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Oahu has become a hub for Pacific and Japanese cuisines, seafood, and seasonal ingredients. Learn about 27 places where you should eat in Honolulu, the capital of the state and the biggest city on Hawaii’s third largest island.
Establishments appear in alphabetical order instead of order of preference.
13. Kona Coffee Purveyors / b. patisserie
San Francisco baking star Belinda Leong serves special items in Waikiki, including a black sesame kouign amann.
Kona Coffee Purveyors roaster Raymond Suiter and food scientist wife Jackie partnered with revered b. patisserie pastry chef Belinda Leong from San Francisco on a one-two punch in Waikiki’s International Market Place. Baristas brew with flair on a sleek three-group espresso machine, pourover bar, and in cold brew. I enjoyed my espresso tonic and of course partook in Leong’s creative pastries. Her flaky black sesame kouign amann is a caramelized masterpiece with nutty base notes. Her pineapple coconut almond croissant is also unique to this location, a double-baked wonder with island flavors.
MUST ORDER: Black Sesame Kouign Amann, Pineapple Coconut Almond Croissant, Espresso Tonic
14. Leonard’s Bakery
Leonard’s Bakery remains Hawaii’s most famous option for malasadas.
Leonard DoRego, a descendant of Portuguese immigrants, opened his eponymous bakery with wife Margaret in 1952 and soon after started offering malasadas. At the original Kaimuki location, now a Honolulu institution, they still sell a number of different baked goods, including cakes, pies, creme puffs, and pao doce (Portuguese sweetbread). Really though, it’s all about donuts. The O.G. malasada is warm, sugar dusted, egg rich and almost custardy inside. They also coat the donuts in li hing mui sugar, which is powerfully sweet and tart. The version with haupia (coconut) custard is also an afterthought compared to Original, but don’t sleep on the version filled guava custard, an occasional flavor of the month.
MUST ORDER: Original Malasadas, Guava Malasadas
15. Mud Hen Water
Mud Hen Water shares a patio with sister restaurant Kaimuki Superette and serves seasonal Hawaiian food.
This Kaimuki restaurant from Ed Kenney houses a crackling kiawe grill that burns wood from Waianae. The space adjoins sister restaurant Kaimuki Superette and features a marble bar, patio with picnic tables and mural, and open kitchen backed by pressed tin. The seafood is so local that beneath your menu, you’ll find a QR code, which you can scan to discover who caught the seafood, where, when and how. You can even message the fisherman to thank them. Food is share-friendly, and many Hawaiian names may need translation. For example, Yaki o Pa’i ‘ai involves griddled taro cakes served in nori wrappers with shoyu sugar and sesame seeds. Lup Cheong Madeleines are less traditional, but still fun, served with miso whipped lard. Vegetables are a a strength, especially served with kukui nut lavash and koena hummus crafted from undesirable taro parts. I’a Lawalu stars peppery moonfish belly, an ice cream banana tamale, and market vegetables cooked in a banana leaf that’s been buried in coals. For dessert, consider the Chocolate-Kiawe Bean Brownie.
MUST ORDER: Clams, Crudite, Grilled He’e, I’a Lawalu, Lup Cheong Madeleines, Yaki o Pa’i ‘ai, Chocolate-Kiawe Bean Brownie
16. Nico’s Pier 38
Nico’s Pier 38 sources seafood from neighboring waters and also serves Hawaiian classics.
It’s no accident that chef Nico Chaize ended up opening Nico’s at Pier 38 where he did in 2004. Sure, the Lyon native secured a space next to his stepfather’s fishing store that had room to grow (and grow it did). But that also placed him next to the Honolulu Fish Auction, which harvests 3% of the Pacific catch and supplies him with a steady stream of fresh-as-can-be fish, which he shops for daily at 5:45 a.m., fueling seasonal specials. Chaize upgraded from a cafe to a full-scale restaurant and market, allowing for more ambitious fare.
MUST ORDER: Fried Rice, Fish & Eggs, Loco Moco, Seasonal Seafood Specials
17. Otto Cake
Otto Cake serves creamy cheesecake in flavors like Key lime and carrot cake.
Scott “Otto” McDonough presides over this cheesecake emporium on a Kaimuki side street, which relocated from Chinatown. The space features red and orange walls, a display case, a sky blue ceiling, 3D dots on white walls, two high top tables, and circus like drapes shielding the kitchen, where Otto makes cheesecake like Oz. Creamy wedges come in flavors like Orange Chocolate Chip, Kahlua and Key Lime. Otto also has a handle on another kind of cake, carrot, which comes topped with cream cheese frosting.
MUST ORDER: Key Lime Cheesecake, Orange Chocolate Chip Cheesecake, Carrot Cake
The Pig & The Lady built on farmers market success and now serves modern Asian food in Chinatown.
Modern Vietnamese food from Chef Andrew Le (the pig) and his mom (the lady) remain popular at Oahu farmers markets, and they’ve added a group-friendly Chinatown restaurant. The space features exposed rafters, brick walls, decorative branches above the bar, bird cage lanterns, and plenty of pig figurines. The menu includes sandwiches like the signature Pho French Dip, though they dig far deeper at dinner. Wild Ho’i’o Ferns join cucumbers, Parmesan, crushed almonds, purslane, grapefruit, and lemon dashi. Laotian Fried Chicken displays negligible batter and great tang, with pieces dressed with pickled chile, lime, peanuts, and fried shallots. House-made noodles include Pho-Sta, thick pappardelle sheets tossed with pho braised beef, pickled chile, Thai basil, Parmesan, and sprouted seeds. Pot pie with flaky puff pastry crust rotates fillings, but could contain crab fat curry with snow crab, coconut, lemongrass, curry and betel leaves, aromatic herbs, and market vegetables. Cha Ca La Vong is a satisfying riff on a famous fish, turmeric and dill dish from Hanoi, the hometown of Chef Le’s father. Top desserts include soft serve sundaes and a delectable jarred pandan flan with calamansi, caramel, coconut cake crumble, and seasonal sorbet (in my case, mango).
MUST ORDER: Cha Ca La Vong, Crab Fat Curry, Laotian Fried Chicken, Pho-Sta, Wild Ho’i’o Ferns, Pandan Flan
19. Piggy Smalls
Piggy Smalls spun off from The Pig & The Lady and serves house-made pasta dishes like duck Bolognese.
The Pig & The Lady owner Andrew Le and his team added Piggy Smalls at Ward Village in Kaka’ako. A dramatic cartoon mural dominates the dining room, featuring assorted sea creatures and a pasta extruder that portends dishes to come. Duck Bolognese stars house-made pasta tossed with red wine, green olives, rosemary, and preserved lemon gremolata. Weekend at Burmese Salad delivers more than just a great pun. Toss green papaya, tomato, garlic, sesame, various toasted nuts & sprouting seeds, preserved lemon, serrano peppers, and fermented lahpet dressing to fully integrate textures and flavors. Sizzling Kauai shrimp arrives in a cazuela, lavished in spicy chorizo butter and fried garlic. Meaty marlin steak co-stars butternut squash roasted with brown butter, fish sauce, pumpkin seeds, and herbs. LFC Wings incorporated beguiling money $$Sauce, aromatic Makrut lime, peanut, shallot, and crunchy slaw. Pho French Dip & Clams differs from The Pig & The Lady’s slow-roasted brisket banh mi preparation, but tastes just as rich, served with Manila clams in aromatic spiced yuzu pho for dipping. For dessert, a giant soft serve ice cream cone near the semi-open kitchen was all I needed to see to order a version in Love’s powdered jelly donut flavor, topped with pomegranate ginger jelly and sprinkles. Unfortunately, this soft serve didn’t keep pace with savory plates.
MUST ORDER: Duck Bolognese, LFC Wings, Marlin Steak, Pho French Dip & Clams, Sizzling Kauai Shrimp, Weekend at Burmese Salad
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