Chef-owner Ed Kenney started a culinary renaissance in Hawaii when he opened Town in 2005. Up until then, each time I returned to my childhood home, I was disappointed with food that I could relate to nostalgically, but not as examples of culinary excellence. The islands are abundant with fresh local produce, and Kenney started promoting delicious local cuisine that he sourced, grew and cooked. Herbs and some vegetables are grown on the premises or at his home, and other produce is sourced from local Hawaiian farms. Ed also makes his own charcuterie, using every part of a 200-pound whole pig (Yokshire-Landrace, Berkshire or wild boar) that he orders weekly from local farms. The salumi platter is a spread of five items such as coppa di testa, pickled pig’s ear terrine, liver pâté, sopressata, dry chorizo, carriatore, finocchiona, plus local fruit mostarda and pickled vegetables. It’s the perfect start to a meal at the aloha-spirited, foodie hangout.

Town is not only my favorite restaurant in Honolulu, but it’s also among my top ten favorites in the world. It’s a casual eatery that showcases local Hawaiian ingredients in delicious and refreshing salads, pastas, fish dishes, house-made charcuterie and more. Kenney and his team always get it right. Since the menu and atmosphere vary for each meal service, I always have at least one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner at Town during my time in Honolulu. I simply can’t resist missing any of it. Trust me, it never gets old.