Haole Girl Island Sweets

By Léo Azambuja

Haole Girl owner Judy Capertina and lead baker Opal Livingston

There are many sweet rewards for living on Kaua‘i, but perhaps one the best ones is a visit to Haole Girl Island Sweets in Wailua.

“This is an all farm-to-table bakery, more like an European-style boulangerie,” said Judy Capertina, owner of Haole Girl Island Sweets.

This charming and small bakery offers an ever-changing menu of sweet and savory items made mostly with Kaua‘i produce. Its rich, buttery croissants made entirely from scratch are arguably the best on Kaua‘i. A trained executive pastry chef who worked in some of the best resorts around the world — including the St. Regis in Princeville — Judy brought her experience and creativity to her business.

Haole Girl Island Sweets is tucked in the back of Kinipopo Shopping Village in Wailua. The seating is outside, bordering a picturesque garden in the middle of this small shopping center. It’s easy to imagine yourself coming back every day for a cup of Maui Mokka coffee roasted locally by Hanalei Tea Roasters or one of their many hot tea varieties. Add to that a croissant or a sweet treat, and you can never have a bad day.

Maui Gold pineapple with cream cheese croissant

Judy doesn’t have a printed menu. Instead, she writes it down on display boards. This is because her menu depends heavily on what’s in season on Kaua‘i. Talk about food with her, and you’ll see an excited pastry chef. The winner is the customer, who gets to experience Judy’s creativity on a daily basis.

“We can really play with anything,” Judy said. “As we change up (the menu) and do different things, I try to keep it farm-to-table.”

The majority of her produce comes from local farmers markets. She gets goat cheese from Kilauea’s Kunana Dairy, apple bananas and mangoes from Moloa‘a, venison chorizo from Westside’s Makaweli Meat, wasabi mustard from Auntie Lilikoi in Waimea, and Wild Bee honey from Kapahi.

Haole Girl’s Kinipopo location opened in August 2015, but Judy launched the business more than two years prior to that, at Kaua‘i Community College Farmers Market on Memorial Day in May 2013. Business has been blooming, and she’s teaming up with another chef to open an additional location in Lihu‘e, with more details to come soon.

This month, Haole Girl Island Sweets will be a part of “Savor,” a wine and chocolate fundraising event in Princeville. Judy will join six other renowned chefs; Frederic Hoffmann and Heather Campbell of St. Regis Princeville Resort, Ron Miller of Hukilau Lanai, Ron Varr of Destination Events, Janice McKeathern of Farm Cook Kaua‘i, and Erin Keller of The Local Kaua‘i. Wild Kaua‘i, Young’s Market, and Southern Wine and Spirits are also part of Savor. There will be wine and chocolate tastings, pupus, live music by Treysara, and a silent auction.

Banana bread

Savor will be at Po‘oku Meadow Princeville Ranch on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 6 to 10 p.m. The event is being organized by the North Shore Community Foundation, with proceeds to benefit youth scholarships on the North Shore. Tickets are available at www.savorwineandchocolate.org or at Princeville Community Center. Space is limited.

Haole Girl Island Sweets is at Kinipopo Shopping Village, at 4-356 Kuhio Hwy. They are open Tuesday to Sunday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m., but sometimes a little later. They are also at Coconut Marketplace Farmers Market Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; at Kukui‘ula Kaua‘i Culinary Market in Po‘ipu Wednesday from 3:30-6 p.m.; at KCC Farmers Market in Puhi Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-1p.m.; and at Kilauea Art Walk and Princeville Art Walk.

Visit www.haolegirlsweets.com or call 808-822-CAKE(2253) for more information.