Perched on the second floor of the Beachcomber Waikiki by Outrigger, Hawaiian Aroma Caffe has the best coffee shop atmosphere in this slice of south shore paradise. It’s poolside, spacious, vibrant, and the decor in unapologetically influenced by Hawaiian surf culture. It also has a cozy little nook where (if you can score a seat) you can open up the laptop and squeeze in some work before heading out for your day of fun in Waikiki Beach. The same care to create the thoughtful interior design was also employed to hire staff – the best collective of baristas and counterpersons of any coffee shop in the area. In addition to being super friendly they are astute at remembering the names (and orders) of repeat hotel guests and local patrons alike. What about the menu? Near perfection, with a diverse selection of fresh locally sourced goodies for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Of course, espresso is the cornerstone of this cafe, and we highly recommend that you try the hot Coco Choco (mocha with coconut) and Caffe Con Latte. That said, you can’t go wrong with any beverage – including those from the behind the bar when they reopen for pau hana at 5 PM. View the complete menu below.

The best nook for getting some “work” done while in Waikiki

The decor is heavily influenced by Hawaiian surf culture