This Youthful Hawaiian Neighborhood Is An Artsy Haven Full Of Tasty Food And Trendy Shops

The neighborhood of Waikiki is known for having beautiful beaches and Honolulu's most historic hotels, but there are plenty more neighborhoods to explore and enjoy during your visit to Hawaii's capital city. Kaka'ako, for example, is a delightful, growing community just a few miles away from Waikiki. Before the 1800s, the area was used by native Hawaiians as fishing grounds. Some names in the area pay homage to that history, like the Kalokoʻeli Courtyard, named for a former fishpond, and SALT, a popular shopping center that calls back to the area's salt flats. The neighborhood has been transformed over time, most recently with the "Our Kaka'ako" initiative by Kamehameha Schools that took a largely industrial area and turned it into a thriving commercial and residential destination. 

There are vibrant murals throughout the neighborhood, and as you wander through the streets and shopping malls, you'll find fresh, inventive food along with locally owned boutiques that celebrate Hawaii's beauty and culture. On Saturday mornings near the harbor, there's a much-loved farmers market with over 100 vendors where you can get fresh fruits, fish, flowers, and delicious prepared food. The vendors rotate, but you can expect to get things like fried mochi balls, sugarcane juice, and coconut milk — if you want, you can get the whole coconut!

If you're looking for a tasty start to your day beyond the Saturday farmer's market, Cafe Villamor, at the entrance to a climbing gym, is a cute little coffee shop that serves seasonal drinks, like a wildflower honey latte and a sea salt macadamia nut mocha, along with smoothies, acai bowls, and pastries. 

Come lunchtime, if you're in the mood for a burger or a hearty sandwich, look no further than Butcher & Bird in the SALT shopping center. It's a combination deli and butcher shop, so if you're in an Airbnb or Vrbo, you can pick up some ingredients for a barbecue or a charcuterie spread — or even your hotel (more on that later). If you're craving something sweet, Black Sheep Cream Company in H Mart serves creamy ice cream with rotating flavors like strawberries and cream, honeycomb, and black sesame. And for a quick treat on the go, Lin's Hawaiian Snacks has been a staple since the 1980s — you can also grab a shaved ice here, a classic Hawaiian dessert.

For dinner, Merriman's Honolulu opened in 2018 as Chef Peter Merriman's first Oahu restaurant. The award-winning chef helped kickstart the farm-to-table food movement in Hawaii. At his chic bistro-style restaurant in Kaka'ako, you can enjoy dishes like kalua pig quesadilla, taro falafel, and macadamia nut crusted fresh fish. And to close out your night, The Social Honolulu in Ward's South Shore Market has fun signature cocktails.

The South Shore Market in Ward Village has some big-box clothing retailers, but it also has some smaller, local boutiques. At "always a.line," you can pick up flowy and stylish women's clothing with unique patterns, many of which are Hawaiian-inspired but more subtle than the stereotypical Hawaiian shirt. For more surfing lifestyle-inspired looks, Salvage Public is a must-visit. Known for its cool graphic tees, it also sells hats, blankets, and shorts.

At MORI by Art+Flea, you can find a wide variety of items made by a range of Hawaiian artists, from T-shirts to stationery and candles. Likewise, House of Mana Up was opened to highlight the work of up-and-coming Hawaiian entrepreneurs, and you can expect to find beauty products, Hawaiian food (hello chocolate and coffee!), and more.

If you want to be close to all the action of this dynamic neighborhood, stay at the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa. This sleek 39-story hotel was the first new hotel in Honolulu in 25 years, and it's got a massive pool deck on the 8th floor with a saltwater swimming pool, hot tubs, bar, and even barbecue pit areas — so if you're a guest here and you picked up some meat at Butcher & Bird, you can cook it up here. With all there is to do and see in Kaka'ako, make sure to put it on your bucket list. Otherwise, check out our Hawaii Travel Guide to plan a fuller trip to this magical island.