Best Breads: My Tour of Fresh Loaves Around Honolulu
Frolic’s former intern embarks on a loaf-by-loaf quest to find her favorite bread on the island.
I love bread. It’s a recent interest, so to discover the best sampling of loaves around Honolulu, I visited bakeries and asked for recommendations from the people who know the breads best: bakery workers. It was a delicious tour. Here are my top finds.
SEE ALSO: My 6 Favorite Bakeries on O‘ahu
Photo: Maddy Chow
Fendu Boulangerie
The aromas at Fendu are rich and inviting, with hints of toasted grains. The daily special is focaccia, and it’s covered in parmesan, but a staffer steers me toward the best-selling French batard ($8.25). This is the perfect loaf, she says, made with the same dough as the baguettes, just with an oval shape.
A perfect loaf? I decide to take her advice. The fresh batard is pillowy with an exterior crunch and so delicious.
I can’t finish the whole loaf, so after classes, I do as she instructed: Put the bread in the oven for around 15 minutes at 325 F with a little water drizzled around. The oven brings the loaf back to warm, toasty life, just the way it tasted this morning. I’m definitely going to buy more.
Daily 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mānoa Marketplace, 2752 Woodlawn Dr. #5-119, Mānoa, fenduboulangerie.net, @fendu.boulangerie
Photo: Maddy Chow
Halekulani Bakery
Stepping inside Halekulani Bakery feels like entering a chic café in New York or L.A. Just across the street from the iconic Halekulani Hotel, its interior is stunning. Pastries by the dozen are elegantly arranged in glass cases, while rows of loaves are neatly packaged on the back shelves. Sourdough and baguettes are the most popular breads, but the worker helping me says her personal favorite is the fig and nut loaf.
Halekulani’s breads and pastries are some of the fluffiest, most decadent I’ve ever tasted. The flavors of the fig and nut loaf are beautifully sweet and subtle—just hints, not overwhelming. The blend of brown and white flours adds depth and a multigrain texture, and walnuts provide a lovely crunch. It’s a perfect balance.
Daily 6:30 to 11:30 a.m., 2233 Helumoa Road, Waikīkī, halekulani.com
Photo: Maddy Chow
Wallflour Bake Shop (temporarily closing after Aug. 30)
With a short line at all times, Wallflour is easily the most popular stop for a loaf at the Saturday Kaka‘ako Farmers Market. On a recent day, the selection includes five kinds of bread alongside gorgeous pastries. Sourdough is the most popular, though a worker says her personal favorite is the Sesame Purple Rice loaf.
The loaf is stunning, with a crispy crust fully coated in sesame seeds. The first few bites are delightful, with extra crunch from the sesame. Inside, grains of purple rice are clearly visible, though they don’t contribute much flavor. I enjoy the soft and slightly chewy bread and would happily return for another loaf.
Saturday 8 a.m. to sellout, 919 Ala Moana Blvd., Kaka‘ako, wallflourbakeshop.com, @wallflourbakeshop
Photo: Maddy Chow
Dean & DeLuca
I stumble upon Dean & DeLuca’s freshly baked $5 loaves at the same Kaka‘ako Farmers Market (it’s since closed that booth, so the loaves are now at the bakery/café’s Kaka‘ako location). With so many tempting options—matcha twist, chocolate babka, apple cinnamon—I ditch my plan to follow an employee and order the custard cream loaf that catches my eye.
This has to be one of the lightest breads I’ve had, almost like eating air. I am shocked by the texture—despite feeling slightly dense from the outside, the loaf is airy and soft when split open. It’s topped with almond slivers, with custard running beautifully through the center. The subtle custard flavor complements the bread perfectly.
If you’re living solo, this is ideal for a light breakfast. You can easily get four slices out of it (if you manage not to devour it all in one sitting like we did). I’m already looking forward to going back for more.
Note: Dean & Deluca no longer pops up at the Kaka‘ako Farmers Market, but you can find its breads at the Kaka‘ako shop in the Ko‘ula building.
Multiple locations, deandeluca-hawaii.com, @deandelucahawaii
Photo: Maddy Chow
Okayama Kobo Bakery
Better known for its matcha drinks and Japan-style pastries, this Japanese bakery chain has quickly become one of my favorites for its milky white bread. Baking is constant—workers are pulling sheet pans from the ovens and restocking the glass cases all day. Bread is baked fresh every hour, crisp and flaky even in the late afternoon.
You can get shokupan cut to sandwich size or toast size, which is about three-quarters of an inch. Toast size maximizes the experience of its thick, fluffy texture. The slices are huge and incredibly soft and airy, light yet satisfying. This, I can confidently say, is the best bread I’ve had on the island.
Tuesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 310 Kamake‘e St., Kaka‘ako, okayamakobousa.com, @okayamakobohawaii
Photo: Maddy Chow
Breadshop
Breadshop is a beloved gem on Wai‘alae Avenue known for its stunning array of artisan baked goods. It is a hole-in-the-wall and the kind of place where the bread practically melts in your mouth. Ordering is online only, and popular items sell out quickly: baguettes, rustic loaves, pastries and everything in between. For me, the real draw is the unbeatable quality of Breadshop’s fresh, warm bread—nothing is served a day old. On different days, you can get loaves of olive bread, furikake focaccia and brioche.
Weekly menus come out every Tuesday. If you forget to order, chances are you can still find a Classic Country loaf. This simple bread lives up to the hype. The crust is beautifully crisp; the inside is incredibly soft, moist and ultimately comforting.
Wednesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 3408 Wai‘alae Ave., Kaimukī, breadshophnl.myshopify.com, @breadshophnl
Maddy Chow is a former intern at Frolic Hawai‘i and a recent graduate of Shidler College of Business at UH Mānoa.
