Looking for some good coffee in Tonga? I get it, don’t worry. 

Fellow coffee addicts stuck in the pacific ocean, I’ve got your back when it comes to coffee in Tonga. 

If you’ve been travelling to Tonga from other south pacific island nations, you might think that there isn’t all that much on offer in terms of good coffee in Tonga. You’d have been spoiled for choice if you’ve spent any time in neighboring Vanuatu, offering various homegrown coffees and chocolates. 

It took me a while to find some good coffee in Tonga - mainly because it’s not really advertised that much. And honestly, this is pretty much the same with anything in Tonga. It’s a small country, so word of mouth is how things travel here. Which is pretty darn tough when you arrive as a tourist with no one who’s going to share that word of mouth with you. 

So how do you go about finding the good coffee in Tonga? 

Well, finding good coffee in Tonga is both easy and difficult. 

Tonga hasn’t really got onto the whole coffee culture (yet).

There are no fancy coffee places in Tonga as such… The easiness comes from the fact that there are only really three main different kinds. The difficulty is that if you dislike any of these few coffees, it’s tricky to find any others; and it’s also difficult to know which coffee shop offers which coffee, and where to buy it. 

So let’s face it. You’re reading this because you need a good coffee in Tonga, so I won’t go on any further. 

Kingdom Koffie

Let’s get right in there with my favorite coffee in Tonga. Kingdom Koffie is owned by a foreigner who has lived in Tonga for many years. He started a coffee plantation and hires Tongans to keep it going. You can get beans or ground coffee, ranging from mild to dark roast.  

For me, the medium / dark roast blend is the winner. Creamy, but strong enough for the morning kick. It has a rich, earthy flavour and it really does just hit the spot. 

Friends Cafe uses Kingdom Koffie, as well as Waves, Waterfront, Utuongo, Green Cafe, and Tanoa Hotel. Or, you can find it being sold in some tourist shops as well as Taste of Italy Italian shop. It’s sold in a black bag. 

Tupu’anga 

Another local coffee, this place actually has an onsite cafe which you can visit and try out the coffee first before you buy - since it’s pretty expensive at 100 TOP (35 GBP) for 1kg. 

I find this coffee, even the strong one, to be still milder and a little bit more bitter in taste to the Kingdom Koffie. I’ve tried it a few times and personally, it never just hits the spot - but I know many people who also prefer this one to Kingdom Koffie.

You can find it sold in Leiola or other similar tourist shops. It’s sold in a silvery bag with brown writing. 

Weta Coffee

If you’re from New Zealand or you’ve ever been to New Zealand, you might have already heard of Weta Coffee. Quite a famous artisan coffee in New Zealand (or so I hear), Weta Coffee recently set up a trailer in Tonga, serving its famous coffee as well as the traditional Tongan drink Veihalo. (Beautiful coconut drink).

Artisan coffee comes at artisan prices, however. It’s one of the most pricey places in Tonga for coffee. But some also say it’s the best coffee in Tonga. Personally, despite the fact that I have a love for strong coffee, I actually find the coffee here a bit too strong. Either that, or it doesn’t go well in a soy latte. Either way, Kingdom Koffie still wins in terms of taste and price for me. You make your own mind up! 

Aside from these main brands, you might find that there are a few cafes and other places that do their own coffee too, such as Young’s Kitchen. But most of them won’t advertise it too much or sell their own beans for you to take home. 

Finding your favorite coffee in Tonga is really trial and error, but that’s not so tricky since there aren’t too many places to choose from! Once you’ve chosen your favorite coffee in Tonga, it’s just a case of buying yourself some beans, or heading out to cafes that serve your favorite coffee in Tonga! 

Koryo Tours
International Tours