Food & Dining
Hawai‘i Cuisine: Food, Flavors, and Local Favorites
Exploring all your favorite Island dining, from cheap eats to high-end. Craving omakase? We’ve got you covered. Shave ice? Sure thing! Loco moco? Like we’d forget! We’ve got heaping bowls of poke, and acai. You’ll find pau hana deals, foodie cocktails and delicious mocktails. Of course, none of that would be possible without the chefs, bakers, and mixologists you’ll meet here. We also take you to the Hawai‘i farms that fuel our farm-to-table movement.
News
Save the date for The Best of Hawaiʻi’s Best Kitchens event
The 11th annual event is coming up Saturday, Aug. 29, at Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa. Attendees can look forward to specialty dishes from restaurants like Adez Steakhouse & Lounge, Arancino Ristorante Italiano, The Buffet at Hyatt, Solera Waikīkī and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 12, 2026
Līhu‘e-based Melrose is reopen for business
The business is known for its signature beverages, fresh-baked pastries and aesthetic ambiance. Following the Kona Low storms this spring, the café’s ceiling caved in, forcing the business to close for almost two months. Melrose reopened to the public this summer with its signature offerings, along with new products.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 12, 2026
Marujuu is launching sizzling skillet washugyu burgers
The Kaimukī eatery, known for its Japanese-style hamburger steaks, is launching its new sizzling skillet washugyu burgers this Friday, Aug. 14. Burgers are made with 100% washugyu patties and come in flavors like classic, teriyaki, wasabi mayo and Gorgonzola.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 12, 2026
Dean & Deluca Hawaiʻi has a new afternoon tea menu
The Artisan Loft, located upstairs in Dean & Deluca Hawaiʻi at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, recently launched a new afternoon tea menu. The urban picnic-style afternoon tea menu debuted last month, and features savory and sweet options like furikake-seared ‘ahi, ube mont blanc tarts, mango cheesecakes and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 11, 2026
Takagi Coffee is a new Japanese-style cafe pop-up in Honolulu
The pop-up is opening to the public on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m. It’s within Royal Hawaiian Center’s TsuruTonTan, and for the first few days, the pop-up will be limited to the first 60 customers. Takagi Coffee is serving up sweet and savory Japanese souffle pancakes, omurice, wagyu hamburger steak and layered parfaits.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 11, 2026
Oʻahu-based family business is 'on a roll'
Hele Rolls, known for its homemade cinnamon rolls, started its business last June. The biz regularly pops up at events across Oʻahu and accepts pre-orders. Hele Rolls is also competing on the new season of Food Network’s "The Great Food Truck Race," which premiered on July 26.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 10, 2026
This Kakaʻako brunch spot is now open for dinner
Westman Cafe, which opened in March in Kōʻula at Ward Village, recently started opening for dinner. Diners can look forward to dishes like mahi mahi loco moco, oxtail soup, ʻahi tataki and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 10, 2026
Button Up Cafe is now open in a bigger space
The Pearl City brunch spot — known for dishes like strawberry cheesecake stuffed French toast, corned beef hash loco moco and Korean braised short rib eggs Benedict — has been open in Pearl City Plaza since 2016. The biz just relocated to a larger space within the same plaza, and reopened today.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 09, 2026
We Heart Cake Co. has a new Honolulu store
The dessert shop — which used to be in Kaimukī — is now open in McCully. The biz is celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 8, with free cake pops for the first 102 customers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 07, 2026
Specialty Okinawa soba pop-up coming to The Kāhala Hotel & Resort
Chef Eibun Nakamura, known for his specialty soba, is bringing his Okinawa soba to The Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s Plumeria Beach House. Soba will be available as part of the restaurant's seafood dinner buffet on Aug. 14 and 15, and as part of the a la carte dinner menu on Aug. 13 and 16.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 07, 2026
Rigo has a new happy hour
The Spanish Italian restaurant on Kapahulu Avenue launched a happy hour for the first time. Happy hour is available daily from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.; the eatery also has a lunch happy hour from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Enjoy discounted drinks and tapas, including seafood platters, fresh oysters, and Rigo’s popular jamon serrano.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 07, 2026
Naks Cafe offers gourmet takeout meals in Pearl City
The business, which is located next to the Don Quijote Pearl City Food Court, has been open for one year. Business owner Nathan Wu strives to provide the community with affordable, high-quality meals for takeout.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 06, 2026
New salt bread bakery in Honolulu
Kilo Deli just opened on Kapiʻolani Boulevard, in the former space of Hawaiʻi Banchan Co. The bakery specializes in salt bread, which is available in flavors like original, truffle and spicy arabiki. Salt breads are limited to four per customer. Kilo Deli is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until sold out.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 06, 2026
Bakehouse by Island Brew is open in Hawaiʻi Kai
The new bakery, whose sister company is Island Brew Coffeehouse, is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday, Aug. 8. The shop offers freshly baked pastries like chocolate chip muffins, salt bread, biscuits with honey butter and oatmeal raisin cookies. It also features gluten-free pastries and other desserts like bingsu.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 05, 2026
Orchids revamps its Sunday brunch, adds executive business lunch for weekday dining
The popular Halekūlani eatery added a new artisan station — which includes hummus, chicken liver pate, pickled vegetables and more — along with Italian sausage and paella to its Sunday brunch buffet. Orchids also started a business lunch option, available from Monday to Friday.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 05, 2026
A staple in the Lahaina community: Pizza Paradiso and Pineapple Robot
Pizza Paradiso, which has been open since 1995, was taken over by Hana Hou Hospitality Group three years ago. The restaurant became a community hub following the Lahaina fires. In October 2024, as a way to revitalize Lahaina's nightlife, Hana Hou Hospitality Group expanded the restaurant to include a karaoke bar called Pineapple Robot.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 05, 2026
Eat spam and vote: Oʻahu weekend guide
Looking for fun things to do this Friday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 9? From celebrating National Spam Musubi Day to casting your vote in statewide elections, Aloha State Daily has your guide for how to spend the weekend.
Katie HellandAugust 05, 2026
Mai Musubi now offers Japanese curry
The Kakaʻako musubi shop now offers Japanese-style curry for dine-in and takeout. Customers can choose from tonkatsu, chicken karaage, shrimp katsu, potato croquette and more. The biz also extended its hours on weekends.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 04, 2026
Raina Huang returns for four Hawaiʻi eating contests
This celebrity competitive eater will be in Honolulu this week, with stops at the Korean Festival Hawaiʻi, Nori Bar Waikīkī and Oh My Grill.
Katie HellandAugust 04, 2026
The Kiwi Korner offers authentic meat pies
Mac and Angie Schwenke — who are from New Zealand — starting selling meat pies for extra income during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Now, five years later, their Kiwi Koner business has two locations and features meat pies in flavors like pepper steak, steak and cheese, chicken curry and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 03, 2026
Budget Bites: Zippy’s $10.99 plates
The business is offering $10.99 spaghetti and chicken mixed plates as an August special. This discounted price is available for takeout orders from Aug. 3 to 30; plates are limited to five per person.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 03, 2026
Kam Bowl is open in Pearl City
The eatery is now open in Times Square Shopping Center, in the former space of IHOP. Customers can look forward to signature dishes like oxtail soup, loco moco, hamburger steak and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaAugust 02, 2026
The 22nd annual Korean Festival is coming Aug. 8
The event is free to attend, and will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, at Kapiʻolani Park. Attendees can look forward to Korean food, cultural experiences, family-friendly activities and live performances.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 31, 2026
Budget Bites: Yujin K-Bowl’s $6 bowls
The Waipahu business offers Korean-style bowls for takeout only. Bowls include a choice of protein, rice, corn and japchae.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 31, 2026
Smith & Kings is revamping its brunch menu
The Chinatown eatery’s brunch is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Customers can look forward to new dishes like Monte Cristo, peanut butter and jelly French toast, eggs Florentine and more.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 31, 2026
Chubbies Burgers is opening in Kakaʻako
“The rumors are true,” the business posted on its Instagram. No specific date or address — other than SALT Kakaʻako — is revealed for the business.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 31, 2026
Kale’s Hale is launching a limited-time wagyu special
The Kalihi-based eatery is known for its all-you-can-eat Hawaiian fusion yakiniku experience. For all of August, Kale’s Hale will offer a wagyu add-on for $5 per ounce. Customers who purchase an AYCE meal can take advantage of this discount from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 30, 2026
Mu‘u and mimosas afternoon tea is now every Saturday
Kaimana Beach Hotel’s afternoon tea is available weekly starting at 2 p.m. The experience costs $55 per person and guests can enjoy a variety of sweet and savory baked goods, along with live entertainment.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 29, 2026
Kamitoku Ramen moves from Ward Centre to South Shore Market
The business — known for its beef bone broth ramen — just soft opened in the former space of Scratch Kitchen & Meatery. In addition to its popular ramen bowls, the biz also added new dishes — like wild oxtail soup and wagyu rib-eye katsu bowls — to its menu.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 29, 2026
Pho Que Huong opens second location in Honolulu
The popular Vietnamese eatery — which opened its first location in Chinatown about nine years ago — just opened on Kapiʻolani Boulevard. To celebrate the restaurant’s opening, customers can enjoy 20% off their entire meal until July 30.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 29, 2026
New eateries planned for Kamehameha Schools' Mō‘ili‘ili redevelopment
Eleven tenants for Waiānuenue at Kapa‘akea have so far been announced.
Stephanie SalmonsJuly 28, 2026
Gyu-Kaku Japanese Barbecue is offering limited-time yakiniku specials
The eatery is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special "Adventures in Niku" menu, which is available until Sunday, Sept. 6. Diners can take advantage of specials like 1.5 pounds of thinly sliced beef for $35.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 28, 2026
Canio’s Pizza is serving New York-style slices
Business owner Kip Praissman has been making pizza professionally for more than 10 years. Canio’s Pizza — named after his grandfather — specializes in New York-style pizzas, which are known for their slightly crispy crust that still boasts a nice chew.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 27, 2026
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is giving out free Spam musubis on Aug. 8
In honor of National Spam Musubi Day, participating L&L Hawaiian Barbecue locations in Hawaiʻi and on the Mainland are giving away free Spam musubis from 12 to 4 p.m.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 27, 2026
Hawaiʻi’s first solo dining katsu experience is opening in Honolulu
Katsu Zen — located in the former space of Little G Café in the 808 Center — is opening to the public on Wednesday, July 29. Customers can scan the QR code and choose from a variety of katsu bowls and sets; options include pork loin, pork collar, chicken katsu and tiger shrimp katsu.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 26, 2026
53 By the Sea has a new weekend lunch and happy hour
The restaurant, known for its oceanfront dining, recently launched its weekend lunch and happy hour experiences. The happy hour menu features exclusive dishes like a wagyu burger, seafood roll, and ham and cheese croquettes.
Kelli Shiroma BraiottaJuly 24, 2026