An OkiJava Experience – Recharge your Energy with Some of the Best Brews on Island!
Just because we are all on a tropical Island doesn’t mean we can stay on vacation mode forever. Eventually, work must prevail and for that, what better way to reset and energize than with a good hearty cup a Joe! Lucky for you, Total Okinawa has got you covered with some of the best places to grab that much needed jolt juice to keep you going strong. Fair warning: Starbuck’s and the likes are not on this list as we already know what they are about. For this list, I will be ‘brewing’ some of the more popular yet not so known coffee shops and cafés that definitely deserve your attention. So without further ado, let’s start roasting!
Zhyvago Coffee Works Okinawa
This Scrabble quintuple-word score coffee brand is definitely worth mentioning first on this list. Opening relatively recently at Depot Island, it has already gained popularity with lines forming up constantly pretty much nonstop throughout the day. Specializing mostly on Espresso drinks, Zhyvago has a pretty standard coffee list with additional bites such as cake and pastries. One of their most notable drinks – the chocolate mud shake – had me shooting to the moon and back with both a pick me up shot of espresso and a soothing sweetness taste of the milky chocolate. What an awesome roller coaster ride! You can find their full menu at http://zhyvago-okinawa.com/.
Sunstache Coffee ,Bay
Do not ask me about that misplaced comma as I will take that secret to the grave! (Just kidding, the manager didn’t know either). However, what I can tell you is that the brew this place produces is just meticulously on point! Located almost poetically at the middle of the Kaichu-Douro surrounded by the sea, Sunstache is just too good to ignore. The coffee takes a bit longer to prepare as each cup is brewed individually by the most unique drip coffee contraption I have ever seen. It is almost as if the coffee is temperature controlled by an apparatus and an experiment is taking place. Location is a bit far but the coffee will be well worth the journey. An absolute must try! More info at https://www.sunstachecoffee.com/.
Kona’s Coffee
What is a coffee list if there isn’t at least one Kona blend in there? Recently opened as both a Kona coffee shop and Hawaiian pancake house, Kona’s Coffee offers that true weekend island morning vibe that is an absolute necessity for here in Okinawa. The aromatic Kona blend is obviously a given, but what pushes Kona’s coffee further is the atmosphere the café provides which makes all those influencers lose their minds. Almost every angle in their café can be turned in to an Instagram post! Absoltely wild stuff. Word of advice, steer clear of the weekend prime times or be ready to drink your coffee on the porch.
Esparza’s Tacos and Coffee
What better way to enjoy your spicy beef and chicken enchiladas then with a nice cold bottle of… COFFEE?! That’s illegal! At Esparza’s they embrace the weird and dare to dream! I had to ask the manager on what ‘medication’ he was on to come up with such an unearthly combination. The answer he gave me was simple; “People like tacos, people like coffee, people will like Esparaza’s” – and that’s all she wrote. Their coffee is one of the stronger brews that I’ve tried and of course, the concept isn’t meant for you to dip your tacos in it or mix them together but rather just order what you feel like at the moment. They also have musical performers too. Definitely worth checking out.
29Cafe: Pine Tree Bless
The last but not least is the epitome of chic; 29Cafe. Every time I go there, I somehow feel underdressed and it doesn’t help that the Hamby branch has a dance floor/event area with lighting (seriously?) in the middle of the 2nd floor. Still, nothing mediocre about it and all elegantly designed. Coffee there is pretty standard with the exception of their absolute masterpiece – the Espresso shake. Appropriately standing alone on the menu, nothing comes close to this cup of deliciousness which when taking a sip reminds me of Christmas and my birthday at the same time! Just try it and you will see the light. Find out more at https://pinetreebless.com/.
Ultimately, every place has their own twist and methods but still produces a pretty decent cup of coffee. It’s very hard to go wrong with coffee except when it’s canned bought through a vending machine. I hope this list helps you find what works for you. Cheers and wake up!
