Coffee Diaries | Paia Bay Coffee

There is a certain energy that surrounds a beach cafe...it is undeniable. Knowing the beach is close might be the magic. The ritual of having coffee - the ritual  that precedes the day, precedes the day's possibilities, what's to come - evokes a different kind of energy at the beach. And, when you walk into a cafe that you know is locals-only, you feel like one of the in-crowd. At least that's how I felt when I was striding into Paia Bay Coffee.

I snapped this photo as a band of friends - probably surfers - departed from breakfast. 

Tucked behind a bikini shop, it is almost impossible to find. It isn't well-marked. Situated almost at the crossroads of Baldwin and Hana Highway, this café is the quintessential beach coffee spot. You know this is a surfer's place, unassuming, in the midst of a courtyard in between the shops of Paia and the ocean, mere yards away. The courtyard serves as the main seating area, with trickling fountains and tall leafy shrubs that enclose the area, giving it a super secluded and exclusive feel. The effortless privacy that the green leaves offer makes this an alluring spot to break for coffee, whether you're ducking out of the sun, walking through town, or breakfasting before a long journey. Our situation was the latter.

I'm pretty sure this is every coffee-lover's dream. As for my experience, It was HANDS DOWN the best coffee in Maui (the island's kona was hyped up, and in my opinion, not as good as this). I ended up buying half a pound of whole beans to grind later. For breakfast, we had fresh eggs, fruit, and greek yogurt topped with honey and lilikoi, a type of passionfruit. I used agave nectar to sweeten my coffee.

ciao! xo