This story was originally published in our SUMMER Digital issue, which you can view here. When Neale Asato launched an exclusive hourlong tasting menu at Asato’s Waikīkī with the kind of local snacks most of us grew up with, I was skeptical. Crack seed and shave ice for $58? Who’s gonna sign up for […]
SPAM musubi is a signature snack in Hawaiʻi. A simple combination of white rice, SPAM, nori (seaweed), there’s really nothing better than a freshly made SPAM musubi—except for a free one. READ MORE: The History of 5 Local Grinds in Hawaiʻi L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is celebrating the 6th annual National SPAM Musubi on Aug. 8,
Two scoops white rice, a scoop mac salad and a generous portion of a protein like teriyaki beef, chicken katsu or grilled fish—and you have Hawaiʻi’s quintessential plate lunch. The plate lunch—or mixed plate—is a symbol of the Islands’ plantation era when workers from different backgrounds shared home-cooked meals, resulting in a blend of foods that make up Hawaiʻi’s one-of-a-kind cuisine. Today, the
Marzo’s Country Bar and Restaurant opened in Pāhoa on Hawaiʻi Island on March 1, 2026, and while its name makes it clear it’s a “country bar and restaurant,” it’s already turned out to be so much more. Marzo’s is not just a place where residents and visitors can eat good food and grab a drink,
Standing outside a bright yellow storefront in Haleʻiwa, Travis Smith explains how he and his team transformed the space into Oʻahu’s seventh Sunrise Shack, painting the building and renovating the interior in just one month. Next to HI Pie Bakery + Café and across from Kaimana Shave Ice, the new location came together quickly. Smith
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
