At last — this Kāhala neighborhood Greek eatery has reopened for dine-in service.
Olive Tree Café has been open for takeout only since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Now, five years later, the Greek restaurant is re-open for dine-in.
Customers can choose to sit indoors or outdoors in the eatery’s patio. The restaurant, which has been around for the past 30 years, is open daily from 5 to 9 p.m. and is BYOB.
The eatery has a casual, comfortable vibe — simply order from the counter and grab a table (reservations are not accepted). And, for those who remember the eatery’s cash-only days: Olive Tree Café now accepts credit cards.
Popular starters include hummus ($5.99) and baba ganoush ($6.99). The hummus is made with house-blended garbanzos with tahini, garlic and citrus. Creamy, flavorful and absolutely addictive, the hummus is topped with extra-virgin olive oil and served with warm pita.
Baba ganoush ($6.99) looks similar, but features fresh eggplant that’s roasted and smoked, then pureed with garlic and herbs. It’s also topped with extra-virgin olive oil and served with warm pita. We appreciated its rich, smoky flavor.
When it comes to entrees, choose from options like souvlaki ($15.49-$16.49) — which includes proteins like organic chicken, New Zealand lamb and fresh fish — shaorma ($13.99) and falafel ($12.99). All plates come with warm pita and a side salad.
The organic chicken souvlaki ($15.49) is a customer favorite. It features marinated and grilled organic chicken that’s drizzled with house tzatziki (a popular Greek yogurt sauce) and wrapped in a warm pita. The chicken is moist, tender, and drizzled liberally with that creamy, flavorful tzatziki.
Falafel can sometimes have a bad rap for being too dry, but you won’t have to worry about that here. This vegetarian-friendly dish features herb-packed fritters topped with tahini sauce and wrapped in pita. The falafel are crispy on the outside and are loaded with flavor.
Be sure to ask about the eatery’s rotating daily specials. We tried the braised lamb shank ($19.99), which is typically served on Wednesdays.
I tend to be wary of lamb because of its (sometimes) gamey flavor, but this one did not disappoint. This New Zealand grass-fed lamb shank is braised until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender, and smothered with a thick tomato, garlic and wine sauce. It’s served with Misko orzo, a side salad and warm pita bread.
The lamb was so tender that we barely had to cut it. The orzo was covered with the home-style tomato sauce, which made every bite flavorful.
Other rotating daily specials include spanakopita ($15.49), chicken zafron ($16.99), and Scottish salmon souvlaki ($16.49). I’ll definitely be back for the spanakopita ($15.49) — often served on Sundays or Mondays — which is a savory blend of spinach, leeks, herbs and cheeses in a pastry made with flaky layers of phyllo.
Stay tuned — Olive Tree Café will be opening its next-door deli and wine shop in October.
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CONTACT
Olive Tree Café
4614 Kīlauea Ave., Honolulu
808-737-0303
olive-tree-cafe.square.site
Instagram: @olivetreecafehi
Open daily, 5-9 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
