Chef vs Critic
Our experts go fork to fork over Honolulu’s best dining haunts.
The restaurant that nails the Honolulu vibe
MKU You can’t go past Helena’s Hawaiian Food (helenashawaiianfood.com), a typical mom-and-pop restaurant with an emphasis on home-style cooking. They’re known for their wonderful pipikaula [dried beef] short ribs and laulau [pork wrapped in leaves].
CTF One of the city’s hottest restaurants is The Pig & The Lady (thepigandthe lady.com) in Chinatown. The menu is largely inspired by the family’s Vietnamese home cooking and everyone eats there: locals, visitors, Downtown workers. Honestly, I’ve never had a bad meal there.
Best fine dining
MKU La Mer (halekulani.com) is a Honolulu institution. It overlooks Waikiki Beach and pairs a sophisticated atmosphere with impeccable service. I love that they use as much Hawaiian produce as possible to bring the flavours of southern France to life.
CTF Senia (restaurantsenia.com), where chef-owners Anthony Rush and Chris Kajioka are committed to using highquality ingredients and consistently turn food into works of art with their thoughtful plating – they can even make cabbage look good.
For a late-night bite
MKU Harry’s Hardware Emporium (1936 South King Street, Honolulu; +1 808 379 3887) is a fantastic speak-easystyle bar. I leave my drink order in the trusty hands of owner Dave Newman. CTF I’m a mom so I’m more of a dawnpatroller but if I’m ever out late, my go-to is Liliha Bakery (lilihabakery. com). The counter is open 24 hours Wednesday to Saturday and you can order local eats like old-school charbroiled burgers and kimchi fried rice.
A great spot for a seaside meal
MKU A beachside Sunday brunch at Orchids (halekulani.com) is a must. It’s upscale but casual and the chefs work hard to deliver a buffet filled with a rich selection of Hawaiian, Asian and American breakfast dishes of the highest quality.
CTF Mina’s Fish House (minasfishhouse. com) is an open-air restaurant facing a gorgeous palm-tree-fringed lagoon. It’s one of the best spots on the island to watch the sunset. Half the menu is dedicated to seafood – in fact, seafood is so important to Mina’s that it was the first restaurant in the world to employ a fish sommelier. My pick is the chef’s signature ahi tartare.
The ultimate breakfast
MKU I love Over Easy (overeasyhi.com), a very comforting and nostalgic spot. CTF On my days off, I’ll drive to Kailua for brunch at Over Easy. It’s known for its unique takes on classic dishes: think French toast soaked in custard then encrusted in Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. My favourite is the Potato N’ Eggs, which is French bread stuffed with sweet tomato jam and draped in potato purée then topped with bacon crumbles and a local egg.
Best-kept secret
MKU Sushi Izakaya Gaku (1329 South King Street, Honolulu; +1 808 589 1329) is known to chefs and locals but seems to be undiscovered by visitors. Don’t miss the traditional izakaya dishes. CTF Are there any secrets left in Honolulu? Even my beloved Ethel’s Grill (232 Kalihi Street, Honolulu; +1 808 847 6467), a hole-in-the-wall in Kalihi, is now on the map. The family-run restaurant has been serving comfort food, like sweet-and-sour spare ribs, for decades. My favourites include the tataki sashimi plate and Okinawan-style taco rice.