Foodies, visitors and enthusiastic eaters have a lot to catch up on, as there are many new restaurant hotspots to choose from this summer. Here’s a look at our picks for the best new restaurants to hit the Oahu dining scene.
1. The Street
Photo: The Street
Many rejoiced after famed Chef Michael Mina landed in Hawaii to launch StripSteak Waikiki, now his new social house concept has opened its doors to rave reviews. Located in the International Market Place, The Street HNL offers an array of culinary gems curated by the James Beard Award-Winning and Michelin-starred chef and executed by an all-star line-up of heralded featured chefs.
Innovative poke bowls, donuts, shave ice, pizza, farm-fresh salads, pipping-hot ramen, zesty BBQ and Mediterranean dishes abound at this upscale food hall — which showcases gourmet offerings on the go and at reasonable prices. The menagerie of eateries also offers an exotic themed cocktail tiki bar and chocolate bar for those who would like to indulge.
2330 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 377-4402
Open 7 am- 11pm (open everyday)
2. Scratch Kitchen & Meatery
Photo: Scratch Ward
Heralded for its ever-evolving menu of sweet and savory breakfast/brunch dishes, Scratch Kitchen & Meatery is now open in Ward Village. The sister restaurant to Chinatown’s Scratch Kitchen & Bake Shop now boasts a highly anticipated dinner service, delivering casual dining with Southern and Latin influences.
Seasonal dining means the menu will change with the seasons, meanwhile Chef and Owner Brian Chan creates a uniquely memorable experience with well seasoned flavors, innovative dishes along with some of the crave-able classics (milk & cereal pancakes, chilaquiles and shrimp & grits) he has become known for.
1170 Auahi Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
Monday-Friday 9:30am- 3pm
Saturday & Sunday 7:30am-3pm
Monday-Saturday 5pm-9pm
3. TOPPED
Photo: TOPPED
Proclaiming they have the best Bibimbap in Honolulu is an understatement, TOPPED brings fresh, full-flavored, tastes of South Korea to Honolulu’s bustling downtown district. What originally began as a simple street vendor (tucked away) in Waikiki is now a brick and mortar eatery — look for the red door frame — serving Korean cuisine.
The Chef and Owner, Justin Sok, takes modern Korean cooking and infuses it with traditional and authentic cultural influences. Visitors and locals alike say this stop is a memorable one because of its combination of delicious food, robust cuisine and familiar textures. A popular afterwork happy hour session with flavored soju, Korean brews and delectable bites (kalbi, Korean pancake and bibimbap in a stone bowl) keep the crowd returning for more.
66 North Hotel Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 369–1991
Tuesday – Saturday 11am-2pm/5pm-10pm
Sunday 11am-3pm (Lunch only).
4. Makana Market & Deli
Photo: Makana Market
Rustic yet refined, classic yet modern. Makana Market & Deli recently opened with the intent to showcase New American cuisine with a local twist and crafted with a different perspective. Dishes are bursting with flavor, combinations are innovative and unique and the menu showcases simple items like tacos, sandwiches and pasta but on a whole new level.
With a mission to always utilize fresh ingredients, locally sourced and chopped by hand, Chef Ignacio Fleishour aims to create meals that originate as simple but the result is complex in taste. Organic salads, the house-made charcuterie “Hunter’s Board” along with local venison are standouts.
711 Cooke Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 518-3067
Monday – Thursday 8am-2pm
Friday 8am-2pm and 6pm-9pm
Saturday 7am-3pm and 6pm-9pm
5. Tsukada Nojo
Photo: Sean Morris
The farm-to-table concept is alive and well at this new izakaya-style restaurant. Tsukada Nojo utilizes locally-grown ingredients from close to a dozen farmers, spanning three Hawaiian Islands. Their speciality flavors come from Puna chickens raised by Punachicks on the Big Island. (Note: chicken art and design is a big part of the interior decor of the restaurant too).
Dubbed asian fusion with a specialty for nabe, the restaurant caters to guests by offering small plates, sharable dishes, noodles and crave worthy hot-pots. Diners also love the Farmer’s Hour (happy hour) served both early and late, along with the ever-so-popular and photogenic teddy bear shaved ice for dessert.
1731 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 951-4444
Monday-Thursday 5pm-11pm
Friday & Saturday 5pm-12am
Sunday 5pm-10pm
6. Hideout at The Laylow
Photo: Rowena Salanga
A fusion of Pacific Rim meets classic comfort foods, the Hideout sources fresh ingredients with a posh, cool, contemporary vibe. From locally-inspired starters to flatbreads, rice bowls and burgers, bites are bold, Asian-influenced and offer a hint of Hawaiian flair.
This beautiful open-air bar and restaurant combines retro with modern chic accents hidden in the heart of Waikiki. This signature restaurant, at the new Laylow Waikiki hotel, welcomes guests with fresh brewed coffee, live music, happy hour specials and a lounge complete with inviting fire pit.
2299 Kuhio Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 628-3060
Open everyday 7am-12am
