The Best Places to Get Coffee, Breakfast and Lunch in Nuku’alofa
In Tonga’s capital city, you have the widest range of cafes available in the whole kingdom! Make the most of it by checking out a few of the best cafes in Nuku’alofa. In fact, the capital on the country’s most populated island is where almost all of Tongatapu‘s cafes are located, including cafes set in iconic historical buildings to coffee shops roasting their own beans. However, there are a few hidden gems across the outer villages where you can treat yourself to breakfast, lunch or coffee and cakes! We go through the highlights in this list of the best cafes in Nuku’alofa and Tongatapu.
For more information on experiencing Nuku’alofa through its flavours, see The Food Guide to Nuku’alofa: Places to Eat & Food Tours.
1. Friends Cafe
As one of the city centre’s hotspots, Friends Cafe rarely needs an introduction. Learn about the history of the 100+-year-old building on the notices found on each table and treat yourself to a light lunch of toasties, paninis, salads, soups, burgers, all-day breakfasts and more. For the sweet tooth, ice cream and baked cheesecakes are also a winner! They are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening drinks with local beer on tap – a good option for pre-drinks before hitting the 5 Best Bars in Nuku’alofa!
Opening hours: 7 am to 10 pm Monday to Saturday.
Location: Corner of Taufa’ahau Road and Salote Road, Nuku’alofa city centre.
© TongaPocketGuide.com2. Tupu’Anga Cafe
While a little out of town, it’s worth making your way to Tupu’Anga Cafe for their cassava cakes, lu pies, manioke/kumala chips, lesi (papaya) scones and home-roasted coffee. Tours of the coffee roastery and cassava chip factory are sometimes available if you ask and they’re not too busy – learn more about this experience and others in the 10 Best Foodie Experiences in Nuku’alofa. They also have free WiFi and a children’s playground.
Opening hours: 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday and 8 am to 1 pm Saturday.
Location: Umusi Road, Popua, Nuku’alofa.
© TongaPocketGuide.com3. Garden Cafe
A must-stop while road-tripping around Tongatapu, the Garden Cafe offers an attractive setting for cold drinks, salads, Mexican food and cake. The roadside cafe in Vaini village has outdoor and indoor seating among verdant furniture and plants, as well as sports memorabilia to commemorate the family’s famous rugby star. Dishes of chicken salad, tacos, quesadillas and cooked breakfasts taste as good as they look. Fruit juleps are served with bamboo straws at this cafe that aims for minimal single-use plastic. Cakes usually sell out by 12 pm, so get in there early!
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm Thursday to Saturday and on public holidays.
Location: Taufa’ahau Road (near the solar farm and turn-off to Thanks n Praise Car Rental), Vaini.
© TongaPocketGuide.com4. Moli Green Cafe
Pop in for a sit-down or use the drive-thru at Moli Green Cafe. The cafe close to Nuku’alofa city centre provides a healthier breakfast and lunch option, specialising in fresh fruit smoothies (try them with moringa!), sandwiches made with homebaked wholemeal bread, cooked breakfasts with veggies on the side, oatmeal, porridge and more! If you can’t kick the caffeine then at least they have locally-roasted Kingdom Koffie beans. Moli Green also has many of your cafe favourites among contemporary industrial-style interiors. Cash only.
Opening hours: 7 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday and 7 am to 1 pm Saturday.
Location: Corner of Fatafehi Road and Laifone Road, Kolofo’ou, Nuku’alofa.
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© TongaPocketGuide.com5. Lava Cafe & Takeaway
Operating out of the shipping containers at the bus station, Lava Cafe & Takeaway offers a quirky setting for coffee, cake or something more substantial. If the usual Tongan portions are too large, they have small and large versions of their menu with the likes of panko crumb fish/pork, burgers, fish and chips and cooked breakfasts.
Opening hours: 6:30 am to 2 pm Monday to Friday.
Location: Vuna Road (at the bus station in front of Vuna Wharf), Nuku’alofa city centre.
![5 BEST Cafes in Nuku'alofa & Tongatapu ☕ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=ODg0OjM0OQ==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© TongaPocketGuide.com6. Mum’s Cafe
Experience a cafe Tongan style at Mum’s Cafe! Try something quintessentially local like ota ika or ika loloi or unashamedly order one of their very popular “Mum’s Big Breakfast Burgers” stacked with multiple meats, eggs, cheese and more. There’s hot food ready to go in the cabinet or have something made to order. Either way, food is lovingly but ironically prepared by Dad in the back while Mum and her daughters are running the show out front!
Opening hours: 8 am to 8 pm Monday to Saturday.
Location: Corner of Fatafehi Road and Laifone Road, Kolofo’ou, Nuku’alofa.
![5 BEST Cafes in Nuku'alofa & Tongatapu ☕ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=ODkwOjMzNA==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© TongaPocketGuide.com7. Siva’s Dream Cafe
If you have plenty of time on your hands and want to get out of town, escape to Siva’s Dream Cafe. Food is made with love at this locally run cafe in the village of Te’ekiu, which can take a little bit of time but is well worth the wait for the “Waimanalo Burger” marinated in honey soy sauce or the creamy chicken pasta. Look out for one of their floor shows between November and December, as described in The 10 Best Cultural Shows in Tonga.
Opening hours: 8 am to 8 pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Location: Signposted off Hihifo Road, Te’ekiu village, west side of Tongatapu.
![5 BEST Cafes in Nuku'alofa & Tongatapu ☕ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=ODk2OjMzNA==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© TongaPocketGuide.com8. Aloha Cafe
One of the newest cafes and bakeries in town, Aloha Cafe wows with its well-lit cabinet displays of cupcakes, cheesecakes, cream cakes, breads and other baked goods all baked on-site. The cafe, with stylish furniture and fairy lights incorporated into the industrial-style setting, is a quirky place to meet up for sweet treats and cold drinks such as syrup smoothies and milkshakes, iced coffee and bubble tea.
Opening hours: 6 am until everything has gone, Monday to Saturday.
Location: Corner of Tu’i Road and Wellington Road (next to Mia Hair and Beauty), Nuku’alofa city centre.
![5 BEST Cafes in Nuku'alofa & Tongatapu ☕ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=OTAyOjMyOQ==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© TongaPocketGuide.com9. Coffee Post
A bustling spot in Nuku’alofa city centre, Coffee Post boasts an array of healthy lunch options and not-so-healthy breakfasts, including beautifully presented pancakes, sandwiches, toasties and more. The cafe boasts a good go-to for caffeine, as it’s one of the earliest-opening cafes in the kingdom! Look out for creative freshly baked cakes provided by local and independently run bakeries.
Opening hours: 6:30 am to 1 pm Monday to Friday and 7 am to 12 pm Saturday.
Location: Taufa’ahau Road (Tonga Post building), Nuku’alofa city centre.
![5 BEST Cafes in Nuku'alofa & Tongatapu ☕ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=OTA4OjMzMQ==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© TongaPocketGuide.com10. Cafe Escape
It’s easy to find your own space inside the large indoor venue of Cafe Escape. The contemporary cafe offers a large selection of breakfast and lunch meals scrawled on its blackboard menu, lurching from tuna poke to burgers to soup of the day. There are even a couple of options for vegans, as listed in Tonga for Vegans & Vegetarians + 10 Best Restaurants. If you don’t come for lunch or brekkie, as least come for the hearty cake slices.
Opening hours: 7 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday and 7 am to 1 pm Saturday.
Location: Taufa’ahau Road (near Western Union and opposite Ciora and Tali’eva Bars), Nuku’alofa city centre.
© TongaPocketGuide.comMore About Cafes in Nuku’alofa and Tongatapu
That’s it for our list of the best cafes in Nuku’alofa and Tongatapu. For more foodie experiences, take a look at the following:
- 10 Best Foodie Experiences on Tongatapu
- 10 Best Restaurants in Nuku’alofa
- 20 Best Restaurants on Tongatapu
Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in The Food Guide to Tongatapu: Places to Eat & Food Tours.
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