Islands Cafe - White Rock

While staying in little rock, this was highly recommended by our wonderful Airbnb host who lived a couple of blocks down the hill. We are so glad she recommended it! Because it was the perfect spot for breakfast before heading back to the US. We got a couple of things, the medium acai bowl (easily shareable between two people), matcha latte, vanilla latte, and a breakfast sandwich. The food was very fresh and the latte was very good! The fruits were very fresh on the acai bowl. The matcha was just ok and we wished that we added a meat to the breakfast sandwich since it was missing a bit of saltiness. With that being said, everything about this is relaxed and cozy: from the interior, to the nice staff, to even the easiness of parking/accessibility from the main street. We definitely had a great time stopping by!

So much potential but the experience is lost quickly due to very limited selection of poor quality baked goods (one or two items) and disappointing coffee. Particularly because it's brand is Hawaiian roasted beans which in reality amounts to essentially poorly locally roasted beans that are bitter and leave you disappointed with the nearly $4 small drip coffee! The environment is consistently intrusively loud (the music blaring) with a staff that is either untrained to notice the difference between ambiance and an environment where the customers have to essentially yell to have a conversation! I wouldn't recommend!

Islands Cafe is a charming coffee shop located in White Rock at the intersection of Johnston and Thrift. The staff is friendly and the Hawaiian theme creates a relaxed atmosphere that sets it apart from other coffee shops in the area. The acai bowl is delicious and refreshing, and it's a bonus that it's also good for you. All of their offerings are fresh, and their coffee has a pleasant flavor that is not too strong or burnt. There is ample seating available and street parking for those driving, but as a local, I prefer to walk so I can visit other shops nearby. The quiet ambiance inside makes it easy to read or have a conversation without any distractions.

I have visited this restaurant twice during COVID-19 and had a great experience both times. The staff and customers are very friendly. The tables and chairs are well spaced out both inside and outside, with clear directions. The cafe did get a bit stuffy inside after some time, but it wasn't unbearable. The breakfast sandwich I tried was amazing - English muffin, egg, and bacon, all delicious and not greasy. This cafe is a great neighborhood spot that offers takeout and dining options during the pandemic. Thank you for a great experience.

What a cute Hawaiian themed cafe in the heart of White Rock! I wanted to mix things up after I'd been to Grounds Greens down the street 4 days in a row, so I popped into Islands. My friend who grew up in White Rock also recommended popping in here because apparently since it's opened it's been a White Rock local staple. It's located on the corner of Johnson and Thrift, with plenty of free parking right outside. Upon entering and looking around, there is plenty of cool artwork from local artists all over the walls, Hawaiian themed decor, and plenty of seating areas socially distanced. Their menu consists of Hawaiian pastries and treats, acai bowls, and breakfast sandwiches. I opted for a black iced coffee and a a Honolua breakfast sandwich which had egg, cheese, tomatoes, sprouts, inside. To add a bit of creaminess I added avocado inside. I really, really enjoyed the breakfast sandwich. The sprouts added a nice little crunch which complimented the egg, cheese, and avocado perfectly. I'd definitely get this again. The only reason I docked a star is because I was NOT a fan of the coffee. I drink black coffee on the regular, but this one tasted extremely burnt, bitter, and powdery. It could've been that particular batch, but I unfortunately had to be on the receiving end of it. I'm definitely open to trying their coffee again in the future though. But for the meantime, I'll be sticking to their Honolua breakfast sandwiches. Yum!