Hawaii’s dining scene continues to evolve, and in December 2025, a new wave of exciting cafés and restaurants opened across the island of Oahu. From a beloved local Kona coffee café expanding into Waikiki, to a Japanese-born fast-casual brand making its Hawaii debut, here’s a look at the newest spots.
Hala Tree Cafe
A popular café rooted in a family farm in Captain Cook on the Big Island, Hala Tree Cafe is opening a new Waikiki location in early 2026. The new café will be located inside the Lilia Waikiki condominium, bringing its farm-to-cup Kona coffee experience to the heart of Honolulu’s most vibrant tourist district.
The original Kaaʻawa location has earned a strong following for its 100% Kona coffee, sourced directly from the company’s own farm. With this Waikiki expansion, the café aims to reach an even wider mix of visitors and local residents.
The new location will offer a full lineup of Kona coffee drinks, along with popular specialty beverages such as ube lattes and matcha lattes. Breakfast and lunch items are also planned. Situated along one of Waikiki’s main thoroughfares, the café is expected to become a go-to spot for anyone looking to experience Hawaii’s local coffee culture.
Address: 2380 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI
Website: https://www.halatreecafe.com/
ROKC
ROKC, a Japanese cocktail bar originally launched in New York, has officially opened its first Hawaii location in Waikiki Beach Walk, taking over the former Okonomiyaki Chibo space.
The name ROKC stands for Ramen, Oyster, Kitchen, Cocktail, reflecting the bar’s diverse menu. The interior is inspired by Japanese port towns from the Meiji era, when Japan first opened to the world, reimagined with a modern, stylish twist.
Guests may enjoy regional Japanese ramen styles from cities like Kyoto and Sapporo, along with freshly shucked oysters, and a creative selection of craft cocktails to boot. ROKC offers a refined yet approachable setting that blends Japanese culinary tradition with contemporary bar culture.
Grand Opening: January 1
Address: 280 Beach Walk, Honolulu, HI
Hours: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rokchawaii/
Taco Rice Hawaii
A new concept dedicated to taco rice—a beloved Okinawan comfort food—has opened along Kalakaua Avenue near Don Quijote. Taco Rice Hawaii is located in the former space of the Japanese restaurant Do-ne.
While taco rice may look like a Mexican dish at first glance, it actually originated in Okinawa, Japan. Despite the dish’s popularity in Japan’s southernmost prefecture, it’s still a rare find in Hawaii, making this spot a unique addition to the local food scene.
The menu keeps things simple and customizable, with classic taco rice as the main attraction. Add-on toppings such as lettuce, cheese, and sour cream can be requested for an additional price, and a vegan taco rice, along with other related dishes such as nachos, is in the works. The shop also serves acai bowls, making it a great stop for a meal or dessert.
Address: 1614 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI
Hours: Tue–Sat 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacoricehawaii/
Ribs & Broth
Known for its Waikiki location inside STIX Asia, Ribs & Broth opened a new restaurant in the Moili’ili neighborhood, joining a growing cluster of notable dining destinations in the area.
Specializing in Vietnamese cuisine, the restaurant is best known for its pho featuring tender beef back ribs. The menu also includes classic summer rolls served with lightly sweet peanut sauce, calamari fries paired with spicy mayo, and generously portioned barbecue beef back ribs and tamarind pork ribs.
In addition to traditional beef noodle soup, the Moili’ili location also offers ramen, making it an appealing choice for diners craving bold flavors and hearty comfort food.
Address: 2700 S King St., Honolulu, HI
Hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Phone: 808-745-5777
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ribsandbroth_moiliili
Okome Tendon & Poke
After launching its first location in Kapolei, Okome opened a new outpost at SALT at Our Kakaʻako. The restaurant is known for authentic Japanese tendon (tempura rice bowls) as well as fresh poke bowls made with carefully selected ingredients.
Okome uses rice imported from Japan and places a strong emphasis on quality, including the use of beef tallow and premium pork. The Kakaʻako location introduces exclusive menu items that combine tempura and poke in a single bowl.
Guests can customize bowls with tempura, poke, or udon. And the tempura is fried to order, ensuring a light, crispy texture every time. It’s a great place to experience the merging of both Japanese comfort food and Hawaii’s iconic poke.
Address: 685 Auahi St., Honolulu, HI
Hours:
Tue–Sat 10:30 AM – 8:30 PM
Sun 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Website: https://www.okomehawaii.com/
Pepper Lunch
The Japanese fast-casual favorite Pepper Lunch has officially arrived in Hawaii, opening its first location on December 12 at Moanalua Shopping Center near the airport—about a 20-minute drive from Waikiki.
With more than 550 locations across 17 countries, Pepper Lunch is best known for its signature Beef Pepper Rice. The dish features tender beef, rice, pepper paste, and cracked black pepper, all served sizzling on a hot iron plate. The sound and steam as the dish finishes cooking at the table are part of the experience.
Expansion is already underway, with additional locations planned for Kuhio Avenue near Hyatt Centric Waikiki and Kapahulu Avenue in 2026. The brand aims to open about 10 locations across Hawaii in the coming years.
Address: 930 Valkenburgh St., Honolulu, HI
Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pepperlunchhawaii/
December was a month for both local brands to expand into small chain operations, and concepts from New York and Japan to enter the Hawaii market. Although most of the new spots weigh heavy on the Japanese culinary influences, locals are thrilled to have another option for Vietnamese cuisine and a cool new café.
