Oahu | Maui | Kauai | Hawaii Island
Oahu
Don’t let the skyscrapers of downtown Honolulu and Waikiki mislead you. Local farms and fishing boats provide fresh produce and seafood to a wide array of restaurants that take their cues from wide-ranging international cuisines as well as the edible heritage of Native Hawaiians and plantation-era immigrants.
James Beard Award-winning chef Robynne Maii and her restaurateur husband Chuck Bussler first found fame in Honolulu’s Chinatown with their bistro Fete before forming a culinary throuple (so to speak) with pastry chef Catherine Yang of New York’s Gigi Blue. The result is this bakery-by-day, wine-bar-by-night concept, also in Chinatown, serving crusty breads, sweet and savory pastries, ice creams and sorbets, cookies, and gourmandise (indulgent snacks for any time of day.) Locally sourced proteins include house-made corned brisket, kalua pig and ahi confit.
Don’t miss:
Lilikoi (passionfruit) pulp adds an island twist to New York black and white cookies, while the calamansi coffee cake also packs a citrus punch.
1113 Smith St, Honolulu, 808.888.0608
Dine in style and sustainably at this city-chic cafe at the base of one of Ward Village’s many luxury condo towers. Hawaiian Regional Cuisine co-founder Peter Merriman’s locally sourced dishes such as tableside poke, kalua pig quesadilla and macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi pair nicely with notable California wine that were shipped in boxes to reduce carbon emissions. The creamy goat cheese in the roasted beet and local fennel salad comes from a Hawaii Island herd who are fed an emission-lowering seaweed.
Don’t miss:
The lilikoi-foam-topped mai tai is legendary for going down easy at lunch or dinner; evening patrons will also find the perfect starter in octopus presented “a l’escargot” in a snail-shell platter with crusty bread and cognac garlic butter.
1108 Auahi St. #170, Honolulu, 808.215.0022
The only luau right on Waikiki Beach is both a must-dine and a must-see, providing a circle tour of Oahu cuisine and a thoughtful yet entertaining overview of Hawaiian history in song and dance. Sitting at private tables, guests start by nibbling on South Shore smoked fish dip and end with North Shore delicacies such as garlic shrimp, chocolate haupia pie and kaffir-scented mango roll.
Don’t miss:
The reinvented potato-macaroni salad features local breadfuit, taro, Okinawan sweet potatoes and pipikaula (dried beef) as well as Yukon gold potatoes, while pineapple upside-down cake gets a glowup from Manoa honey, Laie vanilla and a Luxardo cherry.
The Royal Hawaiian, 2259 Kalakaua Ave, Waikiki Beach, 808.921.2600
Maui
Chefs have easy pickings here: Farms on the slopes of Haleakala produce beautiful strawberries, onions, persimmons and other produce benefiting from cooler weather; pineapple, mangoes and other tropical fruits thrive elsewhere on the Valley Isle; and local ranches and fishing boats supply excellent proteins. Maui’s golden beaches with luxury resorts may have lured a number of celebrity chefs across the Pacific, but the homegrown culinary talent—often with Filipino, Hawaiian and/or Chinese influences—is worth seeking out, too.
Striking sunset views overlooking Molokini Crater may be the only thing drawing your attention from your food at this upscale collaboration by Top Chef Masters winner Chris Cosentino and spouses David and Alicia Soboda, who helped him open San Francisco’s Cockscomb. Local ingredients and bold flavors shine in dishes like the grilled hanger steak, seared over kiawe wood charcoal and served with charred Maui onions, wilted greens and a lilikoi au poivre sauce, and the Caesar salad, which features heart of palm and celery in lieu of romaine, plus an anchovy-studded creamy lemon vinaigrette.
Don’t miss:
The Lopes Farm Pork dish is a weekly showcase featuring a different cut of pork butchered in-house and prepared with local, seasonal vegetables.
116 Wailea Ike Dr, Unit 2204, Wailea, 808.214.5545
The lobby fountain at the Four Seasons Maui Resort at Wailea marks this intimate spot for sophisticated sushi and other Japanese delicacies prepared by Tokyo-born Chef Kiyo Takeda, whose resume includes working for Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Takeda imports exquisite seafood for nigiri and other preparations, served with custom soy sauce and wasabi hand-grated at your table, and accompanied (if you desire) with exclusive sakes too. For a closer look at his artistry, belly up to the 14-seat sushi bar.
Don’t miss:
Save room for Executive Pastry Chef Ashish Thalakkat’s dessert “jewel box” with gems such as a yuzu cremeux tart, strawberry sake cheesecake, matcha raspberry roulade and Hibiki chocolate torte.
Hawaii Regional Cuisine co-founder Bev Gannon kept the name of the former plantation store in which she opened this upcountry restaurant in 1988, as Maui’s once-massive pineapple industry was fading fast. Her hearty, farm-to-table menu still continues to draw steady stream while a new partnership with Maui Gold allows diners to tour its nearby pineapple farm, sample fresh fruit and then have lunch at the restaurant, with a choice of entrees such as mojo roasted chicken, coconut curry, mauka Korean barbecue braised short ribs or macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi.
Don’t miss:
The popular Haliimaile pineapple upside-down cake tastes even sweeter when you’ve spent time in the fields where its star ingredient was grown.
900 Haliimaile Rd, Haliimaile, 808.572.2666
Kauai
The Garden Isle’s nickname is one clue how abundant fresh produce is here, showcased in local juice bars and gelato shops as well as in luxurious resort restaurants. There’s also a wealth of humbler poke stands, burger joints, food trucks and local-style diners that draw on the island’s Hawaiian roots and multiethnic heritage of Kauai’s modern population.
Executive chef Noelani Planas grew up on Kauai before training with iconic chefs Jean-Marie Josselin, Wolfgang Puck and Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas. Since 2016, her exceptional skills in flavors and presentation have been on display in the somewhat austere dining room of Poipu’s luxury boutique hotel, Koa Kea . The chef’s tasting menu assembles top hits that you can also order a la carte: housemade ricotta with local honeycomb, vanilla bean seared mahi mahi on coconut-infused black rice, seared Hokkaido scallops with sweet local corn, and flourless chocolate cake with Tahitian vanilla ice cream.
Don’t miss:
Start your dinner with one of the inventive specialty rolls in the adjacent sushi bar, and return for breakfast to order the lemon pineapple souffle pancakes, well worth the half-hour wait.
Blake and Kati Conant’s 10-barrel brewery in Wailua includes an attractively airy dining room with communal tables and a menu bridging local tastes and traditional brewpub fare, from kalua pig sliders and huli huli chicken to buffalo wings and pretzel bread. Seafood lovers will appreciate options for several kinds of poke, plus crab cakes, ceviche, smoked salmon and more. The considerate keiki menu includes chicken skewers, housemade mac and cheese, beef sliders and kalua pork with rice.
Don’t miss:
“Smoke meat” — locally smoked pork butt — comes as an appetizer or as a plate, sauteed with onions in an oyster sauce and served with white rice and bok choy; both pair well with one of the seasonal German brews on tap.
4-361 Kuhio Hwy, Ste 100, Kapaa, 808.431.4170
Hidden from public view amid the ultra-luxury Timbers Kauai vacation residences on the Hokuala resort, this upscale, relaxed open-air restaurant overlooks Nawiliwili Bay, Ninini Point Lighthouse and a shimmering pool to dreamy effect. Hualani’s claim of “farm to table” is real, though, since the Farm at Hokuala is just a golf cart ride away. The Hokuala Farm Thai curry with coconut milk is a piquant way to taste its harvest, as is honey roasted chicken with farm honey and a locally sourced mango chutney.
Don’t miss:
Seafood and spicy dishes are among the standouts, especially the chili crunch poke, dynamite Kona kampachi and the signature whole fried Hawaiian fish.
Hawaii Island
Known for its excellent Kona coffee and sprawling cattle ranches, this largest of the islands also provides fertile soil for growing vanilla, cacao, tea and numerous tropical fruits. Abalone, shrimp, oysters and other nonnative seafood is also home-grown, thanks to a stream of glacial cold water pumped up from the ocean depths into an aquaculture compound near the Kona airport. Access to fresh seafood and a large population with Japanese heritage and discriminating palates mean it’s easy to find top-quality sushi. Romantic sunset dinner options are also many, if somewhat expensive, on the Kohala Coast.
Other than breakfast, not much has changed over the years at this unpretentious Honokohau Harbor hangout, a convenient stop between the airport and the town of Kailua-Kona. A variety of fried seafood and cold beer, served in frosty mugs, dominate the lunch and dinner menu, while the new morning menu shows more local flair: meat-heavy loco moco, eggs and Spam, pancakes with a rotation of tropical toppings and grilled fish.
Don’t miss:
The poke doesn’t get much fresher than what’s served here, with bobbing fishing boats and the occasional Hawaiian monk seal in view. For breakfast, the velvety-rich ube scone with coconut stands on its own or as a starter for a well-prepared egg dish.
Honokohau Harbor, 74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy #4, Kailua-Kona, 808.326.4166
The most innovative restaurant in Kailua-Kona may be this collaboration between Kona Village Executive Chef Chad Yamamato and Sardinian chef Alessandro Tarras, which often combines Hawaiian ingredients and Italian dishes in unexpected ways. Spaghetti comes with ahi belly and sea asparagus, Kona kanpachi with green garlic and charred tomatoes, and rich parmigiano reggiano and smoky cheeses adorn most of the salad and pasta lineup. Couples can request one of the upstairs tables for two with an ocean view.
Don’t miss:
The Kona kanpachi also shines in a crudo with lilikoi and jalapeno, while tiramisu provides a satisfying and slightly boozy end to dinner.
75-5864 Walua Rd, Kailua-Kona, 808.498.0777
Let’s face it: When there’s an eruption in Halemaumau Crater, most people are dining here for the volcanic show, not the steak or sashimi. But given its remote location in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, this restaurant does an admirable job of highlighting island ingredients and satisfying hearty appetites of hikers and road trippers, with live music at dinner. Local ribeye and strip steaks come with filling portions of local spinach and mushrooms or Okinanawan sweet potatoes, while the seared blackened ahi sashimi gets an extra kick from pineapple salsa and a wasabi ginger aioli. The ample breakfast buffet has something for everybody, including eggs prepared to order and Hilo Coffee Mill brews.
Don’t miss:
Warm up on a cool evening with a bowl of tomato bisque with cheese toast points, or make a light meal of it by pairing it with the delectable lobster crab cake with citrus aioli and a charred macadamia nut romesco.
1 Crater Rim Dr, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 808.756.9625
Japanese
Sushi has always been elevated at ‘Ulu at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the Kona Coast. Now it has a literally elevated restaurant of its own: Noio, a clubby, ocean-view lounge on the second floor above ‘Ulu, serving artisan cocktails, a rotating menu of nigiri and sashimi sushi, fresh seafood and other locally sourced entrees, and date-night-worthy omakase dinners.
Don’t miss:
The kanpachi bozushi, a hearty cylinder of kampachi piled high with caviar, and the refreshing shore salad with sea grapes and ogo, limu and nori — three types of edible seaweed.
American, Hawaiian
On the ocean-view lanai of Thai Rin restaurant, this morning popup known as The Spot fuels surfers and other early risers with hearty fare such as crispy spam fries with rice, breakfast burritos and bacon and egg croissants. There are a few lighter options, too, like the half papaya with yogurt and granola.
Don’t miss:
The doughnut-like malasadas are “da bomb” and make a great to-go treat as well.
Alii Sunset Plaza, 75-5799 Alii Dr, Kailua-Kona, 626.277.7338
Seafood, Hawaiian, Fusion
The former ‘Ulu Ocean Grill at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has a shorter name, but has lost none of its deft touch with fresh seafood nor its dedication to sourcing 75 percent of its ingredients locally. The sleek but low-key new decor keeps eyes on the dazzling ocean and sunset views when they’re not ogling showstoppers like tableside poke and ahi Wellington for two.
Don’t miss:
The light yuzu butter-based sauces of misoyaki kanpachi, half Kona lobster and fresh catch enhance the flavor of the seafood without overwhelming it, and give you a plausible excuse to indulge in a decadent dessert like the smoked lilikoi chocolate fondant or caramel macnut bar.
Deli
A short detour off the Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway (Hwy. 19), this friendly deli in a small shopping strip provides popcorn to snack on while you wait for its large, luscious hot and cold sandwiches. There’s a dizzying bevy of beverages, including locally made kombucha and craft beer, to choose from too; 12-ounce beers, hard ciders and seltzers are $3 during happy hour 3–5 p.m.
Don’t miss:
The chunky tomato soup with a lemony tuna melt sandwich on grilled sourdough is a divine combination, while the Farmer Tag’s veggie sandwich is a cornucopia of thinly sliced beets, carrots, avocado and other fresh produce, complemented by sharp cheese on 12-grain bread.
75-1022 Henry St, Ste. 3, Kailua-Kona, 808.329.2917
Japanese
Islander Sake Brewery’s sake master Chiaki Takahashi is also a virtuoso chef, creating monthly prix fixe menus at the brewery’s intimate restaurant showcasing local produce and fresh seafood in seven beautifully plated courses. The $95 tab for dinner at Engawa, inside the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort’s golf clubhouse, includes a glass of Islander Sake Daiginjo, with Takahashi’s partner and maitre d’ Tani Hirose ready to recommend additional pairings.
Don’t miss:
Although the menu is seasonal, it typically includes a silky chawanmushi (savory egg custard) and sake lees ice cream, a delicately perfumed treat made with the slightly grainy byproducts of sake making.
Fushion, Mediterranean, Seafood
The latest version of HāLani at Mauna Lani, an Auberge Resort, returns to its inaugural island-sourced Mediterranean theme with new flair. Dinner includes tasty mezze like seared halloumi cheese and wood-fired balloon bread with a trio of dipping sauces, plus kebabs, pasta, pizza and fresh fish, while breakfast impresses with housemade pastries and entrees like shakshuka and loco moco.
Don’t miss:
For a fusion of island flavors with a Mediterranean twist, try the ahi steak, which comes with peloponnesian orzo, tomato and kalamata.
68-1400 Mauna Lani Dr, Waimea, 808.855.6622
