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Martha Cheng
Outside interests have made money in Hawaii for centuries, including food. Waves of restaurateurs from the continental US and abroad have opened restaurants in Honolulu, with everyone from Japanese conglomerates to Michael Mina opening stores. But simultaneously, local Honolulu businesses have been able to ride the latest wave of enthusiasm to expand. In the past decade, small mom-and-pop restaurants have opened second locations, while established local chains have expanded their reach. More and more chefs have worked to learn about the history and culture of Hawaii in order to respectfully incorporate aspects into their restaurants. I mean, diners in Honolulu have quite a bit of choice.
As Hawaii heads into warmer, longer days, now is the time to enjoy al fresco dining, a surprising rarity outside of Waikīkī; some favorite spots for alfresco dining include the Parisian bistro-style sidewalk tables of Fete and the beachside setting of Hau Tree under 100-year-old trees. And from the spring through the summer months, you’ll start to see some of Hawaii’s favorite fruits come into season, like lychee, mangoes, and liliko’i. Find them folded into sweets at MW Restaurant, which remains one of the best options for seasonal fancy desserts, and in cakes from Wallflour Bake Shop, a pop-up shop that’s one of Honolulu’s best new bakeries.
As elsewhere, labor shortages continue to plague the restaurant industry and have closed some of Honolulu’s favorite restaurants in recent months. It helps to be patient with those who remain open.
We update this list quarterly to make sure it reflects Honolulu’s ever-changing dining scene.
Martha Cheng is the food editor at honolulu Magazine, the author of the poke cookbook, and writer for national publications.
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