Conscious Culture Cafe Now Booching on Kalakaua Avenue

Business appears to be bubbling over for Big Island Booch owners Kela Cosgrave and Brendan Roberts.

Less than a year after opening their popular “Big Island Booch Elixir Bar” on Kilauea Avenue, the pair have relocated and expanded to a much larger facility on Kalakaua Avenue, near the intersection with Waianuenue.

“Our customers kept asking for food, so we moved to a bigger facility in order to serve them,” explained Cosgrave.

The new location features innovative breakfast and lunch menus, in addition to an extensive line-up of beverages including coconut water, more than a dozen types of tea, and of course, kombucha.

A healthful tea elixir that first originated in northeast China centuries ago, kombucha has a pleasantly bubbly effervescence, and flavors as diverse as that of wine, beer, and other more familiar fermented beverages.

The Mahi Mahi Ceviche at Conscious Culture Café. Photo by Nate Gaddis.

The beverage has begun to catch on in the west, and has gained traction among health-conscious island residents.

Conscious Culture’s “booch” is brewed in kegs, and served on tap in the restaurant. It’s also available for customers “to go,” provided they purchase a re-usable glass container, or bring their own.

The cafe’s menu should please veggie lovers and health nuts alike, with an emphasis on organic and raw ingredients. “We couldn’t find many healthy places to eat, so we decided to just do it,” commented Cosgrave.

Conscious Culture shouldn’t be confused with being strictly a “raw food” establishment in entirety, however, as the cafe offers plenty of fresh-cooked fare, from gluten-free buckwheat banana waffles, to the “Hog’s Head,” a bowl of organic smoked ham with tomatoes, avocado, and pickled red onions.

Conscious Culture Café on Hilo’s Kalakaua Ave. Photo by Nate Gaddis.

Organic chicken, wild-caught mahi mahi, and eggs make up the primary proteins on the menu, while plenty of fresh greens and sprouted legumes are used as accompaniments.

A dedicated performance stage provides live entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, with Thursdays being “open mic.”

Food prices range from $7 to $12, while beverages run between $2 to $6.

—Conscious Culture Café is located at 110 Keawe Street in Hilo.
Phone: (808)-498-4779.
Hours of operation are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.