Martha Cheng

Dining editor for HONOLULU Magazine

Martha Cheng is the Dining editor for HONOLULU Magazine. She also writes for publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Food and Wine, and Eater. In past lives, she was a line cook, food truck owner, Peace Corps volunteer, Google techie and has degrees in Computer Science and English from Wellesley College. She really likes listing things. More than a decade ago, she came to Honolulu for a boy and stayed for the people and ocean. She was born in San Francisco, but prefers surfing in Hawai‘i.

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Articles

Bars and Cocktails

These Two Bars Deliver Some of Honolulu’s Most Luxurious and Creative Experiences

But are they worth the price tag?

Thuong An Lac Hu Tieu Credit Martha Cheng

Vegetarian/Vegan

In Chinatown, Thuong An Lac, Honolulu’s Only Vietnamese Vegan Restaurant

This hole-in-the-wall serves a diverse (and vegan) menu of classic Vietnamese noodle soups and dishes.

Sweets

POG Chichi Dango? Sweet Potato Mochi? Pizza Manju? This Is McCully’s New Fujiya

Plus, limited-edition flavors drop every Wednesday. Past hits: pumpkin crunch and banana cream pie.

Oldest Restaurants - Manago Pork Chop Horizontal

Local Businesses

Hawai‘i’s Oldest Restaurants Are Still ‘Ono After All These Years

They serve the ultimate old-school comfort foods that are woven into our childhoods. Here are some of those places that have been feeding us for more than 60 years.

What’s New

First Look: Nami Kaze, Okazuya-style Now, Izakaya Later

Jason Peel, who’s opened restaurants for other chefs, opens the first one of his own, what will become a seafood and vegetable focused izakaya.

What’s New

From Einkorn to Liliko‘i, Honolulu’s New Wallflour Bake Shop Combines Ancient Grains and Local Fruits

Find sourdough, brioche donuts and tarts at this new farmers market find and pop-up.

Hale ‘Aina Awards

2021 Hale ‘Aina Award Winner: How to Build the Perfect Hawaiian Plate

For the ultimate comfort food, we turn to our Hale ‘Aina winners for Hawaiian dishes passed down through generations as well as some sweet spins on a classic favorite.

Hale ‘Aina Awards

2021 Hale ‘Aina Award Winners: Danny Kaaialii and Jonny Vasquez of Encore Saloon, The Daley and Pizza Mamo Win Restaurateurs of the Year

When Danny met Jonny.

Local Businesses

HONOLULU Magazine 2021 Gift Guide for Food Lovers: Sweet Treats to Give Your Sweetheart

Whether your friends and family are naughty or love spice, you’ll find the right gift for everyone with great taste on your list.

Ono Gift Guide Ay Cl Subscriptions Feature

Local Agriculture

HONOLULU Magazine 2021 Gift Guide for Food Lovers: The Best Subscription Boxes from Hawai‘i

Whether your friends and family are naughty or love spice, you’ll find the right gift for everyone with great taste on your list.

Sweets

‘Ohana Nui’s Mac Nut Butter Cookies Are One-Bite Wonders

Find them in flavors of li hing pineapple, ginger and mocha chocolate.

Hale ‘Aina Awards

2021 Hale ‘Aina Award Winners: Hau Tree Restaurant at the Kaimana Beach Hotel Wins Gold for Best Outdoor Dining in Hawai‘i

Shade of the Century: Come for the tree, stay for the food.

Local Ingredients

Fish Just Got Real: Ta‘ape Throw Down Invites You to Eat the Invasives

Post a photo of your ta‘ape dish, and win a gift card of up to $400 to your favorite local tackle shop, restaurant or fish market.

Country Eatery Medi Bowl Credit Martha Cheng

Vegetarian & Vegan

There’s a Hidden Healthy Oasis in the Kahuku Sugar Mill

The Country Eatery offers coffee, fresh juices and healthy plates. But meat eaters are welcome, too.

Food & Dining

Best of Honolulu 2021: The Best Food and Drinks on O‘ahu

We asked our readers and searched the island for the best of everything—locally-made light beer to locally-grown açaí, sushi cake to soufflé pancakes, sherbet to taro doughnuts—all so you can live better in Honolulu.

Sweet Land Farm Gelato Credit Martha Cheng

Experience

Find Goat Milk Gelato, Caramel and Cheese at Sweet Land Farm’s Store in Waialua

Milk a goat on the farm tour and then try all things goat milk, from guava and liliko‘i gelato to gouda.

What’s New

First Look: Beyond Pastry Studio’s Pastries and Modern Take on Filipino Breads

Beyond Pastry Studio has opened in downtown Honolulu with ube ensaymadas, mango pineapple Spanish rolls and more.

Bar Maze Omakase Snack Credit Martha Cheng

What’s New

Sampling the Omakase at Kaka‘ako’s Bar Maze: Four Courses with Cocktails

Justin Park’s cocktails bring additional layers of complexity and delight to Ki Chung’s dishes.

First Look: Podmore Finally Opens in Downtown Honolulu

Three years in the making, Anthony Rush and Katherine Nomura’s cocktail bar is a gem worthy of a splurge.

Sweets

Into the Boba-Verse: Bubble Tea (Or Pearl Milk Tea) in Honolulu Has Come A Long Way

Venture into the outrageous and delightful modern boba world of butterscotch foam, crème brûlée topping, soursop, purple rice and so much more.

What’s New

First Look: The A La Carte Menu at Bar Maze in Kaka‘ako

Don’t expect a second Bar Leather Apron at this new bar by Justin Park and Tom Park.

Coffee & Tea

Try Coffee Is an Oasis in Kaka‘ako

TK Yamada, who spent more than a decade working and roasting for other cafés, now has his own spot with an extraordinarily pleasant lānai.

Cheap Eats

Cheap Eats Hawai‘i: The Best Food for 15 Dollars or Less for Your Dining-In or To-Go Pleasure

We’re all about deals, and after months of takeout, if it comes with elevated ambience and unexpected finesse, even better.

Bars

Coming Soon: Podmore in Downtown

Three years in the making, Anthony Rush and Katherine Nomura plan on opening Podmore, a cocktail bar and brunch spot, in mid-August.

Falling Ice Cube, Isolated On White Background, Clipping Path, Full Depth Of Field

Poke

Frozen ‘Ahi May Be Cheaper in Hawai‘i, But Buying it Sacrifices the Future of the Fish We Love

For the love of ‘ahi, stop buying previously frozen ‘ahi poke.

Hot Pot & Shabu Shabu

Eat on Time with Lobster Deals, Crystal Beef and Duck Blood

In a sea of hot pot restaurants, Eat on Time stands out with items popular in China but not found elsewhere in Honolulu.

Chefs

Alan Wong Talks About the Difficult Decision to Close His Restaurant

In November, Hawai‘i’s legendary chef decided to close his signature restaurant on King Street, one that earned dozens of awards, served a president, and trained and inspired a whole new generation of chefs.

Chef Sheldon Dishes Recipe Books We Tried It

Local-Style Eats

We Tried It: 9 Recipes from Sheldon Simeon’s New Cookbook

Pork belly adobo, nori chicken, chocolate birthday cake butter mochi: Sheldon Simeon is proudest of the people, places and poke of his home—and we found all of these in Cook Real Hawai‘i.

Hn2106 Marthacheng Calabash Food Pinkoyster2

Local Agriculture

3 Local Mail-Order Mushroom Kits to Start Growing at Home

Normally, we’re trying to get rid of fungus in the house.

Locally-Owned

Onomea’s New Candy Bars are Locally Made with Hawai‘i-Grown Chocolate

And they come in POG, matcha crunch, salted mac nut, and lime and coconut varieties.

Bars

Coming Soon to Honolulu’s Drinking Scene: Bar Māze in Kaka‘ako

Bar Māze hopes to integrate cocktails and food in a way thatʻs never been done.

Cheap Eats

Hawai‘i’s New General Store: Our 9 Favorite Items at Our Local 7-Eleven

Every 7-Eleven Hawai‘i store carries about 100 to 120 items in the fresh food department alone, on top of an assortment of packaged chips, snacks and candies.

Filipino

Adobo Burnt Ends, Kare Kare Surf and Turf and Filipino-Tiki Cocktails: Filipino Food Week Is Now

More than 20 restaurants across the state are participating in Filipino Food Week from June 6 to 12.

Local-Style Eats

Support Kupu. Eat Veggie Lau Lau and Short Rib Lau Lau

Kupu, the nonprofit that runs youth programs in conservation and sustainability, now offers Hawaiian food and breathtaking venue.

Hn2104 CL Calabash Food Flour Ulu Shortbread

Local Ingredients

Step Up Your Kitchen Game with Locally Grown and Milled Flour Power

Local grinds.

What’s New

Try These New DIY Gelato Cakes from Kaimukī’s Via Gelato

Tiramisu, strawberry shortcake, and even vegan chocolate and haupia gelato cakes.

Local Ingredients

We Tried It: Recipes for Baking with Local Cornmeal, Kiawe and ‘Ulu Flour

We made ‘ulu cacao nib, kiawe brown sugar and kiawe poached orange shortbreads from locally grown flours.

Locally-Owned

Park Yourself in Front of These Three Vietnamese Restaurants in Kaimukī

A parklet crawl turns into an exploration of Vietnamese cuisine beyond pho and banh mi.

Beer, Wine & Spirits

Here’s a Smooth New Filipino Rum that Tastes of Pineapple, Banana and Caramel

A second-generation distiller aims to brings modernness and fun to the drink scene with Kasama Rum.

Beyondpastry Epicureancheesecake Tobungen

Bakeries

8 Honolulu Bakers Band Together for a Stand Against Hate Pastry Box

Bakers Cristina Nishioka of Beyond Pastry Studio and Harley Tunac of The Local General store organize a pastry box with 100% of sales donated to groups fighting for Asian American and Pacific Islander rights.

Martha Cheng

Articles

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