Café Lapin Just Became My New Favorite Matcha Hangout

The sunny, cozy spot is a matcha lover’s dream—and it has the best matcha yuzu lemonade.

 

matcha drinks and toast at café lapin

Photo: Chloe Cornforth

 

On the third floor of the 808 Center, Café Lapin is a hidden gem for matcha. With stacks of pastel cake trays, lo-fi music and an abundance of natural light, it’s the perfect place to study or catch up with friends.

 

The owner, Yuji Sakabe, is a florist-turned-barista who specializes in matcha and hojicha drinks. His eye for aesthetics and attention to detail are evident in the café’s well-crafted drinks, food and ambiance.

 

tables and chalkboard menu in cafe interior

Photo: Chloe Cornforth

 

I find this spot while scrolling through Instagram and head there immediately after class, caffeine-deprived and in need of a snack. Tables inside and outside on the lanai are good for meeting friends or studying. The matcha menu includes straight matcha, cold brew matcha, a latte and other drinks; there are also coffee drinks and lattes made with hojicha, black sesame and chai.

 


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Food includes sweet and savory loaded toasts on thick shokupan and a pork curry plate available on weekends. Since Café Lapin shares a space with CakeM, Mont Blancs, other pastries and slices of chocolate cake and strawberry shortcake line display cases.

 

Here’s what I loved:

 

The signature salted vanilla cold foam matcha is all over Café Lapin’s Instagram, but the real star of the show turns out to be the matcha yuzu lemonade ($8.25). The matcha is smooth, the yuzu is bright and the pulp at the bottom adds a satisfying crunch. Overall, the drink is well-balanced between sweet and sour, and the pronounced yuzu flavor elevates it beyond your average matcha lemonade.

 

The other star of the IG feed is the dashi tamago sando ($12.50), a Japanese version of the traditional American egg salad sandwhich. It melts in my mouth and makes me crave more. The egg is lightly seasoned and rich. The pillowy shokupan is the perfect canvas to complement its decadence, making for an excellent tamago sando.

 

cross-section of an egg salad sandwich

Photo: Chloe Cornforth

 

The sesame cream cheese toast ($11.75), another staple, is also served on shokupan, lightly toasted with a maple-sesame spread that’s made in-house. The rich, nutty sesame spread is balanced by the tanginess of the cream cheese.

 

I am both skeptical and intrigued by the salted vanilla cold foam matcha latte ($8.75). It’s quite unique: The salted cold foam contrasts with the creamy matcha latte, adding depth to the drink and a distinctive flavor profile. The next time I go, I might ask for extra vanilla syrup (Sakabe uses Pono Potions’ Lā‘ie vanilla syrup) to satisfy my major sweet tooth.

 

matcha drinks at café lapin

Photo: Chloe Cornforth

 

Café Lapin is now on my must-go list—and I’m definitely getting that matcha yuzu lemonade.

 

Tuesday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 808 Sheridan St. Ste. 308, Ke‘eaumoku, lapinllc23.com, @lapin_llc

 


 

Chloe Cornforth, Frolic’s fall 2025 intern, is a junior majoring in marketing and management information systems at UH Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business.