CULINARY JOURNEYS
Like you, THE MODERN HONOLULU values authenticity. It’s a value that will serve you well when it comes to planning your personal culinary journey on Oahu. Ask our concierge, or any member of our staff, about their favorite places to eat in Honolulu – they’ll happily share their genuine love of the islands, and Hawaiian food, from an insider’s perspective.Naturally, you’ll want to taste (and take home) some Kona. Sample and purchase the coveted Hawaiian coffee inside an old sugar mill on Waialua Estate, Oahu’s only coffee farm, overlooking the North Shore. Take a tour to understand how the island’s climate and volcanic soil create the ideal growing conditions for Kona beans.
In the Honolulu food lexicon, signature dishes often spin Asian fusion with local produce, including fresh seafood. Celebrity chefs like Masaharu Morimoto bring the taste to Honolulu restaurants (here’s looking at you, Morimoto Waikiki), as do farmers’ markets from Waikiki to the North Shore. Several times weekly, you can shop the markets for island-cultivated indulgences (think Waialua chocolate and raw honey) and order preparations from plate lunches to mochi. For additional foodie souvenirs, THE MODERN HONOLULU recommends Tropical Farms – the fresh-roasted macadamia nuts are addictive.
When our staff directs you to the shrimp trucks, don’t question. More institutional than mobile, these trucks along Oahu’s North Shore channel everything they have into the shrimp. (Read: Even picnic tables are a luxury, but you won’t mind when you dig into the seafood, typically served ultra-garlicky or spicy over rice.)
On the same theme, our staff may recommend the Hole-in-the-Wall food tour. As its name suggests, the tour reveals the best Hawaiian food done casually. Groupthink on the cultural mélange is optional, but only after you’ve tasted the variety in Korean-style barbecued chicken, malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) and a walk through Honolulu’s Chinatown.
