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    Alba's Cuban Coladas

    4.6 (74 reviews)
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    Alba's Cuban Coladas Photos

    ALBA'S CUBAN COLADAS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Quiet
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Alba's Cuban Coladas

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    Interior

    Awful ambiance as shown, much better tasting coffee elsewhere, especially if you call yourself Cuban coffee. No sugar substitutes as well.

    a mobile bar
    Irena C.

    A little taste of home when I'm in Maui! Everytime I come to Maui, I stop here for a little cafecito and whatever pastries they have! I'm Cuban from Miami and so is the owner, so the familiarity is so nice especially in Hawaii! If you need a little pick me up from one island to another, definitely stop by here. There's plenty of parking. It's on the way to Haleakala and on the way to Kula. Pukalani is beautiful town and you'll love making the quick stop. Worth it more than you can imagine

    Coming soon! How exciting!!!
    Daphnne C.

    Finally made it to this cute lil food truck in upcountry. I was so excited about the "coming soon" menu that I forgot to get a pic of our coffees or the drink menu- oops! This place always has a line and now I see why. The ladies behind the counter are friendly, the orders are made fresh & served with a smile. They talk story while making the coffees. No empanadas this Saturday but got a chocolate biscotti, cafe mocha & cafe con leche. And OMG - I cannot wait for the meals!!! My mouth watered as soon as I read them, so we WILL be back!

    Beef Empanada and a Cortadito - my every other Saturday Morning Ritual
    Lucy H.

    Can't wait for my Cuban fix!!!! It's a pretty morning to drive up and get caffeinated before checking out the Upcountry Market!

    Eric M.

    After getting our treats from Kodama's Bakery; next up Cuban Colada Coffee from @albascubancoladas (a small cart near Longs Drugs in Makawao/Pukalani, but great coffee; one of the best I've ever had!). Wish there was one on Oahu.

    Menu
    Maria P.

    I was on a mission to try some Cuban food this past weekend and made it a point to make it out to Kahului Harbor, where this little coffee/food cart is situated. The first thing that I noticed was that they place a sign of their logo out on the shoulder of the road so you can't miss it. They also have a cute little set-up and you can tell that their branding is well thought out, which I really like (a lot of the business on Maui don't exactly make this a priority, in my opinion). I wanted to try a variety of items so I ordered: - 12 oz Café Con Leche ($4.25) - Bocaditos (3/$5.00) - Arroz Con Pollo ($12.00) I wasn't sure how "wired" I'd feel after drinking their coffee, so I opted for the latte. It was good & tasty, but I think I was looking for a stronger coffee taste. Next time I will definitely try their Cortadito, which was highly recommended by my friends. I really enjoyed the Bocaditos and the Arroz Con Pollo had good flavor. For $12.00 though, I thought that the serving was rather small. Still, it was good and my husband enjoyed my leftovers later that day. Overall, I had a good first experience. I look forward to trying more of their menu! They are upbeat & friendly and I can see them growing in popularity in the coming months.

    A sip of Cuban heaven...
    Arne B.

    Alba's Cuban Coladas is a small food cart that is a Pukalani treasure. I made a pilgrimage twice from Lahaina when driving upcountry and bought a cortadito both times. Muey muey bien. Viva Cuba libre! If you get lucky, she may have empanadas available. Grandma Alba must have been a kitchen genius, because the beef empanada was delicious, a delightful snack. Prices are reasonable and service is warm and friendly. I suggest checking their Facebook website or calling before you go to make sure she is open.

    Cortadito
    Eric P.

    Excellent coffee and if you go on Tuesdays, they have excellent empanadas! They have a menu telling you the different ways you can have your coffee made the Cuban way. I got the cortadito and it has enough sweetness in it that you don't have to add anything additional. The empanadas that they had was the seasoned beef empanadas. They were so good with a nicely seasoned filling. The lady who was working was very nice and gave some recommendations if you haven't tried one yet. They are a little cart located near the harbor but there will be a sign as you approach.

    Chicken empanada
    C J.

    Cortadito is delicious hot and cold. Affordable prices, and friendly customer service. Tried the chicken empanadas, they were really filling. My son also enjoyed his ham and cheese empanada. Great stop if you're upcountry and in need of a good wholesome cup of coffee.

    Prepping to brew
    Eduardo D.

    MMMMM.... Cuban coffee. Better yet, Cuban coffee on Maui! OK, this review might be a little biased since I am a Cuban-American living on this little rock in the middle of the pacific and I'm over the moon to have a taste of home available to me. For the uninitiated, Cuban coffee is espresso pull which is brewed directly on to sugar and well-stirred by your barista which creates a thicker, slightly sweeter coffee with a fuller mouth-feel than a traditional espresso which is sweetened after brewing. Alba's is serving food as well. I saw some pics of beef empanadas on social media but I think she was sold out by the time I got there but she did have an amazing "Arroz con Pollo" which is a yellow rice dish with pieces of chicken cooked into it which was their special for the day. It was savory, aromatic, and slightly moist...everything I could hope for in an arroz con pollo. The girls running the cart were friendly, fun and high spirited, especially so for being slammed with customers on their opening day. As for the location I don't know if they are going to be at Kahului harbor semi-permanently or moving around so check out their social media postings for time and locations before heading over there. Hopefully they'll make it over to the Lahanina side one of these days (talking to you, Alba's). Looking forward to going back and hoping for an empanada next time around.

    Yum. all yum!!
    Bridgett P.

    You know those places that you're dying to try because for some strange reason, you KNOW it's going to be a solid experience?! This is such a time. I met up with an fellow elite to fiiiiiiiinnally try this place out. I was so pumped! It's conveniently located at the Kahului harbor with plenty of parking and great views. There isn't really anywhere to sit so plan accordingly. On calm (non-windy) days it might be nice to grab a cup of coffee and walk to the "jacks" at the end of the harbor. Christina really knows her stuff and she's pumped to share her knowledge with others. I love how passionate she is about making sure that her guests have an excellent Cuban experience. She explains things--because--let's be honest, I have no clue about Cuban food & drinks. Enter: barista Christina. She explained everything in detail: how the grounds are prepared and how the drinks are mixed. She whipped me up a Cortadito. This drink has two shots of Cuban espresso and it's topped with steamed evaporated milk. It's so smooth, I literally could sip it all day. I was starving so I decided that I needed a Ropa Vieja. Here's the 411 on those beauties (3 sliders come in one order): A Cuban sloppy joe, braised and shredded flank steak cooked in a secret Cuban tomato garlic, onion sauce and topped with crispy shoe string potatoes. YUM. For reals. She also has empanadas on Tuesdays so I will be back to try those! Her hours are unique so check her Yelp page and Instagram for more details... Coffee is not all created equal! I left here feeling satisfied with the products and a little smarter about how Cuban coffee is prepared.

    Christina & Maui boy, Kalaika Kaho'ohalahala
    Darilyn F.

    Like Grandma use to make. That says it all. Alba's Cuban coffee & food truck was named after it's owner, Christina's grandmother. The logo is even her grandma's signature. Christina is as passionate about her roots as anyone could be. A transplant from Miami who exudes love & aloha all day and everyday. Beautiful , kind, and can cook unbelievably, she's our gift from Miami to Maui! The difficulty of finding a place like this in any of the Hawaiian islands is close to impossible. She should be in her own restaurant, any investors out there? Check this truck out! Cuban coffee is a type of espresso that is popular in many Latin countries and it's addictingly good. I don't know how I can get through the day with American coffee since I've been having her Cuban coffee. It's full bodied and slightly sweeter. And oh so smooth! Oh and Christina's grandma's recipes will instantly transport you to any Latin/South American/Ecuadorian Country. My very favorite is her version of arroz con pollo, which like so many other dishes has many variations from one country, region, city or home to another. The ingredients, besides the rice and chicken, will differ from one family's recipe to another. It's the true meaning of comfort food. I'm very well traveled and this was the best I've ever had. Who would have thought? On Maui of all places! A daily must stop Instagram for hours of operation.

    I think this is how heaven tastes like :D
    Irma F.

    Oh-em-gee! If you are in Maui, you gotta try this place!! I discovered it searching on Facebook, trying to look for more than just Mexican food, as a Peruvian I was looking for arroz rather that tortillas and I found it!!!! I've tried el cortadito, arroz con pollo and the empanadas! Everything is soooo efffffin delicious! So, stop what you are doing right now and get some! Look this place up on insta or Facebook to check its schedule. You are welcome! :D

    Cortadito

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    6 months ago

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    Christina S.

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    5 years ago

    Tasted like a cortadito from versailles. A hidden gem in upcountry Maui. Stop by if you want some authentic cuban coffee and treats.

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Delicious thin crust empanada that have not tasted with others. Ono!! Coffee is great too. Will be back.

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    4 years ago

    No food! Aug 2022... if they did it won't be for a while. Looking forward to a great caffeine rush but no food!

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    7 years ago

    Very nice espresso based cafe con leche. Cortadito condensed milk and cane sugar made it hot and sweet and delicious.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Alba's Cuban Coladas

    Miss Arepa - Carne asada arepa! Mind blowing delicious

    Miss Arepa

    4.8(637 reviews)
    24.7 mi
    $$

    So different and so delicious!!! I loved that there was so many protein options, including plant…read morebased. Seafood is always good in Maui so I went with fish empanadas and camarones arepas. More than enough for one person../probably a little too much for one person :) The inside has pretty limited seating and there is some outdoor seating, but also limited- so you may want to consider ordering to go. The parking lot is also pretty tight since the entire back row is reserved for employees

    Actually was quite pleasantly surprised that we liked the Venezuelan food. The lady at the counter…read morewas friendly and helpful. Lots of plant based options. Beans were well cooked and flavored. So was the rice. The bananas/ plantains added good sweet flavor to the whole meal. The coconut cheese was interesting. Never had that before but it did taste like cheese and added flavor. The jackfruit arepa sandwich that we had, could have had the jackfruit, cheese, plantains mixed together better. The jackfruit bowl was better as it was easier to mix everything and get all the flavors together. Pretty much same as the sandwich but a little more and easier to mix (so would recommend the bowl over the sandwich). The sandwich seemed to be made of rice. We also had a mango and a coconut slushie drink. The mango tasted like the mango concentrate from Costco (sugary) and the coconut was a little more original/ different. We liked both though. Limited indoor seating. Outdoor seating available. Steady flow of patrons. The only thing I didn't like was that the price was a bit high though in my opinion but I guess everything in Maui is that high priced. Update: went back and got a coconut slushie drink again :) and tried the plant based mushroom and cheese (coconut cheese) and fish empanada. They were delicious with the mushroom being our favorite. The chipotle sauces and cilantro onion sauces were delicious as well! The empanadas are not made to order (they are premade so you cannot seperate out the cheese from the mushroom but it does not have a strong flavor). I also liked the coconut slushie by itself vs mixed with mango. Note: The empanadas come in 2: when you eat in house, a red Chipotle sauce and white cilantro onion sauce are given with it (as well as with the arepas); there is another sauce for vegans (think it's a cilantro/ oil/ spice sauce). We liked the white sauce better than the vegan sauce. The empanadas are not made to order (they are premade). If you order to go, you are only given once sauce. If you want more than one, you need to just add it on before you leave with the big dispensers. Otherwise, you only get one sauce (not sure why you can't just add white and red sauce in the same to go container but we weren't given the option). And, to make things worse, the lady said curtly she would charge me next time for 2 sauces "due to the plastic". well, thank you for not charging me but the statement was unnecessary IMHO. Note for improvement (and for this, I was tempted to drop the star rating): we came here multiple times and gave your business a lot of our dollars (about 135.00), yet the above statement, I don't think was necessary if you are trying to provide good customer service. You should gladly offer extra of the sauce or even, as I suggested above, allow customers to add the sauce themselves if they want more than 1 sauce and you don't want us to "use up your plastic containers". Kind of left a bad taste in our mouths.

    Photos
    Miss Arepa - Inside

    Inside

    Miss Arepa - Carne asada area, area pabellon

    Carne asada area, area pabellon

    Miss Arepa - Pabellon Arepa

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    Pabellon Arepa

    Alba's Cuban Coladas - coffee - Updated September 2026

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