3 New Places to Check Out in Kailua, Oʻahu
Whether you’re looking for breakfast or something sweet, these new eateries on the island’s Windward Side have you covered.
Tucked on Oʻahu’s Windward Side, the charming town of Kailua is known for its laid-back vibe and picturesque beaches. But beyond Kailua Beach and Lanikai, the town is home to a variety of cozy cafés, hip eateries and top-notch restaurants. And new businesses continue to open, adding to the colorful lineup of places worth checking out.
READ MORE: Your Walking Guide to Kailua, Oʻahu
Here are three new places in Kailua to visit.
1. Lilikoʻi Kitchen
Whether you’re craving sweet macadamia nut pancakes or a fresh panini, Lilikoʻi Kitchen offers an expansive menu.
Photo: Grace Maeda
This neighborhood café has been around since 2023 but moved into its new location in Kailua this year, with a grand opening in March 2025. Whether you’re craving sweet macadamia nut pancakes, hearty fried rice loco moco, a refreshing açaí bowl or a panini, Lilikoʻi Kitchen offers an expansive menu that will satisfy everyone in your ʻohana. lilikoikitchenhawaii.com.
2. Faria
The Portuguese bean soup is from Haug’s grandmother’s recipe.
Photo: Sarah Burchard
In January 2025, Kailua welcomed Faria, Oʻahu’s first Portuguese restaurant. Here, you can enjoy dishes inspired by the chef’s family recipes alongside local-style dishes that folks in Hawaiʻi have been eating since they were kids. Kawehi Haug, chef and co-owner of the restaurant, describes the menu as Pacifika Portuguese.
Diners can enjoy a local variation of Portuguese bean soup, following Haug’s grandmother’s recipe, and the pao doce is a local take on Portuguese sweet bread. One of the most popular dishes at the restaurant is the bacalhau a bras. Bacalhau typically refers to salted cod, a dish loved in Portugal. At Faria, the salted cod in the bacalhau a bras is cut into chunks, then topped with slices of boiled eggs and olives. fariahawaii.com.
READ MORE: This Kailua Restaurant Will Take You Back to Dinners at Grandma’s House
3. Please Come Again
This aptly named and cool new ice cream parlor opened in Kailua in November 2024.
Photo: Grace Maeda
After one taste of this artisanal ice cream, you’ll want to keep returning to Please Come Again. This aptly named and cool new ice cream parlor opened in Kailua in November 2024. The shop serves unique ice cream flavors inspired by Island culture, many of them made with locally sourced ingredients.
Indulge in scoops of cinnamon malasada, featuring chunks of fried pastry from the beloved Agnes’ Bakery, or Lilikoʻi Honey Everything Bagel, made with a cream cheese base drizzled with Kailua Honey’s lilikoʻi honey and topped with Empty Elle’s everything bagel seeds. A crowd favorite is the miso salted caramel: Homemade caramel ribbons are swirled into a white miso ice cream—and the result is marvelous. You’ll also find creative flavors like rose lychee, strawberry matcha, Vietnamese iced coffee and mango sticky rice. pleasecomeagainhawaii.com.
Grace Maeda is the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.
