These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: Top 10 Coffee and Sweets Shops

Ah, February: the month of Valentines and all things hearts and love. As I was thinking of this charming holiday, I began to ponder all the things I love about each duty station in which we’ve lived or some of the extra places we’ve travelled in between. There is so much to admire about each: the attractions, museums, beaches, restaurants, and oh, those coffee houses and treat shops—what I really adore the most!

So, for this Valentine’s edition, I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite specialty coffee and sweet establishments near and far.

They are arranged in the order I first visited each, not necessarily by my personal preference.  

1. Island Vintage Coffee, Chain in the Pacific

My husband and I first discovered this quaint coffee shop in Oahu on our honeymoon. During our military travels and intentionally extended layovers in Hawaii, we have gone back a couple of times. I’m listing this as number one because of the sentimentality of it, but also because we really love their many flavors and varieties of Kona coffee. These shops can be found in Oahu, Maui, and Japan. We have always gone to the location at the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikki (Oahu).

It’s on the second floor, and we usually sit outside on the patio area. It’s a gorgeous spot overlooking a tiny nature park and the strip of shops and eateries. It’s a romantic place for a date, but also very family friendly with some great options for kids. My littles devoured the acai bowls on our last trip, while my husband and I loaded up on some merchandise: several bags of coffee beans and a souvenir espresso cup. Island Vintage also serves breakfast plates, sandwiches, salads, and many specialty coffee and smoothie drinks. Their products and ingredients are from local growers.

2. Boll Weevil Café and Sweetery, Augusta, Georgia

An interesting name for a unique place. Their homepage boasts, “A cozy café with an eclectic menu, featuring more than 30 homemade desserts; [and] a delectable ‘Southern Delights’ menu.” The building is along the Augusta Riverwalk, where, in the 1850’s, the cotton industry was bustling. The café opened almost two decades ago, and since two restaurants nearby had the name “cotton” in them, they decided to name their place after a cotton-eating insect. But don’t let the creepy crawlies ruin your appetite, as they will not be lurking around your food.

We were stationed nearby at Fort Gordon, Georgia, many years ago, and I remember loving their seafood bisque and their varieties of delectable cake. In fact, my husband remembers them simply by their cake! This cafe’s enjoyable and relaxed environment provides a great place to hang out with some good friends. Definitely a local favorite, especially if you are in the mood for a sweet treat!

3. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego, California

Who doesn’t know about Ghirardelli chocolate?! Even though this is a big company and you can find their chocolate almost anywhere, I have to mention this specific location. My husband and I were stationed in Fort Irwin, California, and took a couple of different four-days to explore San Diego.

The Gaslamp Quarter is a really fun place that kept the Victorian era alive with replica gas lamps lining the streets. Though it’s known for its nightlife, my husband and I went during the days, roaming around the shops, trying new restaurants, and always stopping at Ghirardelli for the best ever ice cream treats and some chocolate candy to go. The first time we visited, I was in the long stretch of my first pregnancy, and I fulfilled my ice cream cravings with a huge ice cream sundae. I ate it all myself, maybe only sharing one bite with my husband! Chocolate is my thing, and ice cream is totally my thing. I was in glorious heaven!

4. Harbor Light Coffee House, Leavenworth, Kansas

This family-owned business offers a cozy atmosphere with some great selections for coffee, breakfast, lunch, and baked goods. They also offer delicious made-from-scratch cheesecakes! When we were stationed at Fort Leavenworth for the Command and General Staff College (also known as ILE), a stop here became our Saturday morning ritual, right after our weekly drop to the local recycling center. The owners began to know us by name!

My favorite thing about this place is they serve coffee and treats on Polish pottery, something of which most military families are quite familiar. I also really enjoyed the Christian music this coffeehouse played and the small corner of toys my toddler (at the time) would play with as my husband and I sipped our coffee and caught up on the week. It was like being home.

5. Scooters Coffee, franchise nationwide

We discovered this drive-through-only place right outside of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, but they have locations in seventeen states. It’s a quick in and out coffee establishment that also offers tea, smoothies, food, and more. We loved their espresso drinks, but we later became addicted to their tasty smoothies. Many Sundays after leaving church on post, our toddler would shout out, “moo-ey, moo-ey!” and we couldn’t resist. We’d hop on over to grab a smoothie (wild berry being my favorite) and our little one usually enjoyed a strawberry/banana. Scooters is a quality coffeehouse that provides a quick stop for busy individuals who need to hurry on their way. Scooters’ baristas usually add a smiley face sticker to the top of your cup, too, just to make your day!

6. Paris Baguette, franchise worldwide

Upon moving to Seoul, South Korea, we would see these establishments all over. Inspired by French baked goods, these shops began in South Korea before branching out across the world. The breads, pastries, little cakes, and other treats are beautiful creations of art, and most are coated with a clear sugar glaze, which make them sparkle and almost look fake.

It may be different now due to COVID restrictions, but when we were stationed there a few years ago, my husband, kids, and I enjoyed picking up the provided basket or tray and tongs and wandering up and down the short, narrow aisles as we salivated over the gorgeous options on display. The kids loved looking and helping to grab their selections to put on our tray. Not only does Paris Baguette have tasty coffee and absolutely scrumptious desserts, they also offer sandwiches, salads, and some other healthy selections. These shops were always a welcome to us when we saw them in airports or along a street of eateries. A great little place for a quick pick-me-up.

7. Café Bene, Pyeongtaek, South Korea, with chains worldwide

This lovely coffeehouse in The Ville right outside of Osan Air Base’s main gate is a popular place! It is a large venue for a coffee shop in Korea—quite open with several cute nooks for seating. The chairs and tables differ from each other, providing unique areas to chill with friends, enjoy a date, or hang out and study awhile. There is a small outdoor area to dine as well.

Café Bene offers a decent menu of food and drink options. Their lattes, bubble tea, and bingsu (shaved ice desserts) were my favorites. One final touch that puts them above the rest, and something I will always remember them by, is they offer single packaged toothbrushes and toothpaste in their bathrooms. You won’t have to leave their beautiful coffeehouse with gross coffee breath!

8. Attractive Coffee, Pyeongtaek, South Korea

Another fairly large venue for a coffeehouse in Korea, and they offer some great breakfast foods along with their coffee drinks, juices, teas, and more. The fun fact about this place is they are near Brownstone Apartments, a new and very nice apartment complex near Camp Humphreys, and Columbia Dental (also a popular place for expats to have a dental exam) is above the coffeehouse. A gentleman who helps run Attractive Coffee has an aunt who runs Columbia Dental.

These were all very new places when we were stationed at Camp Humphreys a few years ago, and I can’t speak more highly about my experience with them all. Attractive Coffee is a great place for the family to enjoy a casual meal (there is a small outdoor park across the street for your kids to play afterwards, too!), for a ladies’ get-together, or to hold a small business meeting. Though the food and coffee is great, it’s more of the environment that was a hit for me.

9. Pacion del Cielo Coffee, Miami, Florida

If you want to be a little more high maintenance with your coffee, this local chain offers you coffee beans from all over the world, from light roasts to dark roasts, and more options in between. You don’t just order an espresso. You pretty much create your own espresso drink, making selections with the coffee and milk, and almost every drink can be done with decaf as well (which isn’t usually the case in many coffee shops who only offer a limited variety in decaffeinated drinks). The options are displayed on the back wall in a noticeably clear manner that makes perfect sense when trying to order.

In my opinion, Pacion del Cielo’s coffee is among the very best I have ever tasted! They offer a few food selections, including bagels and yogurt parfaits. The environment is casual and comfortable, but classy and modern—a wonderful place for a date, a hang-out, or a business meeting. If you find yourself stationed at U.S. SOUTHCOM or Homestead Air Reserve Base or vacationing in Miami, you must stop at one of Pacion del Cielo Coffee’s six Miami area locations!

10. Blue Haven, Key West, Florida

All the way down in this touristy island city, you will find some of the best key lime pie. Blue Haven, a restaurant and bar, is known for massive pie slices with probably the tallest meringue you will ever see! It’s a bit tricky to dive into but so worth the trouble!  They offer a menu full of delicious American and Caribbean food varieties that also cater to vegetarians. This establishment provides nice, but casual indoor seating, and a large patio dining area outside.

It’s a very interesting and eclectic place, with random art pieces for decorations, live music on a small stage outdoors surrounded by patio stones and sand, and chickens wandering around the tables keeping you company. (Yes, you read that right. There are free-roaming chickens everywhere in Key West!) They also have a tiny shop where you can collect a few souvenirs. If you are looking for a unique atmosphere and a memorable place to share with your family or friends, this is definitely a stop you must make. There is nothing comparable to Blue Haven, or their key lime pie!

I honestly have many more coffee and sweets shops I could list, but I must stop somewhere! If you have been to any of these I’ve named above, please comment below and share your opinions on them. Also, feel free to list your favorite coffee and sweets establishments, in any of these same areas, or the area you are currently stationed. Who knows, it may be where I’m headed next, and I will be excited to try them!

Interested in more top food and attraction destinations? Try these: Hot Stops Beyond Ft. Bragg’s Gates, and Yes You CAN Vacation on a Military Budget!