Don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge The Lei Stand by its front door. This Honolulu speakeasy pays homage to its Chinatown roots with its authentic-looking storefront and sign on Bethel Street. But once you shimmy through the plastic drapes separating the storefront from the bar, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. […]
In 1980 Han Sung “Has” Barry quit her job as a schoolteacher and started a cookie business. All because of a horoscope. She grabs her wallet and pulls out the astrological forecast, cut from the newspaper decades ago, and hands it to me. “You are ready for changes in business matters,” it reads. “Don’t let
In a space that was once a Christian bookstore, then a vape shop and now a bar, a pleasant scene plays out. In one corner of the establishment, longtime friends reminisce, telling stories and inside jokes only they would understand. A group of visitors pop in for a round of cocktails while a pair of
While there aren’t many bad poolside bars in Hawai‘i, there are some that stand out from the rest. From secret grotto bars on Maui to pools with panoramic views on O‘ahu, here are a few of our favorite places to wet your whistle, and yourself, in Hawai‘i. Sunset at Turtle Bay Resort Aptly named, Sunset
Chef Robynne Mai‘i never imagined she would be nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award, an honor she felt was unattainable for a first-time chef-owner with a small (but very popular) restaurant in faraway Honolulu. “We didn’t conceive Fête and run Fête with the aspiration of winning a James Beard Award,” says Mai‘i, who opened
Early on a crisp morning I flee rush hour in Honolulu for solitude in the Ko‘olau Mountains. I set out on the Pali Highway, the view through my windshield gradually changing from concrete towers and sprawling neighborhoods to dense forests and rugged mountain ridges. O‘ahu is known as the Gathering Place, where fast urban pursuits
While forever altered by the pandemic, Hawaiʻi’s dining scene remains vibrant and diverse with restaurateurs and chefs ready to remind diners of the glory of eating out, whether it’s sharing plates of creative izakaya or feasting alone on an entire sourdough pizza. Even through economic turmoil, shipping delays and labor shortages, Hawaiʻi restaurants are persevering
HAWAIʻI Magazine’s most anticipated issue, the annual Readers’ Choice Awards, is out now! The pages of the 2023 spring issue are filled with lists of the most beloved towns, beaches, hotels, restaurants, activities and more in the Islands. From great beginner surf spots on Oʻahu and epic hikes on Maui to the fluffiest malasada on
On a cool Saturday morning, 45 volunteers wearing water shoes and hats start a 10-minute trek from Kuli‘ou‘ou Beach Park to Paikō Beach on O‘ahu, nets in hand. The group is on its way to the Paikō Restoration Area to pull out invasive algae with folks from Mālama Maunalua. The nonprofit stewardship organization is committed
The credits roll as the lights come on. I’m seated in the foyer of the Hawai‘i Theatre and I can’t stop staring at the walls. Intricate gold detailing highlights the delicate ornaments and fixtures fixed around the theater screen, which had just finished showing “The Princess Bride.” The viewing had been unlike any movie-watching experience
It’s the quintessential meeting-eating place in Hawai‘i. Zippy’s, with 24 locations across three islands and plans to open in Las Vegas in 2023, is the local go-to restaurant chain for everything—picking up bentos for baseball practice, meeting friends for breakfast, pregnancy cravings, post-surf snacks, late-night get-togethers. The first Zippy’s Restaurant—on King Street in Honolulu—opened in
The first time Markus Stolz ate baumkuchen, a traditional German cake that resembles a hollowed cross-section of a tree trunk, he was in Japan—not Germany. “It’s really soft and moist,” says Stolz, whose parents moved from Germany to Japan, where he was born and raised. “That makes this version much more different.” The German version
