Kalihi’s new Collective Cafe pairs a draft-style coffee service with a menu of Vietnamese coffee and matcha. The cafe soft opened Nov. 1 and held its grand opening the following day.
The cafe shares a lot with Mitsu-ken and sits next to The Collective Honolulu Barbershop, according to Aloha State Daily. Owner Mike Vuong said the cafe and barbershop split the space because it was larger than either business needed on its own.
What Customers Are Ordering
Vuong said black sesame coffee is the cafe’s top-selling coffee: “Our black sesame coffee is definitely the most popular coffee.” He also identified strawberry matcha and matcha cloud as popular choices.
The menu also includes flavored lattes such as ube, banana cream, pistachio and Biscoff. The Biscoff latte is topped with Cookie Butter foam and a matching topping, while the strawberry matcha latte gets a layer of vanilla foam.
How The Drinks Are Served
Vuong said a New York City coffee shop he saw on social media inspired the tap-pour idea. The Collective Cafe’s taps serve Vietnamese coffee and matcha.
Drinks are available in 10-ounce pours for $5.50 and 18-ounce pours for $7.50. Customers can request oat milk or whole milk to soften the sweetness of the Vietnamese coffee.
Matcha Across The Menu
Vuong said the cafe uses ceremonial-grade matcha in all of its matcha drinks, including classic and flavored versions.
Kalihi Planning And Honolulu Coffee History
The City and County of Honolulu’s 2004 Kalihi-Pālama Action Plan envisioned a “clean and active commercial strip” along Kalihi Street, according to the department’s plan. That language describes a planning goal, not present-day conditions. Honolulu Magazine reported that The Curb Kaimukī introduced cold brew on tap to Hawai‘i in 2014. That earlier nitro cold-brew format is distinct from The Collective Cafe’s Vietnamese coffee and matcha taps, the magazine noted.
The Collective Cafe is currently open daily from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and customer parking is available on site. For Kalihi residents already stopping by Mitsu-ken or the neighboring barbershop, the new tap-pour cafe adds one more reason to linger in the lot.
