Fred Hokada founded Downtown Coffee in Pioneer Plaza in 2011, specializing in Hawaiian beans that he roasts, brews and sells on-site. I prefer their espresso drinks starring shots pulled on a two-group Nuova Simonelli machine. Wife Fumiko contributes pastries like her earthy adzuki bean torte and matcha torte with bamboo charcoal shortbread crust. Grab and go or snag a courtyard table.

Honolulu Coffee Company founder Raymond Suiter teamed with food scientist wife Jackie on Kona Coffee Purveyors. He roasts single-estate beans from the Big Island using a Probat G60 and Giesen W15 on Sand Island near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. KCP partnered with b. patisserie pastry star Belinda Leong on a joint venture in Waikiki’s International Market Place. Baristas brew espresso, pourover coffee and cold brew with flair. I enjoyed my espresso tonic and creative pastries. Leong’s flaky caramelized black sesame kouign amann and double-baked pineapple coconut almond croissant are both unique to this location.

Longtime Starbucks exec Eric Rose debuted Morning Glass Coffee in residential Mānoa Valley in 2011. The breezy open-air cafe’s ambitious coffee program includes a three-group La Marzocco espresso machine, pourover bar, and Coava beans. Morning Glass also serves an espresso soda with house-made vanilla syrup, grab and go salads and sandwiches, and house baked goods.