Cafe Cafe, Lahaina Maui

I came across Café Café while being pushed along by the masses on Lahaina’s narrow sidewalks. I ducked into the library where I took these photos, bought a used paperback book for 90 cents, then went back to brave the crowds in search of a haven.

In fairness to the town, a cruise ship had just docked so the streets were swarming with people eager to stretch their legs and see the sights. As for myself, I just wanted to place to read, relax and savor the few precious hours left of my vaca.

Following my stomach, I followed an ice cream sign off the main street onto Lahainaluna Road. As it turned out, the ice cream store was closed, but Café Café was open with a refrigerated case of luscious Maui-made gelato calling my name. (The pistacho called the loudest and let’s just say I happily answered the cry.)

A few minutes later, I found myself talking to Kalika, who sports a dashing Czechoslovakian accent. He and his brother, Pavel, are co-owners of the café, and according to Kalika, opening the café was a way to satisfy their own passion. “We are European. We are coffee junkies,” he says, while handing me a beautiful creamy Sumatra-Brazillian latte. Now, this is what I was looking for.

In addition to gelato and espresso, Café Café also rents mopeds. Not quite my style, but then again, I only had a one latte.