Spero Spera

Got the potato and salami sandwich, it’s mostly bread, a few potatoes and salami with some cheese– it’s a hot sandwich– but nothing to write home about. The atmosphere is nice, if you are looking to study and/​or fall asleep.

Coconut latte. BOOM.
That latte is everything, I promise you. It is SO delicious, yet strong enough to jolt you back to life. You don’t need to add anything– no sugar, no syrups, no nothing. Drink as is and you’ll be happy as a clam.
I was way overdue for my oil change on my little Prius and then I missed my 7am appointment because I snoozed my alarm clock 3 times. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Then I had the audacity to show up at the auto place at noon and acted like I didn’t know my appointment was at 7am. (You don’t understand, I was REALLY overdue. I didn’t want my car to explode. Is that not what happens?) They took me in because they probably felt bad for me and they probably think I’m stupid. Again, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. They told me it’ll be a little over 3 hours long. There were bunch of other cars in the shop. Okay, I deserved that. I guess I’ll walk around. Maybe sit at the bus stop, ponder the meaning of life. Then I opened up Unilocal and found Spero Spera about 0.3 miles away. SCORE! I’ve never been here, nor have I ever heard of it. But I could use a coffee! And a sandwich.
First of all, it’s located in a medium sized shopping area with parking available (yay, parking). Small, unassuming exterior on the left side of the shopping area, nicely tucked away with a small sign above the door/​windows. But once you enter the shop, you’re greeted with cute pictures/​messages on the walls, sweet classical music playing in the background, and a nice couple on the other side of the counter ready to take your order and prepare your food/​coffee nice & fresh. I ordered the coconut latte and mixed tomato sandwich with chips (you can choose salad instead). It wasn’t too crowded so I grabbed a table on the first floor. (yep, there is a second floor!) You can see the couple preparing the food/​drinks right behind the counter so it’s nice to see that your food is coming out of a very clean kitchen area. The sandwich and my latte came out relatively quick. The sandwich was SO fresh– fresh veggies, yummy sauces, everything just meshed very well together– it was super delicious (and huge!). The coconut latte. This little fucker changed my life. I’m actually craving it right now. It’s seriously better than any other lattes I’ve had at Starbucks or any other coffee places I’ve tried. I don’t think I can drink coffee anywhere else from now on.
I had a book in my bag– and since I had so much time to kill, I slowly ate my food, slowly drank my coffee, and enjoyed my novel while calming classical music playing in the background. I was worried the owners would try to make me leave– but thank goodness it wasn’t too busy at that time. But they also seem like very nice people, so I don’t think they would’ve asked me to leave. Unless I sat there all freaking day. Then it’d just be a little creepy. ‘It’s not Starbucks, leave, dammit.‘
I finally received a phone call from the auto place as I was finishing up a chapter. Great timing. I cleaned up my trash and I headed out the door. Full belly, wired, and wide awake.
Coconut latte, I’m coming back for you.

The place had a very nice atmosphere, very peaceful, relaxing, and quiet. It’s definitely a nice place to do homework and to get some studying done. The drinks and food are good, and the owners are very kind.

Last time I wrote their quote:
Spero Spera– as long as I breathe there is hope
Three years ago and still so true. This place is very much still breathing. It has quickly become my husbands favorite go to sandwich shop when we are in town. There is something about that combination in their sandwiches that leaves us always wanting to come back for more.
We have pretty much moved to be exclusively mixed avocado sandwich fans. With their salad and those simply delicious potato slices.
The parking situation is still suspect but totally worth it. Just make sure you were parked in the right stall so that you don’t get towed. Seriously.
If you eat in, they will give you a free couple coffee with any sandwich purchase. There is free Wi-​Fi and very comfy seats. There’s also an upstairs in case it looks crowded downstairs.
We will be back again and again.

Looking for a place to study that has delicious food? Move over coffee shops, Spero Spera is in the house!
Spero Spera is located on Young street and you can park in the stalls that say «TOW». We think it was a typo and they meant to write «TWO (hrs)». It’s a two story place where people won’t bother you so feel free to hunker down for that final.
We came here for lunch and ordered the garlic veg and mixed avo. What I found to be very interesting is most places that sell sandwiches really showcase the meat but at Spero Spera it is either vegetarian or the meat is almost hidden in the ingredient list.
And I’ll tell you why.
The sandwiches are full of flavor and do not rely on the meat to be delicious.
The mixed avo was good and full of ingredients but was completely outshines by the other sandwich.
The garlic veg came on crusty french bread cut into four pieces surrounding the side of your choice. The ingredient list was kind of random: garlic, kabocha, eggplant, onions, peppers and mozzarella. Quite frankly I thought it was weird but one bite and you’ll be begging them not to change a thing. There wasn’t a bit of meat but it was so good that the meat was not missed at all. The toasty crunchy bread teamed up with the subtle garlic, crazy flavorful veggies and melty mozzarella does. not. disappoint.
In fact, the only time you’ll be disappointed is when you finish the fourth and final piece.

Place was very relaxing and peaceful. It’s quiet. Nice place to do homework.
Drinks weren’t that good. It was too sweet. It taste like the flavored powders you can buy at Walmart; then simply add it in water.
Their food is okay. Quite honestly, I don’t understand why this place has such a high rating. Their food isn’t that great. It’s literally store bought… Something that people (especially those who do not cool) can make at home.
Won’t be coming back for food or drinks.

No wonder people said it’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall place. It’s literally very hidden and located at a shady area. It’s a cute restaurant opened by a korean couple/​family? The décor were really pretty with inspirational quotes. There’s a few tables downstairs and upstairs. There’s a lot of student hanging around here.
Anyways, my friend and I ordered our own sandwich. I had the avocado sandwich with salad and my friend had the garlic steak sandwich with funyun chips. Both included an iced tea (tea packets) of your choice. The food was out in 10 minutes or so, crispy and fresh. My avocado sandwich, was tasty and perfectly made. I don’t know how to describe it but it was a good healthy sandwich. It was really filling. I ate it all by myself and I felt so stuffed after. But it was soo good! My friend enjoyed his sandwich too and said he was glad he got to try this place out.
The lady who works there was really nice. Great service and atmosphere. I’ll be back when I want me sammich!

I am so disappointed with this place. I wasted a meal and an hour of my life eating here. And I really hate to eat food that is not worth the calories in them. If rating for food and service alone, I would give it one star but I will take into consideration the potential this place has to be a quiet spot to work with wi-​fi access. Thus two stars. And although the staff could not answer a simple question we had about the food, they were very kind and courteous.
I wanted to order the Mixed Tomato sandwich but there was bacon AND egg on it so I decided to go with easy and the same my husband ordered: Tomato bisque with grilled cheese sandwich. Husband asked the cashier if the soup was vegetarian but cashier had no idea. Cashier asked cook, cook had no idea. They told us they didn’t know. How odd. My husband asked cashier to find out for sure. So he found someone in the back that could confirm to us that there was no meat or fish in the soup. Pretty simple question that perplexed these folks. That is telling.
So… about this soup and sandwich… the tomato bisque tasted EXACTLY like Campbell’s Tomato soup cooked with milk. They drizzled a little olive oil and sprinkled some oregano on top for effect but this soup tasted canned. I used to like Campbell’s Tomato soup but I don’t eat that kind of junk food as an adult and I certainly don’t want to pay for it at a café. We spent just under $ 23 for our meal.
And I wish Spero Spera knew what a grilled cheese sandwich is! It is NOT cheese on toast. A grilled cheese should be buttered and grilled! There is no room for interpretation here. The sandwich was dry toasted and the super orange cheese was sparse. This time they used what tasted EXACTLY like Kraft American processed cheese slices. Not good.
I was really hungry so I ate it but I resented every bite. And every bite I ate of the soup was ladled into my mouth with a plastic spoon! We noted later that the folks at an adjacent table had normal silverware. That really irritates me for two reasons: one, I should not have to cut the sides of my mouth on the plastic while eating, and two, the environment cannot afford the use of plastic when not absolutely necessary. I will always complain about this.
And styrofoam cups at a sit down café are a big downer. They just don’t elevate the experience at all. And the environment… The coffee was mediocre in taste but my husband said it was like rocket fuel. So I can say something good about the place.
Spero Spera sounds like an Italian name (in fact, the word spero means «I hope» in Italian) so that plus the reviews of other Unilocalers raised my expectations. Well, I hope I never have to pay for food that suspiciously resembles Campbell’s soup and Kraft American singles, again. I hope no one ever tries to give me plastic utensils at an indoor café again. I hope I never have to hear «Life and Death» (the piano music from LOST that played whenever a main character died) while eating, again. It played on a loop for most of the time we were there. I know many other Unilocalers love this place but I doubt I will ever be back.

Trying to decide for a place to eat can tough sometimes, but when your friend tells you she wants to go to Spero Spera for some night time grindages… how can you go wrong with that?
Of course before going here, I had to do a little spying on my Unilocal buddies, to see their opinion of this place called Spero Spera…
And of course if Emi H. (my Unilocal Idol) says it’s good… or my funny Unilocal buddy Larlar S. says it good… then of course I think I should be good to go!
I also saw my other Unilocal buddies — Lyla D., Paul C,. the famous Auntie Nadine C., Lori L., & Tracey M’s. fabulous reviews too, and they are trusted foodie critics… so the bar was set pretty high for me to go to this place. And you know what gang? They did not disappoint at all!
So upon turning on our Unilocal app. to search for this place, this cute little café is tucked away by a few bars, Korean restaurants, & spa’s on Young Street.
There is limited available parking in the private parking lot, and they have a 2 hour max if you choose to park there.
For us, we were lucky enough to find street parking very near the café, so there was no issues for us as far as parking goes. Plus it was good we parked on the street, cuz we ended up staying longer than the two hours, and actually closed out this place at 10 PM.
As we walked in, we were greeted by a friendly Korean lady, and she took our orders right away.
The menu is not too extensive as far as food goes, but if you had a chance to try their sandwiches… I must say that the sandwiches were pretty delicious!
We ordered the following the other night —
1. Mixed Avocado sandwich
2, Garlic Vegetable
Both sandwiches came with either chips or salad, we both took the salad. And the meal also came with either coffee, or tea. I would say it was a pretty great deal, as both meals costed a measly $ 20 smackers!
So den’, how was da grub-​a-​dub-​dub?
I we actually split our meal, so we could try each other’s sandwiches. Although I enjoyed both sandwiches… I would say the Garlic Vegetable was more delightful to eat. The reason why I like it so much was the texture of the sandwich. Although there was no meat in the Garlic Vegetable sandwich, as I bit into the sandwich, it felt like I was kinda eating meat, and the flavor of the garlic vegetable was so flavorful!
As for the Avocado mix, it was also good to… but I just like the texture & taste of the Garlic Vegetable waaaaaaaaaaaaaay, better. I guess it’s just preference.
Another nice feature about this place was that they offer free wifi. The décor is very cute & comfortable.
I can see this place is ideal spot for studying, as it’s pretty quite here… but I appologize to da folks who were there that night, as Jules & I were pretty loud in the joint, due to all the laughter! :D

With a name like Spero Spera which translates to «as long as I can breathe, there is hope», I just knew that I’d have to come here for the comforting coffeehouse beverages and delicious crafted sandwiches. This little coffeehouse is located in the Young Street Center amidst several other Korean businesses. A small parking lot (free) fronts all of the businesses in this strip mall.
We walked into the coffeehouse and were greeted by the cheery couple behind the counter. The aroma of fresh brewing Kona coffee wafted throughout the cool air conditioned shop. Being that this was our first time, we took a few moments to read the menu board while the female owner offered both of us a free cup of hot coffee. Fortunately, the menu is somewhat limited but the six sandwich offerings are unique and their descriptions appealing.
I chose the Mixed Avocado sandwich while my husband chose the Garlic Steak sandwich (met Auntie Nadine’s «Stamp of Approval»).
–The Mixed Avocado sandwich is a cold sandwich (light cracked wheat bread) packed with layers of chopped avocado, shredded carrots, sprouts, sliced ham, shredded fresh cabbage, sliced tomatoes, American cheese, dill pickles, eggs, bacon and drizzled with a House dressing. Phew, just the description had my mouthwatering and stomach growling as I started to imagine what this sandwich would look and taste like. I’m a porkaholic .uh, hey, I do resemble that remark so in those mixed layers, my eyes focused on the thinly sliced ham. When it arrived, I took a bite into the lusciousness and I suddenly felt like the animated character, Anton Ego from Ratatouille. Geez, this sandwich had me seeing my childhood, fireworks went off in my mind and on my palate. What? How could a PREDOMINANTLY vegetarian sandwich be this good? I don’t know how Spero Spera came up with this concoction but all of its flavor profiles met and exceeded my expectations. A side salad of mixed greens made a nice and tasty accompaniment.
–The Garlic Steak sandwich was served toasty warm between a mini baguette. I had a «Goldilocks moment» when I took a bite from my husband’s sandwich… the steak was tender, flavorful with garlic that was not overwhelming or under-​seasoned but just RIGHT garlic. The bread was warm as the melting Mozzarella oozed between the slices of sautéed garlicky mushrooms and garlicky beefiness. Sliced tomatoes added a bit of sweet acidity to cut the richness of flavors. My husband generously shared ¼ of his sandwich as I shared the other half of mine.
Spero Spera has seating on two levels that are comfortable and warmly decorated. The service is welcoming and efficient. The coffee was so much better (smooth, mellow yet mildly robust) than at the chainstores. Even with its limited menu, we’re planning to return for more while keeping high hopes and wishes for Spero Spera’s continued success.
#385

I first heard about this place when Paul C. got Review of the Day in August of 2014. I had been to this cute restaurant once before (for a late lunch/​early dinner) and wanted to share it with my new Unilocal buddies! I was so happy that they agreed that Spero Spera has great ambiance and yummy food!
The first time I dined here, I sat downstairs on the main floor and enjoyed watching the customers come and go while I devoured my Garlic Steak sandwich and Acai Bowl. During this second visit with Unilocalers, we ventured upstairs, sat comfortably together and had a nice chat while soft, calming music played in the background!
I had the Garlic Steak sandwich (again) and it was just as delicious as the first time, on a toasted baguette with melty cheese and a side green salad! It came with a free cup of tea (hot or iced). I chose the Strawberry Lychee flavor — very good! Our food and drinks were delivered to us by the friendly and cheerful cashier!
Located on Young Street, near Keeaumoku, Spero Spera shares a parking lot with several other businesses. We were really lucky with the parking — there were a couple of open spaces in the front. (It was after 7pm.) There were a few tables with students and their laptops, using the free WiFi. The place wasn’t filled to the max, but had a steady flow of customers.
The décor was what was most amazing… There are positive quotes on the walls with corresponding pictures. Some pictures are really cute — like cartoons! Even the restroom was interesting! Go check it out! And — watch your head when you go upstairs — the ceiling will greet your forehead if you’re tall!

I was craving for a new café with the criteria being fresh and tasty sandwiches and satisfyingly delicious coffee and Spero Spera did not disappoint. I admit that the first thirty minutes of my adventure did not go well. Starting with finding the place, the 1334 Young St. sign is old and uninviting. Parking availability is extremely limited in the parking lot, where if there was an open stall, there was a cone in it. I had to temporarily run in and ask the shop where to park, and they told me normally the stalls to the left of the establishment’s entry (Makai) but they were all full. I almost decided to go somewhere else but my mouth was watering for the garlic veggie sandwich a fellow Unilocaler raved about. So I parked on the street.
Inside, it’s a cute, nicely decorated and relaxing place to study or sip, or have lunch. There are two levels for seating, and a clean bathroom on the first level. It’s easy to find outlets for your power-​hungry devices. The tables have a sign «comply with two (2) hours parking limit. No outside food allowed». And I would find it very uncomfortable to hang out here without buying something. I found the Wi-​Fi to be spotty & unreliable and was grateful for the Time Warner hot-​spot nearby and my own cellular data plan as a backup.
Now for my order. That garlic veggie sandwich beckoned me. But what? They’re out of it? Out of what, I ask. The person I believed to be the son said «Everything». What? Out of everything? Language barrier, maybe. I was not happy. Turning to the menu board, disappointed and pretending to want something else, the owner said she was only out of garlic onion. So I asked them to clarify if they’re out of garlic onion, or all onion, and could they make the sandwich without onion? She said yes.
Then it arrived. And it was worth the fuss. Garlic, kabocha, eggplant, «sans the onion», pepper, mozzarella cheese on French bread, served with your choice of chips or organic salad with ginger dressing, baked potato wedges and a cup of coffee (for diners only). $ 9.55 with tax, $ 10.00. Credit cards accepted for purchases over $ 5.00. I can’t wait to return to enjoy the garlic veggie sandwich with the garlic onions, in its full glory as the recipe calls for.
As I was staying a little longer after I finished my sandwich, I ordered their hot «coconut latte» which was extremely underwhelming. I should have ended on the «modified sandwich» high note.

My mom, sisters and I were picking up lunch for the house when my mom got a huge hankering for an Acai bowl. Being that it was a holiday that day, we used our trusty Unilocal app and searched for any places nearby that served acai bowls that were open. Up popped Spero Spera… I’ve never heard of it but being that my mom was desperate at the time, we decided to give it a try.
They’re located on Young street, just a few shops after you make the right turn off of Keeaumoku. Keep your eyes open because they are surrounded by other businesses and if you’re not paying attention… youll miss it. Parking can be a little tight being that its a shared parking lot. just be on the lookout.
Since we were just running in and out, we didn’t get a chance to really check out their menu but from I saw, it looked pretty awesome. I’ll be sure to post a picture of their menu.
My sister got their lemon soda and I got their strawberry lemon soda. Yeah I know. That’s it? Well I plan on coming back and trying real food on their menu. Those were really good! It looked like an icee but when I drank it, it was liquid. I dunno… You just have to try it.
The service was nice and quick and I really like the atmosphere of the place. Wish I knew about this place when I needed to find a place to study that wasn’t the school library. There’s an area upstairs with tables and they even offer free wifi. Of course common courtesy is that you buy a drink or food item.
Definitely listed on one of the places I need to go back to.