Cuisine & Specialties
- Cuisine type(s)
- East-side Kauaʻi bakery–café doing Hawaiian-inflected American breakfast and lunch, with a strong focus on European-style breads and pastries and Portuguese-style malasadas.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Functions as both a wholesale and retail bakery, supplying breads and buns to other local businesses while serving café fare on-site.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- Signature dishes / menu highlights
- Malasadas (core signature) – made to order and offered in an unusually deep bench of fillings: classic sugar-coated, cinnamon sugar, and cream-filled versions featuring POG (pineapple–orange–guava), lilikoi, mango, haupia (coconut pudding), lychee, ube, coffee, chocolate, cookies & cream, key lime, apple pie and more, generally around the mid-$3 range per filled malasada.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- Breakfast sandwiches / “eggwiches” – thick egg scrambles or frittata-style fillings (often with chorizo, potatoes, or local-style toppings) on house-baked brioche or sourdough; multiple recent Google reviews highlight the Hawaiian Breakfast Sandwich, egg sandwiches on croissants, and MoHo Local-style plates as standouts.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Taro brioche buns & artisan breads – the bakery built its reputation on artisan loaves such as sourdough and focaccia, plus steamed-taro brioche buns that have been used island-wide for burgers and manapua; that bread-centric identity still shows up in the current bread rack and sandwich offerings.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Plate lunches and hot dishes – the current menu includes local-style plates such as a Loco Moco built on Wailua grass-fed beef patties over rice with gravy, fried eggs, and mac salad, as well as hamburger steak and other hearty lunch plates.([Restaurantji][4])
- Sweet baked goods – cookies (including mac nut, coffee-bean, and Reese’s-loaded versions), coffee cakes, banana bread, mango bread, and fruit-driven muffins and pastries are consistently mentioned in both older food-writing and recent reviews.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Regional / cultural specialties
- Portuguese-style malasadas with strongly local flavors (lilikoi, POG, haupia, lychee, mango, ube, etc.), framed by tourism and travel sites as some of the go-to malasadas on Kauaʻi’s east side.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- Taro buns and manapua – steamed taro folded into brioche for soft buns that historically supplied local restaurants and appear in manapua and sandwich builds; this taro-based bread is part of their Kauaʻi-specific identity.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Use of Kauaʻi-grown ingredients – 100% Kauaʻi coffee for brewed coffee and espresso drinks, fruit flavors drawn from local produce (apple bananas, passion fruit, mango, key lime, etc.), and partnerships with local outlets that resell their breads.([Passion Bakeries][3])
Menu Insights
- Menu quote / pricing examples
(Prices fluctuate; the following are representative of recent online ordering data.)- Malasadas – sugar-coated malasadas around $2.85, with filled flavors such as lilikoi, mango, haupia, ube, lychee, coffee cream, and others at roughly $3.50–$3.75 each.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- Loco Moco plate – described as “2 Wailua grass-fed beef burgers, rice & gravy, 2 fried eggs & mac salad” at about $19.99 on the current website.
- Plant-forward / vegan mains – a Vegan Tofu Scramble plate (tofu with house-roasted peppers and vegetables, rice, and toast) listed near $21.99, alongside items like a Veggie Eggwich (~$20.99) and simpler egg-and-cheese sandwich (“Claire’s Eggs & Toast”) around $12.99.([Passion Bakeries][5])
- Coffee & chai – 12 oz hot Kauaʻi brewed coffee around $3.25, iced versions a bit higher; scratch-made chai lattes (a long-standing specialty) run in the mid-single-digit range depending on size and whether iced.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- Notable beverages
- 100% Kauaʻi coffee in hot and iced forms, positioned as their default drip coffee.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- A broad espresso program (Americanos, cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, frappes) using espresso originally chosen to pair with their Italian-style bread program; more recently, this sits alongside the Kauaʻi coffee offering.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- House-made chai – spices ground in-house and ginger dried and added by hand, a detail singled out in earlier food-writing and still echoed in the current menu’s chai-latte section.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- No meaningful alcohol program is mentioned; this is effectively a non-alcoholic café centered on coffee, tea, and sweet drinks.
- Dietary / menu notes
- HappyCow and recent menus identify at least one clearly labeled vegan breakfast option (Vegan Tofu Scramble) and a few vegan-friendly pastry or malasada specials; overall it’s still a conventional bakery, so vegan and gluten-free offerings are limited rather than dominant.([HappyCow][6])
- Reviews and third-party listings also call out gluten-free items (coffee cake, some breads and pastries) as part of their daily rotation, though exact offerings change.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
Location & Setting
- Neighborhood / town context
- Situated in Kinipopo Shopping Village at 4-356 Kuhio Hwy #121, in the Wailua/Waipouli stretch of Kapaʻa’s Royal Coconut Coast on Kauaʻi’s east side.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- The plaza sits just mauka of Kūhiō Highway, a short walk or drive from nearby condo complexes and resorts; several travel guides position Passion Bakery as a convenient breakfast stop for visitors staying along the Coconut Coast.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- Venue style, décor, ambiance
- Small, strip-center storefront with a bright, simple exterior and porch-style covered walkway; photos show modest landscaping and the bakery sign facing the parking lot.
- Inside, it’s a counter-service bakery: pastry cases and a small ordering area with limited indoor seating; in practice, many guests grab food and coffee to go or sit at a few outdoor tables along the walkway.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- User reviews consistently describe the atmosphere as cozy, friendly, and bustling, emphasizing the smell of fresh bread and pastries, joyful staff, and a “hidden-gem” feel despite its popularity.([Wanderlog][7])
- Because of the small footprint, some reviewers note that only a few customers are allowed inside at once, leading to a queue outside during peak times.([Wanderlog][8])
- Founding year & owner background
- The business is registered as Passion LLC, categorized as a bakery café/restaurant, with articles of organization filed in April 2009 and an address matching the current location in Kapaʻa.([City-Data][9])
- A detailed 2012 MidWeek Kauaʻi profile reports that owner Michael C. Sterioff and his wife Magda were living on Kauaʻi when he began baking cookies out of a Chevron station in Princeville; as demand grew, he opened Passion Bakery in Kinipopo Shopping Village in April 2010.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Sterioff’s background is unusual for a baker: he spent about 15 years traveling to Italy selling automotive gauges, fell in love with Italian breads, then apprenticed informally at an artisan bakery on weekends to develop his own sourdough and focaccia before eventually launching Passion Bakery on Kauaʻi.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Corporate and business directories still list Michael Sterioff as owner/CEO and registered agent, aligning with local coverage that continues to treat Passion Bakery Cafe as an owner-operated small business rather than a chain.([City-Data][9])
- Awards, press, and notable recognition
- Featured in MidWeek Kauaʻi’s “Passion Bakery: Sweet and Savory” (2012), which highlighted the bakery’s breads, taro buns, cookies, and house chai, helping cement its early reputation.([MidWeek Kaua'i][1])
- Included by the Royal Coconut Coast tourism association in a 2023 piece on “Top Bakery Ideas on Kauai’s East Side,” noting its wholesale/retail role, hand-made pastries and croissants, pork malasadas on set days, and from-scratch pizza and plate lunches.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- Travel blogs and guides repeatedly list Passion Bakery among “best breakfast in Kauaʻi” and top dessert/snack spots in Kapaʻa, with specific praise for malasadas, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee.([Wanderlog][10])
- Community food events such as the Tasting Kauaʻi Coconut Cook Off have highlighted Michael Sterioff and his breads (baguettes, ciabatta) in support of local food initiatives and the Hawaiʻi Food Bank – Kauaʻi Branch.([Tasting Kauai][11])
- Ratings aggregated by Restaurantji (summarizing Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook, etc.) show consistently high scores, around 4.5–4.6/5 overall, with especially strong marks for food and a smaller but notable minority of 3-star reviews focusing on wait times or flavor preferences for fillings.([Restaurantji][4])
Tips & Reservations
- Best times to visit
- Current official info and map listings show hours roughly 7:00 a.m. to around noon, Monday–Saturday, closed Sunday; older sources mention later closing times, so it’s safest to treat Passion Bakery as a breakfast and early-lunch spot and verify hours close to your visit.([HappyCow][6])
- For maximum pastry and malasada selection, reviews strongly imply you want to arrive in the early morning window (roughly 7–9 a.m.). Popular flavors and some baked goods sell out, and several guests note slower service when the line is long.([Wanderlog][8])
- Malasada schedule: tourism and official-adjacent sources describe pork malasadas being made fresh on specific days (historically Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, with newer posts adding some Monday service); given that the schedule has shifted over time, it’s wise to check their current website or social channels if your heart is set on a particular day or filling.([royalcoconutcoast.com][2])
- Expect a wait for made-to-order malasadas—one widely quoted Google review mentions ~12–15 minutes for an order, and notes that only a few people are allowed inside at once—so factor that into your timing, especially if you’re en route to activities.([Wanderlog][8])
- Reservation recommendations / ordering strategy
- This is a counter-service bakery with no traditional table reservations. Seating is first-come, first-served, and limited.
- The café participates in online ordering (Toast/website) and has been listed on third-party delivery platforms; for larger orders (dozens of malasadas, taro buns, or breads) or time-sensitive pick-ups, pre-ordering via the website or by phone is the practical equivalent of a reservation.([Passion Bakeries][3])
- If you’re staying nearby and want to avoid the line, one workable pattern described across reviews and guides is to order ahead for a specific pickup time, then swing by early, especially on popular malasada days.([Wanderlog][10])
- For vegans or guests with dietary restrictions, consider checking the day’s options (and specials such as vegan malasadas) via social media or a quick call in advance; the baseline menu has limited, but not zero, clearly vegan and gluten-free choices.([HappyCow][6])
