Best of HONOLULU Family 2018: Eat
Our readers’ and editors’ 20 picks for the best places to eat in Honolulu.
Photo: David Croxford
Best Bee-Shaped Dim Sum
Editors’ Pick
Panda Dimsum
The small Kalihi takeout counter all the way in the back of the City Square Farmers Market serves up bao you’ll have to Instagram before taking a bite. Smiling panda buns filled with custard, mischievous Minions stuffed with sweet red beans, sweet-potato-filled bees and other cute creatures go for $2 each to $3.50 for two. They’ll even do custom characters. Just bring in a photo at least three days before your pickup date. Our favorite part? No artificial food coloring. Panda makes its own vegetable dyes (pumpkin for the bright yellow, sweet potato for purple) for no-guilt noshing.
City Square Shopping Center,1199 Dillingham Blvd., (808) 429-2018
Best Malassada/Ice Cream Mashup
Editors’ Pick
Malamode at Pipeline Bakeshop and Creamery
Photo: Courtesy of Pipeline Bakeshop and Creamery
First it was a malassada ice cream with bits of the oh-so-good fried treat in every bite, called Malafrozada. Then, the Kaimukī bakery one-upped itself with the Malamode, a fresh malassada stuffed with the indulgent ice cream. Seriously. Available only on weekends—from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday—the Malamode, much like the original malassada, doesn’t keep well, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Leftovers just don’t happen.
3632 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 738-8200, pipelinebakeshop.com
Best Bakery for Keiki Treats
Readers’ Pick
Liliha Bakery
Picking your own dessert from a glass case is always a treat, even when you’re not a kid. Liliha Bakery has been serving up sweets for 68 years, so you can stop in for the famous coco puffs, our new favorite poi mochi doughnuts, adorably iced holiday sugar cookies or hand-decorated birthday cakes. The newer Nimitz Highway location also has tables for family seating, versus the barstools-only setup in the original shop on Kuakini Street, so everyone can easily share the fluffy pancakes, loco mocos, and even saimin with the bakery’s signature butter rolls and neon pink jelly.
515 N. Kuakini St., 531-1651. 580 N. Nimitz Highway, (808) 537-2488. lilihabakery.com
Best “Kids Eat Free” Deal
Readers’ Pick
Gyotaku
Photo: Karen DB Photography
We recently counted 13 kids-eat-free deals at restaurants around O‘ahu, but the Gyotaku’s special is a big hit with readers. Every Monday and Tuesday after 2 p.m., keiki 10 years and younger can select from teriyaki chicken, shrimp tempura, sushi, chicken karaage, or your choice of udon or saimin with shrimp tempura served with vegetables and fruit. And as your young ones pick ice cream or shave ice for dessert, included with the meal, they can also select a free kids toy from the keiki basket.
Three locations:Honolulu, Niu Valley, Pearl City, gyotakuhawaii.com
Best Place to Get a Fundraising Item to Sell
Readers’ Pick
The Cookie Corner
Photo: David Croxford
The Cookie Corner started as a single shop in Pioneer Plaza in 1981. Now the locally owned company known for open doors and alluring fresh-baked aromas is just as well-known for its fundraiser bags of crispy, bite-size sweets. A 50 percent profit on the sales price, just seven days’ notice needed for orders and the opportunity to pay on a schedule instead of upfront have been strong selling points for local clubs, schools and nonprofits.
Fourteen locations on O‘ahu, cookiecorner.com
Best Kid-Friendly Brunch
Readers’ Pick
Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa
Photo: Courtesy of Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa
Voters were clear about our new category for 2018: Anywhere with Mickey is a winner. Reservations for Aulani’s Disney Character Breakfast start filling up six months in advance for the buffet, which includes an omelet station, eggs Benedict, kālua pork hash, loco moco, miso soup, seared and grilled fresh fish, yogurt, fruit and, of course, the signature Mickey-shaped waffles. Mickey will greet you for a photo op on the way in, and kids can sing and dance with other character cameo appearances. If sunset is more your style, try the Menehune Mischief dinner buffet, which will be available on Wednesday evenings for the first time this summer.
1185 Ali‘inui Drive, Kapolei, (866) 443-4763, disneyaulani.com
Best Breakfast Restaurant
Readers’ Pick
Café Kaila
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Chrissie Kaila Castillo could eat breakfast all day. Thankfully, her popular café in Market City makes it deliciously possible. You’ll usually find a crowd of people waiting outside for a chance to order fluffy buttermilk pancakes or crisp Belgian-malted waffles covered in fresh fruit and a dusting of powdered sugar. Castillo whips up different flavors of her signature waffle every week, she has more than 20 including upside-down pineapple, chocolate with chocolate mousse, orange liliko‘i and maple bacon blueberry. Pair it with a generous scoop of fried rice, or, after 11 a.m., roasted pesto chicken or Kaila salad with mixed greens topped with cranberries, walnuts, feta cheese and more. Yes, there is a kiddie menu as well as vegan and gluten-free options.
2919 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 732-3330, café-kaila-hawaii.com
Rest of the Best
Best Burgers
Readers’ Pick
Teddy’s Bigger Burgers
Twelve locations on O‘ahu, teddysbb.com
Best Family-Style Caterer
Readers’ Pick
Ige’s Catering
910 Māpunapuna St., (808) 831-0050, igescateringservice.com
Best Healthy Snack You Can Order and Your Kids Will Love
Readers’ Pick
Jamba Juice
Twenty seven locations on O‘ahu, jambajuicehawaii.com
Best Ice Cream or Gelato
Readers’ Pick
Baskin-Robbins
Fifteen locations on O‘ahu, baskinrobbins.com
Best Kids’ Menu
Readers’ Pick
California Pizza Kitchen
Eight locations: Ala Moana Center, Honolulu Airport, Kāhala, Kailua, Kapolei, Mililani, Pearlridge and Waikīkī, cpk.com
Best Local Beverage Brand
Readers’ Pick
Hawaiian Sun
Best Local Food Brand
Readers’ Pick
Diamond Bakery
Sold in more than 160 retail locations in Hawai‘i and on diamondbakery.com
Best Pau Hana with Kids
Readers’ Pick
Dave & Buster’s
1030 Auahi St., (808) 589-2215, daveandbusters.com/honolulu
Best Pizza
Readers’ Pick
California Pizza Kitchen
Eight locations: Ala Moana Center, Honolulu Airport, Kāhala, Kailua, Kapolei, Mililani, Pearlridge and Waikīkī, cpk.com
Best Place to Pick Up a Weekday Meal and Best Place for Potluck Pickups
Readers’ Pick
Zippy’s
Twenty-four locations statewide: zippys.com
Best Shave Ice
Readers’ Pick
Waiola Shave Ice
Photo: Karen DB Photography
Two locations: Kapahulu and McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili, waiolashaveice.com
Best Spot for Parents’ Night Out
Readers’ Pick
Roy’s Hawai‘i
Three locations on O‘ahu: Hawai‘i Kai, Ko Olina and Waikīkī, royshawaii.com
Best Store for Locally Made Snacks
Readers’ Pick
Wholesale Unlimited
Photo: David Croxford
Seven locations: Kāhala, Kāne‘ohe, Ke‘eaumoku Street, Mānoa, Māpunapuna, Pearl City and Waipahu, wholesaleunlimitedhawaii.com.
