2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards’ Best Buffet Goes to Plumeria Beach House
Seafood and Hawaiian food are a winning combo at the Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s beachside buffet destination.
HONOLULU Magazine - September 2025
2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards: Restaurateur of the Year Peter Kim Built a Local Empire of Fast Food, Fine Dining and Coco Puffs
Kim’s motto: Expect the unexpected.
It’s All in the Family at Kim Chee II, Our 2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards’ Old-School Restaurant We Love
That’s how members of the Chun family’s third generation feel about customers at their Kaimukī eatery.
“I Want Them to Dream,” Says President of Izakaya Naru, 2025 Hale ‘Aina Award Winner of Best Izakaya
With the tiny izakaya on King Street winning Hale ‘Aina gold, we talk to president Hiroyuki Akiyama on the eatery’s 15-year history.
2025 Hale ‘Aina Award Winners: The Best Restaurants in Hawai‘i
Congratulations to this year’s Hale ‘Aina Award winners announced on June 2, 2025.
Three Standout Drinks From Hale ‘Aina Award-Winning Cocktail Bars
Raise a glass at these cocktail bars recognized by our readers as providing the Best Cocktail Programs.
The Owners of Giovedì, the 2025 Hale ‘Aina Awards’ Best New Restaurant, Are Unapologetically Themselves
The folks at Giovedì spent years working for others before branching out on their own—and now they’re bringing home gold.
Celebrating Wāhine Awards 2025
We’re honoring 39 outstanding business and community leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, health care workers, creatives and others for their impactful contributions to our community. After readers submitted nominations, the women were selected by HONOLULU editors. We asked our award winners to tell us more about their goals and sources of inspiration. Here’s what they said in their own words.
Connecting with My Doppelgänger
Seeing my Vegas-based alter ego living his best life on Instagram sent me on a journey.
Empty Bowl Hawai‘i Returns to Support the End of Food Insecurity
At this fundraising event, you pick a ceramic bowl and fill it with soups by beloved local restaurants like The Pig & The Lady and MW Restaurant.
These Local Bag Lei Are Totes Charming
There’s nothing we love more than a local spin on a global trend. Case in point, Hawai‘i’s answer to the current bag charm obsession: island-inspired adornments for your carryalls.
The Era of Kala‘e Parish Has Arrived
The rising Hawaiian country artist was a standout winner at this year’s Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards.
Find Furniture Gems of Yesteryear at Today, Tomorrow
Today, Tomorrow offers an eclectic array of furniture from a wide span of design periods.
Through the Looking Glass With Glass Artist and Teacher Bud Spindt
A master artist finds joy in teaching basics to beginners.
We Tried It: Beginning Ballet for Adults
Queen Emma Ballet gave me another chance to embrace my inner ballerina.
New in Town
Places and activities that have opened recently, featured in HONOLULU Magazine.
Trade Your Secondhand Reyn Spooner Shirts for New Threads
You can now trade in pre-owned shirts for store credit through the Reyn’s Again program, with those in good condition given a second chance.
Honolulu Rail Expands With Four New Stations
The oft-criticized Honolulu Rail project’s next stops will be at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the airport, Lagoon Drive and the Middle Street Transit Center.
Art Installation Wahi Pana: Storied Places to Complete This Fall
The final phase of the public multimedia art project will be unveiled at various O‘ahu sites.
Is Tourism Really Way Down?
We got visitor data to see where the tourism industry stands since COVID.
Icy Thrills at Three of O‘ahu’s Most Popular Shave Ice Spots
We dig into the styles and flavors that make Chillest Shave Ice, Shimazu Store and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice the go-to for locals.
Things to Do on O‘ahu in September 2025
Experience “A Night in Morocco” with Hale ‘Aina award-winning restaurants, enjoy the Aloha Festivals pageantry, dance around the yagura at the island’s biggest bon dance and more.
