Neko Koneko Cafe

Neko Koneko Cafe sits at 1658 Liliha Street in Honolulu, a Japanese-inspired coffee shop closer to Kuakini than to Liliha proper, with a tiny garden out front and cat art on every available surface. The room runs cozy and unhurried. Manga books fill a shelf for anyone settling in. The menu skews adventurous: hojicha latte sweetened with agave on oat milk, black sesame cold brew latte, toasted coconut coffee, melon drinks that taste like Melona ice cream, matcha marble pound cake the staff will toast for you on request. Mornings pull a steady mix of Liliha regulars, Honolulu Magazine readers who came for the Instagram and stayed for the menu, and Kuakini hospital workers on coffee breaks. Service is attentive without being chatty. Drinks run pricey and arrive worth it. Order the hojicha latte if you want what the regulars order. Order a black sesame cold brew and the matcha pound cake if you came for the room and want a reason to stay.