9 Best Restaurants in Lanai, Hawaii

This neighborhood restaurant is a magnet for locals and visitors alike. Friendly service and a casual atmosphere provide the backdrop for a menu featuring fresh island ingredients prepared with bold flavors. The dining room is a friendly and comfortable alternative to the Four Seasons, and a convenient if sometimes noisy gathering place for large parties. For added ambience, request a table at the outdoor patio for an alfresco dining experience under the stars.

Chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa offers his signature new-style Japanese cuisine in this open-air, relaxed luxury venue that features a lounge, outdoor tables, and a sushi bar overlooking Holopoe Bay. This is fine dining without the stress, as black-clad waiters present dish after dish of beautifully seasoned, raw and lightly cooked seafood from local waters, or flown in directly from Alaska and Japan.

This cheery Lanai City institution offers simply prepared, consistent, tasty food. Local paintings and photos line the walls inside, while townspeople parade by the outdoor tables. For breakfast, try the Lanai omelet with Portuguese sausage. Lunch selections range from burgers -- with house-made patties and buns—to local favorites, such as saimin noodles. For dinner, you can sample generous portions of shrimp tempura or roasted pork. Phone ahead for takeout.

Named after the oldest telephone prefix on Lanai, Café 565 is a convenient stop for plate lunches, sandwiches on freshly baked focaccia, pizza, or platters of local-style favorites to take along for an impromptu picnic. Bring your own beer or wine for lunch or dinner, and request a table on the patio, which is kid-friendly.

A block from Dole Park, this Northern California–style café offers an umbrella-covered deck where you can sip cappuccinos and get in tune with the slow pace of life. Bagels with lox, deli sandwiches, and pastries are served, while blended espresso shakes and gourmet ice cream complete the coffeehouse vibe.

A local favorite, this lunchroom-style café has picnic tables in the landscaped front yard where diners can watch the town drive by, plus a few more tables in the no-frills interior. The menu includes local favorites like kimchi fried rice and massive plate lunches, plus daily specials.

Named after the island's 140 square miles, this ocean-view restaurant serves prime cuts of beef and the freshest local fish in airy comfort on a terrace that overlooks the wide sweep of Hulopoe Bay. Retractable awnings provide shade on sunny days, and comfy rattan chairs, potted palms, and tropical decor create an inviting setting.

Small and colorful, Pele's is a deli and bistro all in one. For lunch, sandwiches or daily hot specials satisfy hearty appetites; at night, it's transformed into a busy bistro, with an intimate back-room bar where entertainers often drop in for impromptu jam sessions.

A stunning view of the legendary Puu Pehe rock only enhances the imaginative fare of this open-air restaurant, which also has great views of frolicking dolphins from its terrace. Tuck into a Hulopoe Bay prawn BLT, the crispy battered fish-and-chips with Meyer lemon tartar sauce, or any one of the tempting salad options.