Honolulu’s beloved mom-and-pop breakfast haven where island flavor meets heart-warming home cooking — and every bite feels like aloha on a plate. 🌺
Tucked along Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu, Sweet E’s Cafe has quietly become one of the most talked-about breakfast spots on the island of Oahu.
Named after its founder and owner, Ethel Mathews, this family-run gem has built a fiercely loyal following since opening its doors in October 2011 — not through flashy marketing, but through an unwavering commitment to exceptional food and genuine, warm hospitality that keeps both locals and visitors coming back for more. 🏝️
How Sweet E’s Cafe Won Honolulu’s Hearts
Ethel Mathews’ passion in life has always been cooking, and her mission was simple: create a place that provided exceptional service, delicious food, and a welcoming, homey environment — a philosophy that has never wavered since the café first opened.
Locals started passing the name around like a treasured secret — Uber drivers in Honolulu became unofficial brand ambassadors, recommending the café to out-of-towners before they even unpacked their bags.
The accolades followed naturally, with the café earning a spot as a finalist for the Hale Aina Award for Best Breakfast in both 2017 and 2018, before taking home the prestigious 2019 ‘Ilima Award for Best Breakfast. 🏆
Owner Ethel Mathews was even featured on the cover of Hawaii Business Magazine and in a commercial for First Hawaiian Bank — a testament to how far this little neighborhood café’s reputation had reached.
But it’s not awards that keep the lines forming before 8 AM on weekday mornings.
It’s the island-inspired comfort food, the perfectly poached eggs, and the Hawaiian sweet bread French toast that people dream about long after they’ve left the island. ☀️
In a world where chains dominate every corner, Sweet E’s proves that a family-run breakfast spot with soul, flavor, and genuine aloha spirit will always win — one plate at a time. 🍽️
Food Highlights 🍴
Stuffed Blueberries and Cream Cheese French Toast — The ultimate sweet indulgence, this stuffed French toast variation layers tangy cream cheese and bursting blueberries inside that signature Hawaiian sweet bread. 🫐
Kalua Pork Eggs Benedict — Homemade Hawaiian-style shredded pork served over poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. 🥚🌺
Corned Beef Hash Eggs Benedict — Made with homemade corned beef hash and perfectly poached eggs. 🍳
Extreme Mess — Exactly what it sounds like in the best possible way: three extra-large eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, ham, peppers, scallions, and onions, all scrambled together and topped with melted cheddar cheese. 🔥
Kalua Pig Omelet — Filled with kalua pig, ham, tomatoes, scallions, onions, and Monterey Jack cheese, this omelet is a celebration of Hawaiian flavors in every bite. 🐷
Epic Breakfast Burrito — A hearty flour tortilla loaded with your choice of meat, eggs, hash browns, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cheddar cheese. 🌯
Hawaiian Omelet — A savory local classic packed with Portuguese sausage, spam, scallions, onions, and cheddar cheese, served with toast and your choice of herb-roasted potatoes, hash browns, or rice. 🧀
Atmosphere 🌿
Sweet E’s Cafe radiates the kind of unpretentious, casual-chic warmth that you can only find in a truly family-run establishment.
The dining room is clean, comfortable, and buzzing with the energy of happy, well-fed people — a mix of locals catching up over coffee and tourists who stumbled upon what may be their best meal of the trip.
No reservations are accepted, so arriving early is a must — but regulars will tell you the wait is absolutely worth every minute. ☕
Bottom Line
If you’re visiting Honolulu and only have one breakfast stop to make, Sweet E’s Cafe is it.
This award-winning, family-owned and operated café serves up generous portions of island-inspired comfort food with a warmth and sincerity you simply can’t manufacture.
It’s the kind of place that turns first-time visitors into lifelong regulars — and makes leaving the island just a little bit harder. 🌺🍳
Address:
1006 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
🕔 Open Daily, 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Closed New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving & Christmas Day)