Unlike the name suggests, Honolulu Cafe is not Hawaiian: it’s Cantonese. Doling out delicious egg tarts since 1940, this Hong Kong-born Taiwan-bred cha chaan teng chain (like a teahouse) has become a popular fixture of malls in Taiwan.
Though it’s a fairly standard Cantonese cafe with similar product offerings to other shopping mall competitors like DimDimSum and Tim Ho Wan, Honolulu Cafe (檀島香港茶餐廳) stands out for its 192-layered pastry egg tart – for which stores attract extensive queues for.
Honolulu Cafe Menu
It’s a no-brainer that Honolulu Cafe egg tarts are the main attraction, but what else on the Honolulu Cafe menu should you order?
Pineapple Bun
These crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and lusciously buttery buns are famous for their pineapple appearance, even if they don’t actually have any pineapple in them. Nevertheless, pineapple buns are a must to order at any Hong Kong cafe, and Honolulu Cafe is not exception.
Egg Tart
Boasting 192-layers of pastry, Honolulu Cafe’s egg tart is a must-eat. Similar to Portuguese custard tarts, Hong Kong-style egg tarts are less crisp with a more crumbly flakier exterior. They also lack the tell-tale ‘burn’ of a custard tart.
Tip: Be sure to tell your server if it’s your birthday month because you’re entitled to a FREE sweet treat, like the delicious cinnamon apple fried crepe (below) that I recently had for my birthday.
Locations in Taiwan
Honolulu Cafe (檀島香港茶餐廳) has locations across Taiwan, from Taipei to Taichung to Tainan. That said, the main trend in locations for Honolulu Cafes is that they almost always come decked out in a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi mall (SKM, for short). Almost because there’s at least one in a Breeze mall in Taipei.
Honolulu Cafe Open hours
Open hours at Honolulu Cafes differ depending on the branch. Please be aware that some stores operate a Lunch then Afternoon Tea then Dinner service. At such locations, lunch orders close at 2pm and afternoon tea orders at 3.30pm, but guests can stay instore until 5pm when the dinner service starts.
Key Takeaways
Honolulu Cafe is a famous Hong Kong cafe with several branches in Taiwan. A delicious lunch, afternoon tea, or dinner choice for Cantonese restaurants in Taiwan, Honolulu serves up world famous egg tarts along with other classic Hong Kong cuisine delights. Eating well for two generally comes to a total of NTD $500-$700, with service charge included.
