O‘ahu’s Best New Restaurants of 2025

Portuguese bean soup at Faria. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

From among the dozens of new restaurants Frolic covers each year—and the dozens more our team checks out—only a few will emerge at year’s end as the best. These are our individual picks, sent to me in secret with instructions not to discuss choices with anyone else. They are the best not for reasons of price or convenience (though these matter!), but because they do what they do very well, and consistently, in ways that keep us going back again and again not as food writers, but as fans.

Every year brings surprises. In 2022, Nami Kaze nearly swept the secret ballot as the top choice of 6 of our 7 writers. In 2024, for the first time, no one had a clear new favorite. The results this year point to an O‘ahu restaurant scene that’s not only regained some footing despite a difficult year, they highlight innovation, comfort and adventure. Here are our picks for best new restaurant of 2025.

SEE ALSO: Hawai‘i’s Best New Restaurants of 2023

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Chao Hawai‘i

With life being so busy these days, Chao’s opening in September completely fell off my radar. Thankfully, Mari Taketa’s review led me to what would become my favorite new restaurant. With a comfy neighborhood atmosphere and a vivacious crew, I felt right at home the first time my wife and I dined here. The dishes are vibrant, leaning into the funk that defines Vietnamese cuisine in all the best ways. Make sure you leave room for dessert, as the coconut flan is the stuff that my food dreams are made of. Firm, flavorful and velvety smooth, it’s a contender for my favorite dish of 2025. —Gregg Hoshida, Frolic

1613 Nu‘uanu Ave., Nu‘uanu, (808) 888-0166, chaohawaii.com, @chaohawaii

SEE ALSO: Chao Brings Modern Vietnamese Shine to an Unlikely Stretch of Nu‘uanu

Photo: Mari Taketa

Faria

I was ready to love Faria when it opened in January. It was the lone beacon in a Portuguese-rich landscape painfully devoid of Portuguese restaurants, and I knew the skills of Kawehi Haug and her team. Eleven visits later, Faria reaffirms my faith. Portuguese food here is of a particular sort, the kind rooted in local memory—now revived, updated, exciting, familiar. There is no soup I don’t recommend (special love for the Portuguese bean soup, potato-kale caldo verde and the brothy lau lau stew). Other must-haves are the opulent tinned fish board and pasteis de nata custard tart. 2025 was a good year for strong new restaurants in Honolulu; amid this rising tide, for me, Faria sparkles. —Mari Taketa, Frolic editor and HONOLULU dining editor

306 Ku‘ulei Road, Kailua, (808) 200-4953, fariahawaii.com, @fariahawaii

SEE ALSO: Finally, a Portuguese Restaurant: Faria Brings Hawai‘i-Style Portuguese Food to O‘ahu

Photo: Martha Cheng

Kevin’s Kitchen

I love going to Kevin’s Kitchen for banquet dinners or just weekday lunch or dinner. For a banquet, my go-to preorders are the chicken and jellyfish salad, roast goose and beef tenderloin with mustard sauce. And whether I’m going for an occasion or everyday meal, the salt and pepper fried tofu is a must. —Martha Cheng, Frolic

1296 S. Beretania St., (808) 888-3689, @kevinkitchen808

SEE ALSO: Kevin’s Kitchen Is a Hit for Hong Kong-Style Roast Meats and Other Dishes

Photo: Melissa Chang

Mad Pie

My dining habits may have drastically changed since 2024, but you won’t catch me skipping pizza. Mad Pie is my favorite new restaurant of 2025. James Orlando is a hard-working dude and after many years of toting his oven to various markets as Fatto a Mano, he finally has a permanent spot on the map. The East Coast-style pies are excellent, with a distinct sourdough crust that brings a lot of flavor to delicious ingredients. I prefer the simple, unfussy pizzas, but his clam pie and Crunchwrap Supreme specials are fun head-turners. The tossed-to-order salads and filled-to-order crispy cannolis are just as excellent. —Thomas Obungen, HONOLULU special projects editor

Maybe I’m a little biased because I’ve known owner James Orlando for years and have always considered his pizza one of the best in town. And now that he has a brick-and-mortar, I know that his cannolis are good, too! I love that I can now get his pizza almost any time I want. I just need to go early enough so he’s not sold out. —Melissa Chang, Frolic

516 Keawe St., Kaka‘ako, madpiepizza.com, @madpie_hi

SEE ALSO: Kaka‘ako’s Newest Pizza Spot Mad Pie Opens Sunday

Photo: Mari Taketa

Mama Guava

I always have high hopes for a new restaurant replacing an old favorite, and Mama Guava came into the former Pig & The Lady in Chinatown hot. The super saucy smash burger with house-made longanisa rivals The Daley’s a few blocks away with a massive stack of garlic fries to share. I couldn’t get enough of chef Monique Cadavona’s favorite dish when it opened in early October, a hot pot with super creamy pork broth, pork belly, enoki mushrooms, fish balls and more. I rarely order salad on my own, but the seasonal fruit salad with watermelon, tomato, mint tea vinaigrette and shiso was a surprise hit for our table. Cadavona cooked at The Pig & The Lady a decade ago, so is coming full circle with her own food. Unfortunately for us, Mama Guava is a pop-up until February and only serves lunch, so go while you can, and pray it finds permanent digs. —Katrina Valcourt, HONOLULU executive editor

83 N. King St., Chinatown, mamaguavahnl.com, @mamaguavahnl