The 20 Essential Restaurants in Waikīkī

"The Zetton group has a knack for tucking cozy, well-designed spaces into forgotten corners of Waikīkī. The group renovated one of Waikīkī’s few remaining buildings from the 1930s, restoring the original wooden beams, which had been plastered over when the building housed a scooter rental business and a nail salon. On the ground floor they installed Zigu, an izakaya that combines locally grown ingredients with modern Japanese flavors, while upstairs, at Nature Waikiki, the menus lean French. There’s a tasting menu (a vegetarian version is also available) at the chef’s counter, and on the more casual side of the restaurant, order from an a la carte menu that might include heart of palm beignets and Kaua‘i shrimp griddled with absinthe butter. Reservations for the tasting menu are required." - Martha Cheng