Our Favorite Oʻahu Farm-to-Table Restaurants This Winter

Oʻahu’s dining scene is deeply rooted in a sense of place. Across the island, chefs are embracing Hawaiʻi’s abundance by utilizing fresh-caught fish, tropical produce and locally-raised meats. These farm-to-table restaurants support food security in the islands and offer a true taste of its land and sea.

Chef and owners Makoto Ono and Amanda Cheng locally-source over 70% of the ingredients on their menu. Arden Waikiki is one of the few restaurants that serves ʻulu (breadfruit) on its menu, an important staple crop in traditional Hawaiian cuisine. In 2025, the restaurant garnered multiple awards from Honolulu Magazine’s Hale ʻĀina Awards, including Best Desserts, Best Service, Best Cocktails, Best Mocktails and Best Spot for Parent’s Night Out. Arden also has an extensive natural wine list and some of the most expertly crafted desserts on the island.

Working with over 30 local vendors, it doesnʻt get much more farm-to-table than Fete. Owned by James Beard Award-winning chef Robynne Maiʻi and her husband Chuck Bussler, Fete is a local favorite and Chinatown institution. Come for classic comfort food, exceptional fish specials, craft cocktails and one of the best wine lists on Oʻahu. Since opening their sister bakery, Mille Fete, down the street with pastry chef Katherine Yang, the dessert program at Fete has propelled to new heights. Save room for world-class ice creams, pastries and cakes. Cap the meal with an Italian amaro and you have one hell of a meal.

Celebrity chef Lee Anne Wong is fiercely committed to championing local ingredients. Whether you come to Koko Head Cafe early in the day for all-day brunch or later for dinner, youʻll find whimsical family-style dishes that represent the Hawaiian Islands. Over the last couple years Wong has also opened Koko Head Cafe in Tokyo and Osaka, bringing the values of aloha and farm-to-table to Japan.

Owned by Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine co-founder chef Peter Merriman, Merriman’s Hawaii continues to offer sophisticated dining in an unpretentious atmosphere. The first Merrimanʻs, located on Hawaiʻi Island opened 30 years ago and is Hawaiʻi’s first carbon neutral restaurant. Look forward to thoughtfully crafted dishes like ʻahi ginger poke with homemade Molokaʻi sweet potato chips and macadamia nut crusted Kona kampachi. Merriman’s Hawaiʻi has locations on four islands – Merriman’s Honolulu (Oʻahu), Merriman’s Kauaʻi (Kauaʻi), Merriman’s Kapalua (Maui) and Merriman’s Waimea (Hawaiʻi Island).

Monkeypod Kitchen and its sister, Moku Kitchen, offer farm-to-table fare crafted by co-founder of Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine, ,chef Peter Merriman in a lively atmosphere. Great for large parties and family gatherings, these restaurants are staples on Oʻahu and can please anyone’s tastes. Don’t forget to order Monkeypod’s famous mai tai with lilikoʻi foam, also available at Moku Kitchen and Merriman's Honolulu.

Chef and owner Ed Kenney has been a voice for local farmers, fishers, ranchers and artisans since he opened his restaurant Town (now closed) in 2005. At Mud Hen Water, you can find riffs on traditional Hawaiian cuisine, such as heʻe lūʻau, and Hawaiʻis canoe crops – ingredients brought to Hawaiʻi by the first Polynesian settlers – throughout the menu. Also, come for brunch on the weekends for the local banana pancakes.