The Coffee Store In Napili

The pastries are baked on site, which turns out to be a small thing that matters a lot. Most of the coffee spots on this side of Maui stock Costco baked goods. The Coffee Store in Napili Plaza makes its own. Cinnamon rolls. Peanut butter bars. Lemon bars. Muffins. An apple turnover that one vacationer ordered every day for a week.

The cafe is staffed largely by women, with one regular calling the experience caffeinating the area with love and aloha. The space is small. A nicely laid-out indoor coffee bar, a covered outdoor seating area, and locals sitting out front on busy mornings. Indoor seating is sharply limited, which means this is not a workspace, and busy mornings can stretch into 30-minute waits when the line gets ahead of the bakers.

The drinks lineup leans local and unfussy. Coconut mocha is the morning regular order. Hot for the older crowd, iced for the younger. The Mexilatte rotates through. Kona coffee au lait builds on the bagged Kona beans they sell at the counter. Dulce de leche iced latte for the sweeter visit. Espresso shake. Nitro cold brew when the heat picks up.

The store also sells pet sitting cards and dog treats at the counter. Both signal that the customer base skews Kapalua-area residents and vacationers traveling with pets.

A few honest catches. One barista has been called not all that nice by regulars. Service can run slow on busy mornings. Orders occasionally get forgotten in the rush. The dark roast has been described as bitter by a few customers, though those reports are far outnumbered by repeat-visit notes from people who came every day during a week-long stay.

Maui residents and Kapalua-area vacationers use the place as a morning routine. Families with kids and pet-traveling tourists fit. People in a hurry on a busy weekend may not.