Daylight Mind Opens at Queens’ MarketPlace

A new restaurant has opened in the Queens’ MarketPlace.

Daylight Mind recently opened its doors to the Waikoloa community following a successful string of years at its premier Kona restaurant.

The new “coffee pub” specializes in roasted and brewed coffee from Hawai’i and other coffee regions around the world.

Daylight Mind’s name was inspired by the Hawaiian word na’auao, which means learned, enlightened, wisdom, science, or literally “daylight mind.”

Coffee isn’t the only think you can expect to find at the new pub. The location will feature American bistro-style menus with locally sourced, fresh ingredients. Breads and pastries are baked in-house at the flagship location in Kona and delivered to Waikoloa on a daily basis.

On the menu, you’ll find a variety of unique dishes, such as the “Sam” waffle with kalua pork, poached eggs, and BBQ and Hollandaise sauce, New England clam and bacon chowder in a fresh bread bowl, and various vegetarian entrees.

Desserts are not missed with Liliko‘i Opera Gateau, layered almond cake with chocolate ganache and liliko‘i glaze, New York style cheesecakes, and a gluten-free raspberry-chocolate rum cake.

“Coffee is first and everything else is second,” said working co-owner Shawn Steiman. With a PhD in tropical plant and soil science, Steiman, also known as “Dr. Coffee,” is an author, coffee consultant, and teacher in the company’s Coffee School.

Steiman and the Daylight Mind team of young, self-proclaimed “adventurers” works closely with numerous coffee farmers in Kona, Ka‘ū, and other areas, as well as O‘ahu and Maui, to find the best coffee for customers.

“We want people to walk in and feel like something special is happening there,” said Steiman. “The space, the location creates an environment with a kind of vibe or energy that is classy and casual, a place people where enjoy the total experience.”