10 Unexpected Italian Restaurants In Hawaii That Totally Deliver
Nobody books a flight to Hawaii thinking about pasta. You come for the waves, the volcanic coastline, the kind of light that makes everything look better than it actually is.
Italian food is probably the last thing on your mind, which is exactly why it hits so hard when you find it. And you will find it.
Sitting inside resort dining rooms with views of the Pacific, planted in upcountry towns where the air smells like eucalyptus, hiding in plain sight in spots that have no business producing food this good.
Hawaii has been quietly building an Italian dining scene that would earn genuine respect anywhere on the mainland, and the islands’ obsession with fresh local ingredients only makes it better.
Handmade pasta dressed with just-caught seafood. Wood-fired pizza with toppings sourced from Maui farms.
Coastal Italian cooking reimagined under open skies with the ocean doing the decorating.
Italy and Hawaii have more in common than anyone gives them credit for. These restaurants are the proof.
1. Cino
Sometimes the best meal you have in Hawaii has nothing to do with poke. Cino, sitting at 987 Queen St, Ste 100 in Honolulu, is proof of that.
The space feels polished but relaxed, the kind of place where you could easily linger for two hours without noticing.
The pasta here is made fresh, and you can taste the difference immediately. There is a softness to it that dried pasta simply cannot replicate.
The sauces are balanced, not heavy, which keeps every bite interesting rather than exhausting.
What makes Cino stand out is how confident the kitchen is. Nothing feels like it is trying too hard. The menu moves with the seasons, so there is always a reason to return and try something new.
It is the kind of Italian spot that feels genuinely personal, not like a franchise wearing a linen tablecloth.
If you are in Honolulu and craving something that will actually surprise you, Cino delivers that without breaking a sweat.
Go hungry, and maybe save room for dessert because the kitchen earns it by then.
2. Brick Fire Tavern
There is a moment when a wood-fired pizza comes out of the oven and the whole room smells like Naples. That moment happens regularly at Brick Fire Tavern on 3447 Waialae Ave in Honolulu.
The place is casual, the vibe is neighborhood, and the pizza is seriously good.
This is Neapolitan-style pizza done with real commitment. The dough ferments for at least 24 hours, giving the crust that slightly tangy, airy quality that people travel across countries to find.
The char on the edges is not an accident. It is the point.
Toppings are simple and deliberate. You will not find a 30-ingredient pizza here, and that restraint is exactly why each one tastes so clean and satisfying.
The San Marzano tomato sauce alone is worth the trip.
Brick Fire Tavern has built a loyal following in Honolulu, and once you eat here you understand why. It is the kind of place locals guard like a secret, even though the pizza absolutely deserves a crowd.
Pair your pie with a solid starter and settle in because this is not a rush-through kind of meal.
3. Arancino Di Mare
Eating Italian food with an ocean view sounds almost too good to be true, but Arancino di Mare at 2552 Kalakaua Ave in Honolulu makes it completely real.
The setting inside the Waikiki Beach Marriott is beautiful, but the food is what earns the reputation.
The seafood pasta here is extraordinary. Fresh clams, delicate broth, perfectly cooked linguine.
Every element respects the others, and the result is a dish that tastes both luxurious and effortless at the same time. The kitchen clearly knows its Italian classics and executes them with confidence.
Service matches the food in quality. The staff knows the menu well and gives honest recommendations without being pushy.
That kind of attentive but relaxed service is harder to find than people admit.
Arancino di Mare is part of a small local group of Italian restaurants in Honolulu, and this location carries its own personality.
The ocean-facing ambiance adds something special to the experience, but even blindfolded the food would impress. It is a genuinely memorable dinner spot that works for a special occasion or an indulgent Tuesday night equally well.
4. Sale Pepe
Maui can make everything feel more romantic, and Sale Pepe leans right into that. Located at 157 Kupuohi St, Ste J1 in Lahaina, this Italian spot has become a favorite among people who know the island well.
It is not flashy, but it does not need to be.
The menu reads like a love letter to traditional Italian cooking. Housemade pasta, slow-cooked sauces, ingredients that are treated with care rather than cleverness.
You get the sense that the people behind this kitchen actually care about what ends up on your plate.
The room is intimate without feeling cramped. Soft lighting, warm colors, and a general sense that dinner here is meant to be savored.
That atmosphere does not happen by accident. Someone put real thought into how this place should feel.
Sale Pepe is the kind of restaurant that earns word-of-mouth loyalty. Guests come back, bring friends, and then those friends bring their own people.
The consistency is part of why it works so well.
In a town full of tourist traps, finding something this honest and this delicious feels like a genuine win for your stomach.
5. Via! By Sale Pepe
Spin-offs rarely match the original, but Via! by Sale Pepe is an exception worth celebrating.
Found at 2435 Kaanapali Pkwy, Ste H-19 in Lahaina, this sibling restaurant brings the same Italian kitchen philosophy to a more casual, resort-adjacent setting. The energy here is lighter and faster, but the food quality does not drop.
The menu is approachable and built for people who want real Italian flavor without a long, formal dinner. Think well-crafted pasta, crispy starters, and sauces that taste like they took time even when your schedule did not.
It is smart cooking designed for how people actually eat on vacation.
The location inside the Kaanapali resort corridor means foot traffic is high, but the kitchen keeps its standards steady regardless of how busy the room gets.
That reliability is honestly impressive and something a lot of busier restaurants fail to maintain.
Via! feels like the kind of place you stumble into between a beach day and a sunset, and then end up talking about for weeks afterward.
The staff is friendly, the portions are satisfying, and the whole experience is just genuinely fun. Sometimes a casual Italian meal is exactly what the trip needed all along.
6. Restaurant Marlow
Upcountry Maui operates at its own pace, and Restaurant Marlow fits that rhythm perfectly.
Sitting at 30 Kupaoa St, Ste A104 in Makawao, this restaurant brings an Italian-inspired sensibility to a part of the island that most tourists never bother to explore. Their loss, honestly.
The menu reflects a kitchen that thinks carefully about ingredients. Local produce shows up alongside classic Italian technique, creating dishes that feel rooted in both place and tradition.
That combination is genuinely rare, and when it works this well it is worth going out of your way for.
Makawao itself has a cool, slightly artsy character, and Marlow matches that energy. The space is elegant without being stiff.
You can come dressed up or dressed down and feel equally comfortable, which says a lot about how the room is managed.
The pasta here has earned serious praise from people who eat a lot of pasta. The handmade quality comes through in texture and flavor, and the sauces complement rather than compete.
Restaurant Marlow is the kind of discovery that makes you feel like you did your research right, or got very lucky, and either way you are grateful for the meal.
7. Ferraro’s
Eating dinner at Ferraro’s while the Maui sky turns pink and orange behind you is an experience that requires zero exaggeration to sell.
Located at 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr in Kihei inside the Four Seasons Resort, this Italian restaurant delivers on every level. The setting is stunning, but the food earns its own spotlight.
The menu is classic Italian with a luxurious edge. Handmade pasta, rich risottos, and proteins cooked with real precision.
Every dish shows the discipline of a kitchen that has been doing this at a high level for a long time. Nothing feels rushed or careless.
Ferraro’s has outdoor seating that faces the ocean, and on a clear evening that view becomes part of the meal in the best possible way.
The sound of the water, the warm air, the perfectly plated food in front of you. It all comes together in a way that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
This is a splurge restaurant, and it knows it. But unlike some high-end spots that coast on atmosphere, Ferraro’s backs up every dollar with exceptional food and service.
If you are celebrating something or just treating yourself, this is absolutely the right call on Maui.
8. Pueo’s Osteria
The Big Island does not always get the restaurant attention it deserves, but Pueo’s Osteria is changing that one bowl of pasta at a time.
At 68-1820 Waikoloa Rd, Ste 1201, this osteria-style spot brings a genuine Italian sensibility to the resort corridor without feeling like a hotel afterthought. It feels real, and that matters.
Osteria in Italian tradition means a casual place focused on good food and honest cooking. Pueo’s takes that concept seriously.
The menu is focused rather than sprawling, which tells you the kitchen knows what it does well and sticks to it. That kind of confidence produces consistently great meals.
The pasta is made in-house, and the difference shows up immediately in the texture and the way it holds the sauce.
The portions are generous without being overwhelming, which strikes exactly the right balance for a dinner you actually enjoy rather than survive.
Pueo’s has become a go-to for both resort visitors and locals in the Waikoloa area, which is always a good sign.
When the people who live nearby choose a restaurant on their days off, that restaurant is doing something right. Pueo’s is doing quite a few things right, actually.
9. Nonna’s
The name alone tells you what to expect, and Nonna’s on 414 N School St in Honolulu delivers exactly the warmth and comfort that name promises.
This is Italian food that feels personal, the kind of cooking that reminds you why simple, honest food beats complicated showmanship almost every single time.
The menu leans into classic Italian-American flavors done with real care. Meatballs that taste like someone’s grandmother perfected the recipe over decades.
Pasta sauces that have depth and richness without relying on shortcuts. The kind of food that makes you slow down and actually pay attention to what you are eating.
The room has a neighborhood feel that is genuinely welcoming. It is not trying to be trendy or Instagram-perfect.
It is trying to feed you well and make you feel at home, and it succeeds at both without any fuss.
Nonna’s is the kind of place that fills up early and fills up often because the people who discover it tell their friends immediately.
The loyalty here is earned one plate at a time. If you find yourself in the Kalihi area of Honolulu with an appetite and no plan, let Nonna’s make the decision for you.
You will not regret it.
10. Arancino At The Kahala
There is something about the Kahala neighborhood in Honolulu that sets a certain tone before you even walk through the door.
Arancino at The Kahala, located at 5000 Kahala Ave inside the iconic Kahala Hotel, matches that tone with effortless grace. The food here is sophisticated, precise, and genuinely delicious.
This is the sister restaurant to Arancino di Mare, but the two locations have distinct personalities. The Kahala version leans more formal and intimate.
The pasta dishes are refined and carefully composed, with each element earning its place on the plate. There is no excess here, just clarity and skill.
The service team is polished and attentive in a way that elevates the whole experience. They know the menu deeply and guide you through it with genuine enthusiasm rather than rehearsed scripts.
That personal touch makes a real difference over the course of a long dinner.
Arancino at The Kahala works beautifully for a romantic dinner, a celebratory meal, or honestly any occasion where you want the food and the setting to do something memorable together.
The Kahala Hotel is a legendary address, and this restaurant is worthy of it. Few Italian restaurants anywhere deliver this level of consistency and elegance.
