Konbetsa Kafé: Where coffee and conversation flows

KONBETSA Kafé—this is your newest destination on Saipan for a cup of freshly brewed coffee, refreshing glasses of smoothies, local favorites, hot conversations, and superb Oceanside views. The Konbetsa Kafé just opened on Friday to provide residents with the most ideal place to chat with other customers and share ideas and thoughts over a cup of coffee.
I stepped into the Konbetsa Kafé yesterday for the first time and was met with the pleasant aroma of coffee and a window view to die for. Ordering a cup of Almond Roca, I sipped my first cup for the day while exchanging pleasantries with the Konbetsa Kafé’s owner, Glenna Reyes.

Konbetsa Kafé presents an irresistible package with beautiful art works depicting local island views adorned the walls of the Konbetsa Kafé—all for sale, and the blue skies and ocean stretching endlessly outside the glass windows in addition to the very affordable coffee and merienda items.
“We want to give our diners here a totally local feel—from our menu to the decoration to the whole ambiance,” Reyes said.
Other coffee options include brewed coffee, iced blend, Amaretto, Hazelnut, Irish Crème, Kiwi and coconut at $2.50 a cup. Espresso shots are also available including Cappuccino, Mocha, American Espresso and Latte. If you want your coffee extra strong, add a dollar more for an extra shot.
Konbetsa Kafé also serves refreshing Frappe in Caramel Latte, Kona Mocha and White Chocolate Latte, or tempting glasses of Shakes using fresh fruits. My buddy tried the banana shake and immediately noted the fresh fruity flavor from real strawberries and not the preserved powder. Other must try shakes are cookies and cream, manha or coconut, and strawberry banana.
On warm sunny days, dip into a glass of Konbetsa Kafé’s various smoothie flavors such as Banana Delight, Berry Peachy, Cantaloupe Fusion, Melon Mingling, Peachy Mango and Piña Paradise, all for $3.75.
“At Konbetsa Kafé, you get the real taste of fresh fruits for our smoothies and shakes,” Reyes said.
Reyes said that they are looking at serving light breakfasts very soon.
“A lot of people want a light and quick breakfast—like fried rice, spam, sausage, fried eggs and we will be serving that soon,” Reyes said.

She added that they are looking at serving more fresh fruits and vegetable salads very soon.
“We want the Konbetsa Kafé to be a place for coffee, conversation and as a destination for healthy option,” Reyes said.
Local favorites
Konbetsa Kafé is your newest destination for a taste of the island favorites. Check out the Kafé’s counter for rows of local foods like tamales gisu, tamales mendioka, titiyas macha, buchibuchi payapa or kalamasa, manju, empanada, pan tuba, pan tosta or sticks, Chamorro cookies and rosketi—favorites that you usually only see at the street market.
I also tried a cup of hot Ahu, an island favorite dessert soup made with sugar, water, young coconut meat and tapioca starch which is available everyday for $1 a cup. Konbetsa Kafé also serves Charakilis chicken or tuna and Ilotis soup, which is cream of chicken and corn with coconut daily for a dollar a cup.
No Wi-Fi
Yes, you read it right. There is no No Wi-Fi and there will be no Wi-Fi at the Konbetsa Kafé. True to its name, Reyes said that she is not going to install internet connection because it will defeat the purpose of the Konbetsa Kafé.
“We want people to come here and converse with each other, not to stay at their tables for the whole day with their noses buried into their laptops,” Reyes said.
“Konbetsa is a Chamorro word that means “dialogue.” We want to maintain an atmosphere where people can talk politics, business, happenings and everything else under the sun,” Reyes said.
Make the Konbetsa Kafé the place to start and end your day. Reyes also welcomes local artists to showcase their artworks on a consignment basis for a certain period of time at the Konbetsa Kafé.
Konbetsa Kafé is located beside the Walk-in Closet which Reyes also owns at the Ladera Center along Beach Road in Chalan Laulau next to the Armed Forces Career Center.
Konbetsa Kafé is open Monday to Sunday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Major credit cards are accpted. For more information, call 234-2637.
First published HERE