Visit Osaka: Maza Cafe Namba

We ended up at Maza Cafe Namba after we attempted to visit Matsu Take (they didn't open on time due to a malfunctioning coffee machine). 

Eggs Benedict Plate

Bacon & Egg French Toast

I had the Bacon and Egg French Toast.  I thought the bread would be a lot fluffier, but overall it was a good breakfast.  I love just how thoughtfully presented everything is.  Most plates came with salad, nuts, and yogurt.

Smashed Avocado Plate

Maze Brunch Plate

The Maze Brunch Plate consisted of sausage, bacon, salad, nuts, grilled veggies, baguette, yogurt, and bacon. 

Chocolate and Banana Pancakes

Maza Cafe Namba was a great find!

Maza Cafe Namba

1 Chome-18-12 Nanbanaka
Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0011, Japan

 

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ALOH Health Bar & Cafe in Waikiki

Ala Moana Bowl

On a recent staycation in Waikiki, my friend suggested we eat breakfast at ALOH Health Bar & Cafe. They offer coffee, acai bowls, and toasts, but best of all it was a 3-minute walk from our hotel. Conveniently located on Seaside, it appears to be a small shop from the outside, but you will find ample seating in the spacious cozy cafe including a couch in the back.

I ordered the Avocado Toast - Vegan Sourdough Bread, Fresh Avocado, Cream Cheese, Oregano Leaves, Himalayan Pink Salt, Cracked Pepper, Bagel Seasoning, ALOH Dressing. It may not look amazing, but I enjoyed it very much. The sourdough is flavorful and chewy. My friends loved their acai bowls and favored the Caprese Toast and Basil Pesto Toast. The acai bowls come in three different sizes so my friends opted for a small size bowl to pair with their toast.

ALOH Health Bar & Cafe is open daily from 6:30am to 10pm and you can order online for pickup. After 12pm, they offer milky shave ice. 

Avocado Toast

Basil Pesto Toast

Caprese Toast

Honey Ricotta Toast

Diamond Head Bowl - SMALL

ALOH Health Bar & Cafe

407 Seaside Ave Honolulu, HI 96815

  

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Visit Osaka: Matsu Take

Near our hotel in Osaka was Matsu Take. The first time we tried going, the coffee machine was broken so they weren't allowing customers in.

A couple days later we tried again, and the coffee machine must've been working, because they were allowing customers.

The morning menu, like many other tiny cafes in Japan, was limited, but still satisfying.

Ham & Egg Toast

I had the Ham & Egg Toast.  The toast was not the soft & toasty bread I was expecting (and have had at other places in Japan), but it was still tasty.

Pancake

Toast and Egg

For the Toast and Egg, you can have your choice of syrups - chocolate, caramel, strawberry, or honey.

Tonjiru (Pork Miso Soup), Egg, Pickles

Close up of the Tonjiru, which is a hearty miso soup with pork and veggies

Matsu-Take was a nice find for breakfast!

Matsu Take

Japan, 〒556-0005 Osaka, Naniwa Ward

Nipponbashi, 3 Chome−7−20 福島ビル

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Visit Osaka: Caffe Veloce

While walking around our hotel looking for some breakfast eats to take back to our room, we found Caffe Veloce.  Unfortunately, it wasn't open yet, so we decided to go back a couple days later, and ended up dining in, as there was ample seating on the main and upper levels.

They have an assortment of drinks to choose from, like coffees, hot or ice chocolates, matcha lattes, and more.

There are grab-and-go sweets, such as chocolate chunk scones, coffee danishes, baumkuchens, and croissants. 

And you can also order from the morning menu.

Cheese & Ham Toast

Cheese & Tuna Toast

Egg & Bacon Sandwich

I had the Egg & Bacon Sandwich - it was simple, but so tasty!  I especially liked the mustard, which gave the sandwich a nice tang.


Caffe Veloce

Japan, 〒556-0011 Osaka, Naniwa Ward

Nanbanaka, 2 Chome−1−18 丸丹ビル １Ｆ

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Visit Japan: Komeda Coffee

Komeda Coffee is a chain of coffee shops throughout Tokyo.  We went to the one in Ikebukuro for breakfast.

No English menus available so Google translate helped us order.

Pork Cutlet Bread

Shiro Noir

Shiro means white in Japanese, and Noir means black in French.  The Shiro Noir is basically a dessert that represents these two colors - the white soft serve sits atop a dark Danish pastry.  This was actually a dessert, but two of my kids ordered it for breakfast.

Pizza Toast with Egg

The Pizza Toast with Egg was an egg sandwich with pizza toppings on the top.  It was actually pretty good!  It was also quite filling - I could only eat half, and same with my son who ordered the same dish.

There was only one employee working both floors of the cafe, but service was efficient.

Komeda Coffee was a great spot for breakfast!

Komeda Coffee
1-24-1 Nishiikebukuro 2f, 3F

Toshima 171-0021 Tokyo Prefecture

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Heavenly Island Lifestyle Hawaii Kai

Avocado Toast

Did you know that Heavenly Waikiki and Heavenly Hawaii Kai has a common brand story? The former restaurant is themed around a 27 year old surfer girl and the latter sees her lifestyle eight years later married with children with a focus on family and a health conscious lifestyle. This carries over to the restaurant's warm, relaxing, and family friendly ambience.

We stopped in after a hike and was excited to see the new restaurant with breezy marina views. I had a green juice and the avocado toast. The breakfast and lunch menu has a variety of options including acai bowls and and savory options like the Beef Sukiyaki combo. The food is delicious and the setting is cute and relaxing. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Acai with Peanut Butter

Green Veggie Juice

Matcha Latte

Beef Sukiyaki

Bar Seating

Tables and booth seating as well as window seating available.

Heavenly Hawaii Kai
7192 Kalanianaole Hwy
Koko Marina Center

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Visit Big Island: Big Island Coffee Roasters Cafe & Roastery

Big Island Coffee Roasters just opened up their Cafe & Roastery in Hilo, and we went to check it out!

They of course have a nice selection of coffees on the menu, but they also have non-coffee drinks, as well as some small bites.

Haimakamaka Espresso

Mamaki on Nitro

I love mamaki tea, so I opted for Mamaki on Nitro.

"Michelle Wie"

We were given an off-menu drink, the "Michelle Wie," which is a combo of the Mamaki Tea and Lemonade.  It was so refreshing and delicious - and my new go-to drink for the next visit.  

The team there is so knowledgeable and friendly, and they do more than just pour a cup of coffee - they can share how to best enjoy and prepare the coffee, and they even share the stories behind the coffees (the farmers, the history, the land).  

Visit the Big Island Coffee Roasters Cafe and Roastery for a true coffee experience!

Big Island Coffee Roasters Cafe & Roastery

76 KALANIANAOLE STREET
HILO, HI 96720

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Visit Blue Mountains: CafeXpresso

Upon arrival at Katoomba Station in the Blue Mountains around 815am, we were freezing, so we decided to get some hot chocolate and pastries at CafeXpresso.

The take-out only stand offers various hot and cold drinks, as well as baked goods and some grab-and-go savory eats.

Everyone got their hot drinks and sweet eats, which hit the spot in the cold weather, and after having to wake up at 4:30am to catch the train to the Blue Mountains.

We were so glad they were open early and so close to the train station.  

Service was friendly, and the cafe was surely convenient!

CafeXpresso
Shop 4/281 Bathurst Rd

Katoomba NSW 2780, Australia

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Visit Sydney: Envoy Cafe

At the bottom floor of our hotel in Sydney was a charming little cafe, Envoy Cafe, that served breakfast and lunch.

One of the kids wanted hotcakes one morning (actually, they could eat hotcakes every morning), so we ordered take-out.

The Strawberry Hotcakes were loaded with more than just strawberries!  There was caramel popcorn, walnuts, blueberries, a house berry sauce, and ice cream on the side!

What a treat!

There are so many cute cafes throughout Sydney, and Envoy Cafe was no exception!

Envoy Cafe

Ground Floor/511 Kent St

Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

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Guieb Cafe - Aiea

Ube Mascarpone Pancakes

I recently had lunch at Guieb Cafe's third location in Aiea.  Located near Cutter Ford on Hekaha Street, the family owned restaurant serves all day breakfast and lunch.  They offer dine-in with table service as well as take-out.  I love that they take reservations too because lunch can get busy.

I wanted to try everything on the menu, but I settled on the Braised short rib benedict and the Ube Mascarpone pancakes which our server recommended.  She was right, the ube pancakes were fluffy, tasty, and just the right amount of sweetness.  I would definitely order them again and again.  I loved my benedict as well!  

Service here is excellent, parking is plentiful, and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. 

10oz Prime Rib Loco Moco

Corned Beef Hash

Braised Short Rib Benedict

Guieb Cafe - Aiea

98-025 Hekaha Street, Aiea Hawaii

(808) 888-2121

  

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Wine Tasting at Mana + Pua

 

Aloha Platter for 2-4 people

I had been wanting to experience the wine tasting at Mana + Pua for a while now and finally got the chance when we staycationed on the North Shore this past weekend.  Mana + Pua is a super cute and cozy café with all the right surf chic vibes.  They serve coffees, delicious sandwiches and flatbreads, and also doubles as a wine tasting room for their own wines!  

You can taste the Mana + Pua rainbow of 5 wines for $25.  If you join their wine club, the tasting fee is waived.  You can also order by the glass and bottle.  Currently, they are offering the following wines: NV MANA sparkling brut, NV MANA  sparkling rosé, 2020 MANA  Sauvignon blanc, 2020 MANA Chardonnay, 2019 MANA Rose, 2019 MANA Pinot noir, 2020 MANA Cabernet, 2019 Pua red blend, and 2019 PUA white blend.  

Definitely put this on your list of things to do in Haleiwa and make a reservation! CHEERS! 

Mana + Pua Hawaii

66-526 Kamehameha Hwy

Haleiwa, Hawaii 96712

808-772-4355 

 

 

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Ali'i Coffee at Ward Village

 

My friends and I had finished hiking and were hungry for something delicious, but we had my friend's fur baby with us so we needed to look for a place that was pet friendly.  One of my friends remembered that Ward Village welcomes pets so we headed to Ali'i Coffee.  

Ali'i Coffee is located in the former space occupied by Via Gelato near Piggy Smalls.  They are a local, craft coffee bar and roastery offering cold brews on tap, "coff-tails", lattes, and food.  I ordered the Hilo Honey signature latte and the avocado toast - olive rosemary sourdough, pickled onion, feta cheese, greens, balsamic dressing.  I loved my selection. I enjoyed the sweetness of the honey in my latte and the avo toast was delicious.

The service here is also excellent and super friendly. I really enjoyed my experience here and would definitely recommend.  They are open daily from 7am to 3pm.  

Hilo Honey latte and Avocado Toast

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