The newest coffee shop in Hilton Head is in a vintage camper. Here’s where to find it

A new coffee shop on Hilton Head Island serves right out of a vintage camper.

Barnacle Brews Coffee opened in April across from Burke’s Beach at 614 William Hilton Parkway. It can be found in the food truck park next to Barnacle Bill’s Seafood Market in a renovated 1970s Airstream camper.

Barnacle Brews serves a classic selection of coffee beverages from simple coffee to espresso and lattes. It also offers a seasonal drink menu.

The coffee shop is jointly owned by Barnacle Bills owner Greg Berkes and Dutch immigrant Lile Van Engelen. Van Engelen moved to the U.S. in 2011 to play college sports for Ohio State University.

Van Engelen and Berkes teamed-up to create Barnacle Brews after coffee shop District 10 moved off the Barnacle Bill’s property, Van Engelen said. The two found the Airstream camper in Georgia, and brought it back for their coffee venture.

“When I think of Hilton Head, I think about multiple generations going there on vacation and summer vacations,” he said. “So we’re like, ‘Why don’t we see if we can find like an old Airstream rather than like a very new modernized food truck?’”

The camper is part of Barnacle Brews’ old school Hilton Head vibe, Van Engelen said. And the vibe has brought customers. They expected to sell 200 cups of coffee a day when Barnacle Brews opened, but now they average 500 cups per day, he said.

The popularity has brought some challenges. Everything is made fresh and on the spot, Van Engelen said, and so sometimes there’s a line. But customers are willing to wait, and free water is handed out to those in line, he said.

Its coffee beans are sourced locally from Hilton Head Roasters, and spring water is used to give the coffee a smooth taste, Van Engelen said. The shop’s baristas developed the seasonal menu on their own using their personal favorites.

And although the shop is on wheels, Van Engelen said its location is permanent. It operates year round, and its hours are:

• Weekdays: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Saturdays: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sundays: 7 a.m. to noon

Barnacle Brews may consider expanding after the summer tourist season wraps up, Van Engelen said. But he wants to see what Hilton Head locals think of Barnacle Brews first. More information about Barnacle Brews can be found on its Instagram page.