On a warm evening, industry colleagues and hotel guests gathered at Alaia, the signature restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Oʻahu, Turtle Bay. Over six courses thoughtfully paired with wines from Kosta Browne Winery, conversations flowed as strangers became friends, brought together over bold dishes inspired by the Islands’ culinary history. The evening marked the debut of […]
The Islands are home to an incredible and ever-evolving culinary scene. Exciting restaurants open every year, making it difficult to narrow down the best newcomers. So we asked our readers to vote. Here are the new restaurants that rose to the top of HAWAIʻI Magazine’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. READ MORE: A Local Food Writer’s Favorite Hawaiʻi Restaurants in 2025 1. Koast, Maui Chef Chris Cosentino opened Koast in Wailea, Maui,
This June, Outrigger Kauaʻi Beach Resort & Spa unveiled a transformed property featuring elevated accommodations, refreshed gathering spaces and a new culinary destination. Created in partnership with internationally acclaimed chef Roy Yamaguchi, a pioneer of Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine, Ocean House by Roy Yamaguchi reflects a shared commitment to highlighting the people, ingredients and traditions that
Across the Islands, you can find local bakeries making malasadas. The deep-fried, sugar-dusted doughnut is best served warm to enjoy its crisp exterior and soft, fluffy center. Like many iconic dishes in Hawaiʻi, the origins can be traced back to the Islands’ plantation days. READ MORE: So, What’s the Big Deal with Malasadas? Malasadas arrived in Hawaiʻi with Portuguese plantation laborers from
In a quiet Kaua‘i neighborhood, where plantation-era homes sit beside a modest mix of local shops and businesses, Tip Top Motel, Café, & Bakery endures as a beloved institution. The food is straightforward and comforting, the service warm and unpretentious, and each visit feels like home. As it approaches its 110th anniversary, Tip Top stands
For 25 years, locals and travelers celebrated milestones and a variety of occasions at Alan Wong’s on King Street on Oʻahu. The restaurant closed in 2020, and more than five years later, Alan Wong’s reopened in The Kāhala Hotel & Resort earlier this month. It’s already booked for the next two months, with resort guests
At Kaʻana Kitchen’s expo line—a kind of traffic control center between the kitchen and dining area—“it’s controlled chaos,” Chance Savell says as he plates a dish. The executive sous chef has been on the resort’s culinary team since the Andaz Maui by Hyatt opened in Wailea in 2013, and like him, many on the restaurant’s
*This web story was originally published in November 2020, and updated in March 2026. The short list was included in our FALL/WINTER 2025 issue. The best lū‘au in Hawai‘i will serve the authentic stuff: succulent kālua pig, creamy haupia and, of course, poi. So if you are lucky enough to get handed that perfect plate, here’s what you’ll be eating: From
With its retro neon sign, pink-and-white-striped awning, blue script logo, and the usual line outside, Leonard’s Bakery has become a can’t miss destination for foodies on Oʻahu. The bakery, a family business that’s been famously featured in guidebooks, food blogs, Instagram roundups and more, is dedicated to keeping a local tradition alive. Since opening in
Hawaiʻi may be renowned for its mai tais and lava flows, but those classic tiki drinks are being reimagined for a new kind of bar guest. Whether you’re participating in Dry January or joining the growing number of people ditching alcohol altogether, Maui is a place to explore zero-proof tropical creations. I scoured bars across
It’s not at every hotel that, after mailing a coconut (yes, you read that right), you can hop on a beach bike and ride along a shoreline path to dinner. But that’s what it’s like at Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, a luxury retreat originally built in 1961 on a lava field fronting storied Kahuwai
It may be a simple concept, but you can’t help but smile in awe at Reef’s Real Fruit Ice Cream truck. And that’s the goal for Abby Alvin, owner of the vibrant food truck in Kīhei, Maui. With a huge grin, she says it brings her joy watching her customers’ reactions—whether it’s their first or tenth time to her business—as they watch their ice cream swirl out of the machines. Real fruit
