Haawi Toast & Tea

Hā'awi Toast & Tea is at the Kaka'ako Farmers Market every Saturday from 8AM - 12PM. They are known for their delicious toast topped with fresh seasonal fruit, vegetables, or local favorites like kalua pork. My favorite is the mango toast and I highly recommend this. The mango toast used to be a seasonal item, but they have a vendor that can provide them with fresh local mango year-round so it stayed on the menu. The toasts are priced between $6-$7. I suggest getting two toasts per person but if you plan on trying other items at the farmers market, one toast per person is good. They also have an iced green tea that's good and strong.  

They are located on the side closest to the Kaka'ako Waterfront Park. Like all vendors, they are takeout only, but you can find a grass area to sit and eat or eat while you're walking. They accept cash or card, and you can tap to pay. For parking, you can park for free in the lot across from Ohana Hale Marketplace or find parking along Ahui Street or Ilalo Street. If you do park on the street, please read the signs to make sure you are not illegally parked.

Kaka'ako Farmers Market
919 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814

Mango Toast

Avocado Toast

Kalua Pork Toast

Pineapple Toast

ELEVEN

ELEVEN is a cocktail bar located inside of Foodland Farms at Ala Moana Center. They offer a large selection of liquor, with some specialty cocktails and a few items on their food menu. I recommend the popcorn with sage and the prosciutto asparagus toast.

The entrance to ELEVEN is towards the back of the store. You will see some wood panel walls and behind that is ELEVEN. The interior space is nice and it feels very comfortable to hang out in. This would be a great place to come with your co-workers or friends after work.

Foodland Farms Ala Moana
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814

Popcorn w/ Sage

Prosciutto Asparagus

Ahi Tartare

Sake Cured Salmon

Lacinato Kale

Sweet Symphony

Cosmpolita (mocktail)

Pandanimal

 

 

Yung Yee Kee Dim Sum

Yung Yee Kee serves dim sum all day. If you want dim sum for dinner, this is where you should be. They are known for their steamed salted egg custard buns which has filling that oozes out. I highly recommend ordering this and you will want to eat it while it is still hot. My other favorites where the shrimp dumplings, pan fried seafood bean curd rolls, and the custard tart with flaky crust. The dine in experience is better than takeout because of the food temperature. The steamed items taste the best when they are still steaming. When I did takeout, all the items were cold by the time I got home.

The inside of the restaurant is well lit and clean. They have photos of the food on the menu so this is helpful if you don't want to read the English or Chinese. You mark off the items on the sheet of paper and just sit back and wait for the food; no dim sum carts here. Their dim sum is pricey, starting at $5 per steamer. The atmosphere is good and the staff were alert. I made reservations 48 hours in advanced and went on a weekday for an early dinner to avoid the crowds. They are located next to the Ala Moana Building. The entrance faces Kapiolani Blvd. They have free parking available in the back of the building by Sweet Creams and Manichi Ramen, you can drive in from Kapiolani Blvd or Kona St.

1411 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 955-7478

Steamed Salted Egg Custard Bun

Shanghai Pork Dumplings

Shrimp Dumplings

Pan Fried Seafood Bean Curd Rolls

Look Funn w/ Beef

Mochi Puffs w/ Pork

Custard Tart

Sesame Ball w/ Red Bean

A-ma's Gua Bao

A-ma's Gua Bao is known for their Taiwanese pork belly buns. They are one of the newer vendors at the Kakaako Farmers Market this month. The bao has other fillings like, beef, minced pork, and tofu. Each bao costs $8. I recommend the pork belly and the beef gua bao. Both of those had a lot of flavor. The minced pork was a bit too spicy for my liking. The tofu is good if you want something with lighter flavor.  

The Kakaako Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8AM - 12PM. A-ma's Gua Bao is located on the side closer to the ocean. They accept cash and Venmo only. If you plan to try this, I suggest going early in the morning to put in an order first and then coming back to pick up the food in 30-60 minutes. The prep/cook time takes awhile because they steam the buns in small batches. They usually sell out by 11AM.

Kaka'ako Farmers Market
919 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 388-9696

Pork Belly Gua Bao

Beef Shin Gua Bao

Minced Pork Gua Bao

Tofu Gua Bao

 

Sunset Texas Barbecue

If you're looking for good BBQ, you need to stop by Sunset Texas Barbecue in the Kakaako area. They used to have a food truck on the north shore and now they have a shop in town. Depending on what time of day you go, the wait could be more than 30 minutes. I went around 12:30pm on a Sunday and there was no line. All items on the menu were available. The beef brisket is tender and goes great with the mild BBQ sauce. The pork spare ribs and cream corn were my favorites. The pinto beans were good but it was a bit too spicy for me so I wasn't able to eat more. This place is very pricey. My lunch ended up being $60 and I shared it with 2 other people. The staff are friendly and they're super appreciative with the customers, they "thank you" and they say "bye" too. I don't get that when I do take out at other places. I got more "thank you's" last year and during the shut downs.

For parking, it's all metered street parking in front and around the area. If you go on Sundays, street parking is free so take advantage of that. They accept cash or card. You can also eat there but you'll need to show your vaccination card, ID, and leave your contact information.

For more information about Sunset Texas Barbecue, visit www.sunsetq.com.

443 Cooke St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 476-1405

Beef Brisket (top), Cream Corn
Pork Spare Ribs (bottom), Spicy Pinto Beans

Arvo Cafe

Arvo Cafe is coffee shop located in the middle of SALT At Our Kaka'ako. Besides coffee, they also offer iced teas and toast. The shop is tiny, but they have a large outdoor seating area; some tables are shaded, and some are in the sun. The beverages and food prices are reasonable. The staff are friendly, and they give good recommendations if you're not sure what to try. My favorites are the vanilla latte, meatballs and toast, and the egg salad toast. The meatballs and toast are good if you're feeling extra hungry.  

For parking, park in the SALT At Our Kaka'ako structure and ask for validation. The first hour of parking is free. If you go over that 1 hour, it's $1. 

For more information about Arvo Cafe, visit arvocafe.com or check out their instagram, @a_r_v_o.

SALT At Our Kaka'ako
324 Coral St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 312-3979

Iced Mocha

Meatballs & Toast

Smoked Salmon Toast

Egg Salad Toast

Iced Vanilla Latte

Boba Bros

Boba Bros is locally owned and are known for their organic milk tea. They are a vendor in the farmers market at Blaisdell Center (Wed. 4pm-7pm), Kakaako (Sat. 8am-12pm) and Kaiser High School (Tues. 330pm-6pm).

The drinks cost between $5-$6, for diary free, it's an extra $.50. Their drinks are photogenic if you get the ones with the walls. I usually go in the evenings, so I get the caffeine-free options like the tiger milk and ladybug. My favorite is the ladybug because it goes well with all the different food, I'm eating at the farmers market. If you go towards the end, they are usually sold out, so I recommend going early if there's a specific drink you want. They accept cash and card payments.

For more information about Boba Bros, visit bobabroshawaii.com or check out their instagram, @boba_bros_hi.

Tiger Milk

Crème Tea

Lady Bug

lulu bakery

Lulu bakery offers basque cheesecake that is reasonably priced. The basque cheesecake is smooth, creamy, and not overly sweet. You can get a whole cake for $25 and it feeds 4-6 people. If you are interested in ordering, please visit lulu bakery on instagram, @lulu_bakery808.

Basque Cheesecake (slice)

Basque Cheesecake (whole)

 

Fujiya Hawaii

Fujiya Hawaii is a confectionery known for their mochi, manju, and senbei. Some of their products are available in the supermarket but I recommend coming here for the best selection. If you're planning to get mochi, it is best to pre-order 2 days in advance on their website. This will guarantee you'll get what you want. You can walk in but some items might be sold out because of its popularity. Today (8/8/2021) is also the inaugural National Mochi Day. If you grew up on the islands, you'll know that mochi platters are at potlucks and holiday lunches/dinners so this is loved by the locals. My favorites are the strawberry mochi and chichi dango. The prices for mochi and snacks start from $4.

They are located in the McCully area. When you see Sanoya Ramen on S. King Street, make a right turn and Fujiya will be in the next parking lot. The parking lot is shared with Minato Japanese Restaurant and a few other businesses. Since we are still in a pandemic, I suggest paying with a card. Their terminal accepts contactless payment.

For more information about Fujiya Hawaii or to place an order, visit fujiyahawaii.com.

930 Hau'oli St
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 845-2921

Strawberry Mochi

Chichi Dango (regular & haupia)

Pineapple Senbei

Island Popper

Island Popper is open and you can pick up some gourmet popcorn to snack on as you continue to work from home. My favorite flavor is the Oahu Mix, it's half butter popcorn and half furikake popcorn. If you've never had their popcorn before, I suggest the 4-cup pack for $10. Once you figure out your favorite flavor, move up to a bigger size. You can also have mochi crunch added to your popcorn for an additional fee. 

They are located in Kalihi. If you live on the island, you can purchase online and get curbside pick. They have parking spaces in front of the shop. If you are on the neighbor island or the U.S. mainland, they can ship to you. They have 2 different websites so make sure you are using the correct one before placing your order. You can follow them on instagram, @islandpopper for special flavors and special pricing.

For more information about Island Popper, visit islandpopper.com. To order on Oahu, visit islandpopper.net.

1549 Colburn St
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 888-0101

Spicy Garlic Butter (small)

Oahu Mix (large)

Big Island Mix (large)

Mix & Match (4 cup pack)

Tiger Sugar

Tiger Sugar's first Hawaii location is now open in Honolulu. Their signature drink is the black sugar boba and pearl milk with cream mousse. The boba is made in small batches and kept warm so it stays soft and chewy. The black sugar is what sweetens the drink and there is no customizing of the sweetness level like at the other shops. All the ingredients are imported from Taiwan except for the milk. My favorite was the black sugar boba and pudding milk with cream mousse. The pudding is also made fresh and they were generous with the portion. The black sugar milk drinks come in 1 size and it's $6.

They are located at the corner of Nuuanu Ave. and Vineyard Blvd. in the same complex as Papa John's. The parking lot is small and vehicles can enter from both sides so you can get stuck. I suggest parking on the street in the metered parking spaces along Nuuanu Ave.

1365 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 376-0648

Black Sugar Boba + Pearl Milk
w/ Cream Mousse

Black Sugar Boba + Pearl Milk +
Chocolate Malt w/ Cream Mousse

Fat Cheeks

Fat Cheeks is known for their seafood rolls. Their most popular is the lobster roll but there is a shortage on lobster so I ordered the trio with crab, shrimp, and crawfish. I got half a sandwich for each. My favorite was the shrimp roll because the pieces of shrimp were big and the sauce was light. The crab was my second favorite and I didn't care for the crawfish; it was a bit too fishy for me. All three sandwiches were served cold on lightly toasted brioche. The trio also came with a bag of chips and it was $16. I recommend the online ordering so you don't have to wait inside Ohana Hale Marketplace.

For more information about Fat Cheeks or to place an order online, visit fatcheekshawaii.com.

Ohana Hale Marketplace
333 Ward Ave
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 773-4129

Trio
(1/2 crab roll, 1/2 shrimp roll, 1/2 crawfish roll)

 

Blind Ox - CLOSED

Blind Ox is a speakeasy located in Kapahulu. You can spot their modern exterior at the corner of Paliuli Street and Kapahulu Ave. They offer whisky flights and pages full of other drinks. I mainly came for the food and to see friends. The prices are high but their portions are big so they were perfect for sharing. The crispy pickled duo, nori shrimp, and bone marrow were my favorites.

They have outdoor seating which is well lit and casual with couches and low tables. The indoor seating has beautiful decor, dim lights and an ox sculpture greeting you. I recommend the indoor seating if it is available. I went on a weeknight and they were busy; the wait for food was long. I suggest making reservation at least 1 week in advance. They only offer valet parking.

For more information about Blind Ox, visit blindox.com.

829 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816

Crispy Pickled Duo

Escargot

 Kampachi Tartare Taco

Bone Marrow

24 K Gold Popcorn Chicken