Hawaiʻi Magazine readers have voted on their favourite breakfast and brunch spots on Oʻahu for 2026, and the list mixes century-old institutions with newer kitchens that treat breakfast as serious cooking. If you're planning a trip to Honolulu or the windward side, this is a handy eating itinerary in itself.
Topping the list is Eggs 'n Things, the Waikīkī institution that opened in 1974 and now runs four locations on Oʻahu plus outposts in Japan and Guam. It's known for big plates and a relaxed vibe — think fluffy pancakes buried under fruit and whipped cream, loco moco, eggs Benedict and Portuguese sausage with eggs. Go early; the queues are part of the experience.
Second place goes to Liliha Bakery, open since 1950 and a favourite with local families. There are now six locations across the island, and the menu leans comforting: omelets, waffles, loco moco and, crucially, fresh-baked pastries worth taking away for later.
For something more inventive, Koko Head Café from chef Lee Anne Wong has become a defining name in the island's brunch scene. The menu leans on local ingredients and Hawaii's mixed food heritage — the breakfast bibimbap arrives in a hot skillet with crispy garlic rice, soy-mirin shiitake mushrooms, kimchi, gochujang, Portuguese sausage and bacon. There's also cornflake-crusted French toast and tempura-fried shoyu chicken with French-style scrambled eggs.
Over in Kailua, Cinnamon's Restaurant covers the classics — omelets, loco moco, several eggs Benedicts — but the pancakes are the draw. The red velvet and guava chiffon versions, served with housemade honey butter, are the signatures worth planning a morning around.
The most meaningful entry is Waiʻoli Kitchen & Bake Shop in Mānoa. It traces its roots to 1922, when the Waiʻoli Tea Room opened as vocational training for girls at the Salvation Army Girls' Home and once drew hundreds of visitors a day. Today it continues that mission, training graduates of substance abuse programmes and people recently released from incarceration. Breakfast and lunch run six days a week, with banana macadamia nut pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and a short rib loco moco on the menu.
The list reflects a broader shift: Oʻahu brunch has moved well beyond hotel buffets, with local chefs riffing on island classics — lilikoʻi pancakes, specialty loco moco — often paired with a POG (passion-orange-guava) mimosa. Whether you want nostalgia, Instagram-worthy pancakes or food with a purpose, there's a table waiting. The winners come from the magazine's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards.
Who it's for: anyone building a Honolulu or Kailua itinerary who'd rather eat where locals eat than settle for resort breakfast. Renting a car helps — the list spans Waikīkī, Liliha, Mānoa and the windward coast, so you can pair a pancake run with a hike or beach day.
