other Times Coffee Shop in Kāne‘ohe is part of the same family. Low-Ham’s sister, Sharon DiPrete, runs the Ko‘olau Center location in Temple Valley. It moved there from Kāne‘ohe Bay Shopping Center in 2008 with a similar menu, but its own touches and customers.

Dutch Steele eats breakfasts at Times Coffee Shop almost daily. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

Dutch Steele is one of the Kailua regulars who stops in for breakfast or brunch at least five days a week. He’ll ride there on his motorcycle, then grab an Irish coffee next door at Creekside Lounge afterward. That’s him in the photo, in a booth that parallels busy Hāmākua Drive. Servers all greet the retired civil servant as they pass by.

Steele sums up the unbeatable appeal of his favorite diner. “If I can’t remember what I want to eat, they remind me,” he says. “It’s the best local food around.”

Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., weekends from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 153 Hāmākua Dr., (808) 262-0300, timescoffeeshopkailua.com, @timescoffeeshopkailua

Read the series:

Old-School Diners We Love: Harry’s Café in Kaka‘ako
Old-School Diners We Love: Kapi‘olani Coffee Shop in Waimalu
Old-School Diners We Love: Shiro’s Saimin Haven
Old-School Diners We Love: Jane’s Fountain in Liliha
Old-School Diners We Love: Jack’s Restaurant in ‘Āina Haina

Photo: Lauren Gombas

A short drive from Kailua Town, past Kawainui Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary and the big commercial trucks off Kapa‘a Quarry Road, a right turn brings you to some tan-colored warehouses. You’ll find Tradition Coffee Roasters here, tucked among other small businesses such as Oeno Winery and Ko‘olau Distillery. As Tradition co-owner Lindsey Burik puts it, one could do a day of wine, whiskey and coffee, all made on the Windward side—and they all support each other. “I don’t think you find that in a lot of places,” she says. “So (husband) Brian and I have said, too, if we started anywhere else, I think it would have been a much different business.”

Photo: Lauren Gombas

The café at Tradition Coffee Roasters recently celebrated its first anniversary. It offers its own line of globally sourced coffees ranging from 100% Kona to a Honduras Peaberry, including an impressive Swiss Water Decaf. You can order traditional latte drinks or taste a Hawai‘i-grown pour-over while perusing a retail selection of about a dozen beans. Some, like the 100% Kona, are single origin. Others are blends, including the Firehouse Blend, which has hints of caramelized sugar, cocoa and a slight smokiness; and Aloha Blend, which combines beans from Ka‘u and Central and South America. Bourbon Barrel is made from green coffee beans aged in a barrel from Ko‘olau Distillery, then roasted. The Buriks look for farms that are Fair Trade Certified, Rainforest Alliance certified or owned by women.

Photo: Lauren Gombas

Brian Burik meticulously roasts the coffees and creates the blends. The couple moved to Kailua, where Lindsey’s mother grew up, from New York City, where Brian was a firefighter. At the fire station, he was introduced to coffee as a tool for staying alert. It wasn’t until a trip to Italy, where he sipped an espresso that reminded him of milk chocolate, that he found a coffee that he thought tasted good.

Photo: Lauren Gombas

That moment was transformative. When he returned home, he began studying. He took classes on coffee, became a roaster’s apprentice and experimented with roasts that he gave to friends. “His degree is in fire science,” Lindsey says, “which makes him an expert in thermodynamics and chemistry, which is foundational for coffee roasting.” His friends encouraged him to start a business—so they could make his coffee part of their morning tradition.

SEE ALSO: Sample All of Ko‘olau Distillery’s Local Liquor Offerings on a Tour in Kailua

The Buriks moved to O‘ahu in 2019 and launched Tradition Coffee Roasters as a coffee club and wholesaler. Today, you can find the coffee at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore, the Sheraton Waikīkī, Daily Whisk Matcha in Kaimukī, Bottleheads in Kailua, PeleKai Coffee in Kaka‘ako and other places. During the pandemic, to fill what they call a gap in coffee education, the couple turned the café into a classroom, offering classes in cupping, pour-overs and home roasting.

They pay forward the opportunity Turtle Bay Resort, their first big account, gave them by donating coffee and volunteer labor to Habilitat, local schools and the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation. What started as a firehouse tradition—gathering around the table over a cup of coffee—has, in this tiny corner of the Windward side, grown into a tradition that’s so much more.

Open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 905 Kalaniana‘ole Hwy, (808) 207-7022, traditioncoffeeroasters.com, @traditioncoffeeroasters

Turkey and breakfast panini. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

The Garden at Boardroom opened in Kailua just as the weather is heating up. It feels like you’ve popped over to your chill neighbors’ backyard for coffee, light breakfast bites or a glass of wine—with or without keiki in tow.

We dropped in for the grand opening on Saturday and sampled most of the morning menu of toast and panini. Our favorites were straightforward and tasty: the O.G. avocado toast on sourdough topped with sprouts ($11) and the farmers market version which adds smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers ($14); the breakfast sandwich of egg, ham and melty cheese ($13); and the truffled egg toast ($12), whose comforting egg salad comes with added flair from aioli accented with truffle oil.

SEE ALSO: A Local’s Guide to an O‘ahu Road Trip: Waimānalo to Kahana

For drinks, there’s organic coffee ($3.50 for 12 ounces, $4 for 16 ounces), espresso drinks and specialties including matcha latte ($6), bullet coffee ($6.50) and some hot adaptogen drinks ($8-$9) with add-ins of collagen and herbal supplements such as maca, reishi and ashwaganda.

You can also get a little bottle of prosecco ($12), wine by the glass ($11-$12) or bottle ($36-$39), draft beer ($8) or High Noon ($6).

Sourdough toast selections. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

The casual décor mixes with potted plants and some artificial turf-covered open space so little ones can roam about in a fenced area while the adults hang out. Grownups without kids can enjoy a casual bite and a beverage in the shade.

SEE ALSO: Found in Kailua Town: Smokehouse Barbecue With Windward-Side Roots

The picnic-style concept comes from the husband-and-wife entrepreneurs behind The Boardroom and Treehouse Coworking spaces in Kailua and Kāhala: Keno Knierem and Dawn Hunt, parents of twin daughters. As the girls became more mobile, Knierem says they realized that other families might enjoy a casual spot next to the more upscale Boardroom next door, which serves dinner, cocktails and weekend brunch.

The Garden at Boardroom. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

The morning menu is available until 2 p.m., then an appetizer lineup begins that includes chicken wings, sliders, ceviche and wedge fries (prices are TBD). We tried some wings, bao buns, beets with goat cheese and smoked salmon bites.

While the Garden’s coffee and tea will be familiar for customers of The Solar Shack, the menu is new. Parking is available at nearby meters, but remember to bring quarters during the day except on Sundays.

Open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. daily, 44 Kainehe St., @solarshackhi, sister bar/eatery @theboardroomkailua, theboardroomkailua.com

Photo: Tracy Chan

While the Islands’ beer festivals started pouring again last year, mostly with reduced crowd sizes for safety, the outlook for 2023 is more positive: A full slate of Hawai‘i festivals is returning. Are you into thoughtful sampling or splurging on all-you-can-drink events? Is live music the main attraction for you, with beer on the side? Is the food lineup just as important as the beer you pair with it? Regardless of how you like to party, there is a festival for you!

Details are accurate as of this writing, but they are subject to change so be sure to check the festival websites and social media (including ticket availability, as many will sell out). Some organizers have more than one festival, so check back this summer for updates for events happening later this year.

Hawaii Beer Fest (Winter)

When: Jan. 28
Where: Bishop Museum Great Lawn, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu
Admission: VIP $80 from 5 to 9 p.m., General $60 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Info: hawaiibeerfest.com, @hawaiibeerfest

This unlimited sampling festival will have over 100 beers, ciders and seltzers from local and national breweries. Food and merchandise are available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rotary Club of Honolulu. VIP tickets include an extra hour to try those special releases while things are is still quiet.

Kona Brewers Festival

When: March 11
Where: King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort 75-5660, Palani Road, Kailua-Kona
Admission: General $100 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Info: konabrewersfestival.com, @konabrewfest

The 28^th annual festival marks the return of the Trash Fashion Show, showcase of local foods included, and limited beer tastings in a souvenir glass mug. After reducing the size of the festival last year, this year 1,200 tickets will be sold. Held on the beach, the festival is hosted by the Ke Kai Ala Foundation and has raised almost $2 million for local charities. The Run for Hops 5K run/walk takes place the morning before the festival.

Aloha by Volume “The Great Crawl”

When: March 17
Where: Kailua Town Block Party, Kailua
Admission: TBD
Info: @alohabyvolume

From the organizers of concert-style festivals comes a unique concept: a trolley crawl of Windward O‘ahu pubs! Ten venues including The Boardroom, Lanikai Brewing’s Tap & Barrel, Sun & Salt, The Shack, Olomana Golf Course and even one on base (no base pass necessary) will take part in the hop-on-hop-off event with dedicated trolleys for ticket holders. (Another event will be held in June, date TBD.)

Kaua‘i Brewers Festival

When: April 15
Where: Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center, 4475f Nuhou St., Lihue
Admission: VIP $100, General $75, both from 2 to 6 p.m.
Info: kauaibrewersfestival.com, @kauaibrewersfestival

Benefiting Kaua‘i-based nonprofits, this festival wraps limited tastings and food in the price of a ticket. VIP tickets include a special beer-and-food pairing and additional beer tickets. Kaua‘i’s only beer festival is a great excuse to check out the island’s brewery scene.

SEE ALSO: What’s Hopping on Kaua‘i’s Growing Beer Scene

Hawai‘i Beer Fest (Summer)

When: June 17
Where: Bishop Museum Great Lawn, 1525 Bernice St., Honolulu
Admission: VIP $80 from 5 to 9 p.m., General $60 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Info: hawaiibeerfest.com, @hawaiibeerfest

Similar to the Winter festival, this is an unlimited tasting event with food available for purchase.

Hilo Brew Fest

Photo: Alexander Gates

When: July 8
Where: Hilo Yacht Club, 77 Laehala St., Hilo
Admission: TBD
Info: hilobrewfest.com, @hilobrewfest

This year’s festival will be held at a different location since the main site, Wainaku Executive Center, was purchased by Ola Brew Co. to transform into a tasting room and distillery. Organized by the Hilo Rotary Club, the 2023 ticket includes limited beer tastings and food and benefits Hilo-area charities. Transportation to and from Hilo Town is provided.

The Hawaiian Craft Brewers Guild’s CRAFT Festival and Maui Brewers Festivals are on hiatus due to the pandemic, and no information is as yet available about their return.

Whichever Hawai‘i beer festivals you choose to attend in 2023, have a great time sharing beer and laughs in person!

Yes, we’re winter wimps. We like to bundle (and cuddle) up when there’s the slightest bite in the air. Our scarves get dusted off, coats get their moments, and we down our favorite warming winter drinks—including a London treat, charcoal elixir and salty mocha.

Photo: Brie Thalmann

Arvo’s Charcoal Latte

If Wednesday Addams of The Addams Family had a favorite coffee, this would be it. With its dark and moody appearance, Arvo’s charcoal latte might seem a bit heavy, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Surprisingly light and lovely, the drink pairs activated charcoal with two shots of espresso and house-made vanilla syrup for a slightly sweet, slightly smoky flavor. Plus, the activated charcoal supposedly helps your body filter out toxins, whitens teeth and even cures hangovers. —Brie Thalmann

Salt at Our Kaka‘ako, (808) 312-3979, arvocafe.com, @a_r_v_o

Morning Glass Mānoa Mint Fog

If you live in Mānoa, like me, you know it rains … a lot. Nothing warms you up more than a soothing bevy from Morning Glass. I’m a tea drinker, so the Mānoa Mint Fog is comes in clutch during the holiday season. Peppermint tea, local Mānoa honey and steamed milk get swirled up for a luscious, not-too-sweet sip. —Stacey Makiya

$6, 2955 E. Mānoa Road, (808) 673-0065, morningglasscoffee.com, @morningglasscoffee

Photo: Robbie Dingeman

Chad Lou’s Flat White

When the temperature dips below 70, I detour to Kailua’s Chad Lou Roasters to warm up with one of their fresh-roasted, signature blends of coffee, often a flat white ($5.75 for a double espresso with steamed milk and a little foam). I can grab a seat just outside to sip, feel toasty and contemplate my next move. I also can’t resist a coffee grown in Maunawili and roasted in Kailua. Go Windward! The family-run business carries at least five locally grown coffees as well as others sourced from around the globe. The blends will please even coffee snobs who take the time to select a roast and flavor profile that suits the mood. The store also stocks by the pound, grab-and-go snacks and cool coffee gear, including the tiny but effective Aeropress coffee maker. —Robbie Dingeman

45 Ho‘olai St., Suite B, Kailua, (808) 263-7930, chadlouscoffeeroasters.com, @chadlouscoffee

SEE ALSO: ChadLou’s Coffee Tasting in Kailua Is Fun for a Nerd or Novice

Café Villamor’s Ginger Doodle Latte

Unless you’re a regular at the HiClimb rock-climbing gym, you could easily miss Café Villamor, a wee, cozy little gem tucked into a corner of the gym’s warehouse space. That would be a shame, especially during the holidays, because this coffee shop’s seasonal menu is as festive as they come. Particularly charming is the Ginger Doodle Latte, with all the warming, spicy goodness of a ginger doodle cookie—and just the right amount of sweetness, not to mention the cutest latte art that positively sleighs. —Natalie Schack

$6 for 12 ounces, 825 Ilaniwai St., (808) 888-2999, @hiclimbhawaii

Daily Whisk Matcha’s Salted Mac Nut

Silky, sensuous dark chocolate by Choco le‘a Hawai‘i. Creamy mac nut syrup by Pono Potions. Local espresso by Tradition Coffee Roasters. An elegant salt topping by Hale’iwa Salt Co. This salted mac nut mocha is what holiday collab dreams are made of, and the result is absolutely decadent. The catch? This is one seriously hawt toddy, so it’s going fast! (But don’t worry: Even if they run out, you can snag the Spiced Matcha Eggnog, made with Pono Potions spiced ‘ulu syrup and cinnamon.) —Natalie Schack

1114 11th Ave. (808) 490-3436, dailywhiskmatcha.com, @dailywhiskmatcha

SEE ALSO: Here’s the Scoop on Kaimukī’s New Matcha and Coffee Spot

Gyotaku’s Miso Soup

There’s something so satisfying about a cup of miso soup. Sometimes, all I want is that warm broth—no green onion, tofu or wakame necessary. Whenever I get takeout from nearby Gyotaku, I always order something that includes it or make sure someone else in my family is willing to give me theirs. Forget the spoon, and slurp it like hot tea. —Katrina Valcourt

$2.50, multiple locations, gyotakuhawaii.com

Photo: Brie Thalmann

Plantoem’s Honey Matcha Latte

Plantoem in Kaimukī combines two of my favorite things—coffee and plant shopping. Tucked at the rear of this botanical shop, past the jungle of trailing ficus and blossoming polka dot begonias, you’ll find a cozy café and one of my go-to hot drinks, the honey matcha latte. You get a double dose of caffeine from the brew’s base of Itoen matcha and freshly ground Puerto Rican Yaucono coffee beans, nicely sweetened with honey and oat milk. And the oxygen boost, courtesy of all the greenery? Just an added perk. —Brie Thalmann

3457 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 807-7826, plantoem.com, @plantoem

Bone To Be Wild’s Bone Broth

For the sophisticated caveman reclining in his man cave, there’s bone broth from Kaua‘i’s Bone to be Wild, a savory beef or chicken stock that’s been simmered for days into the salubrious primal soup from whence we all came and will someday return. Packed with vitamins, minerals from humanely raised local beef, chicken and seasonal herbs and spices. Pinkies up, fellas. —James Nakamura

$25 for 30-ounce jar, online orders accepted at bonetobewildkauai.com, @bonetobewild.kauai

Island Vintage Coffee Hawaiian Honey Latte

Hawaiian honey latte with almond milk and a toasted slice of banana poi bread are my go-tos here. Simple and sweetened with 100% local honey, a dash of cinnamon, plus latte art! —Christine Labrador

$6.75 for 12-ounce, multiple locations, islandvintagecoffee.com, @islandvintagecoffee

Photo courtesy of Stacey Makiya

Pono Potions’ Smith Street Sunrise

I love honey. I love ginger. And I love cinnamon. So it makes sense that I would pick this Pono Potions latte that has it all, plus steamed milk. It has a super light coffee taste (‘cause I’m not a big java fan), and a honey-creamy flavor with a kiss of ginger. It makes me want to snuggle in bed with a Hallmark movie, but the instant buzz gives me enough energy to start(!) Christmas shopping. —Stacey Makiya

$6, 1119 Smith St., ponopotions.com, @ponopotions

SEE ALSO: Pono Potions Opens a Chic Coffee Shop and Boutique in Honolulu Chinatown

sponsored

Kailua Town’s Holiday Sip + Shop Event

Support local and shop small at Kailua Town’s Holiday Sip + Shop event, Thursday, December 8 from 4-7pm. More than 20 local Kailua boutiques will welcome holiday shoppers with live entertainment, exclusive “Sip + Shop” pricing and festive treats and sips and more! Plus, visit at least 5 shopping centers and enter to win a $500 Kailua Town gift prize. Check in at the Lau Hala Shops lobby (by the UFC Gym entrance) to grab your passport. In partnership with Shop Small Hawaii and the Kailua Chamber of Commerce. Holiday shopping just got merrier!

Photo: Courtesy of Kailua Town

Festive Treats + Sips

• Fresh malasadas from Kalele Eats
• Festive mocktails from Stir Beverage
• Charcuterie cones from Fig & Ginger Honolulu
• Organic Cotton Candy from Daydream Sugar Co.

Live Entertainment

• TheBrewz DJs
• Micah Ganiron
• Brian Webb
• Kalae Camarillo
• Anthony Pfluke

Click here for more details.

Photo: Courtesy of Kailua Town

Holiday Gifts with Purchase

Need another reason to attend? Kailua Town will be hosting two gift-with-purchase promotions throughout the night: Spend $100 or more and get a limited-edition Lauren Roth x Kailua Town holiday ornament or spend $200 or more to get an ornament and Kailua Town Turkish towel.

Photo: Courtesy of Kailua Town

$500 Kailua Town Gift Package

Make sure to pick up a shopping passport at the Lau Hala Shops lobby entrance to enter to win a $500 Kailua Town prize package. Visit at least one merchant from five different shopping centers to apply. Visit kailuatownhi.com for a list of participating merchants and more details.