Women is soooo slow. 25 min. For 3 coffees! Had us wait 15 min just to take our order. She waited til she made a whole order (sandwiches and coffees) for someone else, before she even took ours. The 2 lattes tasted like watered down oat milk, and had to ask if there is even espresso in it! AND there was honey in both, when all I ordered was 2 Ice lattes with Oat. Didn't even bother mentioning it, knowing it'd be another 20 min. And the cold brew had way too much cream (when asked for little cream) and the lady gave attitude when said too much cream, brought back another drink and slammed it on the table. With NO cream. Then refused to give a LITTLE cream for it. Saying "I already wasted so much on your last drink." Even though it was WRONG. And there was grounds in the bottom lol Bad drinks,, bad attitude. extremely slow service I recommend passing this one read more

The Cardinal - Watered down oat milk latte. Can't taste coffee and did NOT ask for honey - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

We found this gem on a drive to Akaka Falls. Perfect brunch or afternoon tea spot. So much loose leaf tea here. I got the Papaya Bowl (I'm not even a papaya person), it was a delightful surprise, fresh berries, yogurt, and almond butter! This a great place to make a great Hawai'i memory, it's a pretty cool stop. read more

The Cardinal - Papaya Bowl, looked even better before I started eating it delicious! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

See all

The tea is excellent! All organic. We got the Black Chai, Matcha Latte, both were SOOOO good!!! Also, customer service was over the top! Great little place to relax and get info. A MUST stop!!! read more

The Cardinal - the front of the restaurant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

En route to Waipi'o Valley, we had to drive through the town of Honoka'a, and, being hungry, we looked to our trusty Yelp!-ers for some "vegan" advice in this rural part of the Big Island. As can (mostly) be counted, Yelp! readers offered-up a couple of choices for this little town. We're always excited to find anything in a small town that offers plant-based options, especially when hanger could be creeping in soon! (Lol!) Alas, the eatery that readers recommended most highly was nowhere to be found (another COVID closure, apparently; not on Yelp!, it was Google maps that noted it was "temporarily closed"). Such a pity! J'ai faim! J'ai faim...! Fortunately, readers also gave thumb's-up for The Cardinal -- which we drove by as it's at the very outside entrance into town and a bit off the main road; one of those places where if you blinked twice, you'd pass it by, or simply not notice what it was. Well, whatever the case, what a terrific find -- well, technically, we didn't find it, so thanks to my fellow Yelp! reviewers!! The whole Cardinal "motif" reeks of yesteryear charm. From the exterior, its mise en scène is wonderfully enchanting (in and of itself), with fanciful al fresco seating arrangements. Entering, I was ecstatic when I saw the 100% Plant Base sign in the window! The interior (aside from the de rigueur tables and chairs) boasts a large bit of floor space dedicated to browsing (and purchasing) a myriad of dried teas, herbs and spices, all presented in viewable containers, aligned upon rich-looking cabinetry. Walls are white-washed (for the most part), which lends to brighten what could be a heavy-looking space with all the dark woods. Various objet d'arts are used simply and sparingly to bring pops of color, as well. One large wall promoted a local artisan's photographic works on stretch canvases, all very tropical and befitting of the environs. As soon as you enter, it's like a switch is triggered in one's body to "slow down".... :D The woman who greeted us at the counter -- I don't know if she was the owner; although, I'm speculating she may have been -- was very friendly. As it turns out (from what I gather since I have a hard time hearing when being so calm; I just let Jay order, then I chime in with, "I'll have the same"--LOL!), it appeared that they weren't back to their full sandwich menu; however, the tofu scramble was available. (The pastries, bagels and such were available, as well.) We went tofu scrambles, natch, served on everything bagels. (I also had a Shaka drink of pineapple-mint [YUM!]; Jay had an herbal mocha [double-YUM!].) After a short time to admire the surroundings (check-out the "apothecary"; admire the photography), our orders arrived. Now, I gotta say that I was like, "Wowsah, that looks like some mighty ono kau-kau!!!" This was an everything bagel extraordinaire(!) that was overflowing, stuffed-to-the-brim, laden to the max, with tofu-scrambled deliciousness!!! The spices used in the scramble was unusual and flavorful, really enhancing what could've been very bland (as so often tofu scrambles turn out); it was really very much like an egg salad, in texture and flavor (honestly, I couldn't tell the difference). I don't know what brand of vegan cheese was used, but it worked perfectly with the sandwich. (Vegan cheese is a real hit-n-miss for us, mostly miss; so this was nice.) Bagel, too, was perfectly soft with that chewy exterior bite. It was quite simply the perfect bagel sandwich! We left stuffed and wholly satisfied! I know it may seem like I've rambled on an awful lot for one mid-morning visit to a coffee shop that serves bagel sandwiches; but...., there's not many places that have me feeling like I just had an awesome experience! The Cardinal helped to send me off feeling that way! As it turned out, it was the perfect elixir to get us motivated for our Valley hike...! Cheers! :D read more

See all

Don't want to miss this little gem! Just up the hill from the Honokaa town strip, this little shop has a great menu with different coffee options and an excellent selection of traditional and herbal teas. (The masala chai tea latte was perfection!) There's also a food menu in case you're looking for lunch or small kine bites. And tucked into a nice tidy corner is one of the best collections of bulk herbs and spices on island available to purchase, along with specialty packaged teas, accessories, and artwork. I almost missed this spot on my way out of town, but so glad I turned around to make the stop. read more

See all

No parking. If you are unable to walk a block from where parking is available, the coffee is OK. For those of you that are unable to walk, this is not the place for you. read more

Delicious Chai Latte! Friendly service. Also a nice view of the water! Great little tea and coffee shop. read more

See all

Solid place with good tasting plant milk and vegan items. No dairy products, which is great but one should be aware going in. The Service was a little confused and slow, and the place got busy right as we were leaving and it seemed to be getting backed up (midmorning on a weekday). read more

Recommended to us by a local if we wanted something vegan and early in the morning, such a wonderful little cafe with a great ambiance, fantastic coffee, and my light bite was perfect for the morning without being weighed down. The gentleman and lady running the place were very informative and helped up determine what we wanted to do next on this part of the island, A+! read more

The Cardinal - Carrot cake cupcake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Not only is this the absolute CUTEST cafe on the island, the food is freaking delicious!!! The sandwich was so good, it would easily convert a die hard meat-eater to veganism. I've honestly never had better vegan food in my life. The owner, Yvonne, is a dream. She is so knowledgeable and passionate about helping others with her herbs! Seriously such a sweetheart too. Kayla, behind the counter is such a delight. Always a friendly smile and makes you feel so welcome the minute you walk in. This place should be a required stop when you come to the big island. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!! read more

See all

Might be one of the worst latte's I've ever had. It tasted like watered down milk, no hint of espresso. Maybe their tea is better, hopefully. The service was also very slow, we waited over 10 minutes to place our order (mind you there was nobody in line in front of us) I guess there was only one employee working but it wasn't very busy, there was one other couple in the shop. We waited another 15 to get our 3 drinks which were extremely dissapointing. The employee didn't have a very polite attitude when my friend asked for more cream. At first she refused, then gave in and slammed the cream in the counter very odd experience. read more

A delicious and peaceful place to visit. Their selection of teas is incredible. Their espresso drinks are yummy and healthy. Their owners Ivonne and Bob are so friendly. I was given the great recommendation of a Mocha with marshmallows (chocolatte on the menu) which was sooooo good! Their fresh fruit blended coladas are very tasty and flavorful! Lots of relaxing seating inside and out. A great place to get some work done too with big outdoor tables and wifi. A must visit when in the area! read more

The cherry colada was outstanding and the interior has great ambiance. Avocado toast was delicious though a bit salty for my taste.

We loved this cute cafe! Really great coffees and food. Healthy, vegan and gluten-free options available. We enjoyed relaxing on the front porch, drinking our coffee and our snack. The staff were so sweet and friendly! Be sure to stop here as your drive through town! read more

The Cardinal - Lattes and gluten-free bagel with hummus. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Delightful coffee, tea and spices shop with ocean water view. Perfect cozy vibe. Non-pretentious chill. The chai coffee was special, and super smooth. Vanilla homemade GF cupcake with fresh berries and cream? Are it so fast, it didn't get pictured :) read more

The Cardinal - Coffee and Iced Chai Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

The teas are fantastic, so is the service. I love supporting small businesses like this on the Big island!

Small cute cafe on the road to Kona from Hilo! Nice for a cup pa and a bathroom break!

So delicious and flavorful! Can't believe it's vegan! Very pretty cafe and decorations and has a nice reading nook. The owner was very nice too! read more

What a find! I wish I had stopped in sooner. They have very unique, tasty, healthy yums for breakfast and lunch. Nice place to relax, pick up a good book that they have available for customers, and have a healthy and delicious bite. I had the yogurt / fruit / oatmeal served in a 1/2 papaya. Also had a delicious colada with coconut and ginger. Nice person who was very helpful behind the counter. read more

hometown local. This is the best spot in town. Repeat customer. Grateful for quality fuel here read more

A cute and sweet shop with an amazing amount of tea choices in Honokaa. It's new to the area. We are so happy to find this peaceful and unique spot with tasteful interior design, oh and with ocean view! They offer all kinds of organic tea and coffee, they also have sandwiches as well. Stop by this place after your hike or sightseeing from the Waipio, you will find yourself recharged and refreshed. read more

See all

Had brunch at The Cardinal and was disappointed that there was no tofu scramble available. We both chose the mock shrimp salad sandwich instead. The food was fresh and delicious. Beautifully presented. The. "shrimp" was so realistic that it was kinda creepy since I haven't had meat or seafood in decades. We really enjoyed this lovely meal. Service was super slow but we truly enjoyed hanging out in Honoka'a town enjoying the morning and sipped our lattes. The man who took our order was kind and friendly. We will definitely return next time we are in the area. read more

Cute spot for a light breakfast and really good coffee. Vegan friendly. Ocean view! Outdoor seating available during covid times. We will return to try the tofu scramble! read more

I love this place! My new favorite work spot, they have a HUGE selection of herbs, spices, and loose leaf teas AND vessels to make your tea at home. Super reasonably priced with yummy organic food and and ocean view. I'm so stoked they exist! Definitely a must visit in Honokaa town. Out of all coffee shops this is my favorite hands down. read more