Lilikoʻi Kitchen is opening its full-service café in Kailua

A new café is celebrating its grand opening March 8 in Kailua.

Lilikoʻi Kitchen — whose original location is at The Collective (407 Uluniu St. Ste. 101) — is expanding and officially opening its second location this Saturday. According to chef/business owner Biana Alsip-Freeny, this new venue (in the former space of Maui Tacos) is a full-service, fast-casual concept.

“It’s still café-themed,” she says. “We’re going to be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we’ll have rotating brunch on the weekends. At the other location, we’re open for breakfast and lunch, and then we close down. At this location, we’re open seven days a week.”

The business’s location on Uluniu Street is located inside The Collective — a tattoo shop, café and gallery — and is a sidewalk café that’s more designed for takeout, due to limited outdoor seating. This second location boasts a bigger space with more tables.

“A lot of people were asking us for a sit-down concept, so we listened and as soon as this opportunity arose, we jumped at it,” Alsip-Freeny says. “I named it Lilikoʻi Kitchen after one of my favorite ingredients, which is lilikoʻi, and also after our signature salad dressing.”

If you’re there for breakfast, enjoy dishes like the luxe breakfast burrito ($17.99) — stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo potatoes, salsa, chipotle and garlic aioli, bacon, ham and sausage — baked blueberry french toast plate ($18.99) and Monte Cristo ($15.99). The latter features ham, lilikoʻi jam and provolone cheese in Japanese white bread.  

For lunch and dinner, choose from and assortment of salads, plates and soups. Plates — including Lilikoʻi Kitchen garlic shrimp plates ($18.99), mac nut crusted fresh catch ($19.99) and bacon mushroom herbed chicken ($19.99) — are served from noon to closing.

If you want something unique, check out LK’s chicken and dumpling soup ($14.99), which includes bell peppers, celery, onions, carrots, shredded chicken and “dumplins,” according to Alsip-Freeny.

“My dad’s chicken dumpling soup is going to be featured daily on the menu,” she says.

The business’s acai bowls — there are three of them — are sure to be customer favorites. Choose from the farmers market bowl ($15) — acai, mixed berries, granola, lilikoʻi butter, cacao nibs, bananas, toasted coconut and amber honey — lilikoʻi bowl ($15.99) with acai, lilikoʻi ice cream, mixed berries, granola, lilikoʻi butter, bananas and cacao nibs; and macadamia nut bowl ($15.99). The latter features acai topped with macadamia nut ice cream, mixed berries, granola, lilikoʻi butter, bananas, cacao nibs and macadamia nut crumbles.

To keep things fresh, the café will offer rotating brunch specials on the weekends, which will give the biz a chance to “keep creative and seasonal,” according to Alsip-Freeny.

Lilikoʻi Kitchen is celebrating its second location’s grand opening this Saturday, March 8.

“There will be a blessing at 8:30 a.m., and the first 30 guests will get our lilikoʻi vinaigrette,” Alsip-Freeny says. “We’re so excited to be here, and we’re excited to have a full-service menu. We’re happy to join the community and be able to spread our aloha.”

CONTACT
Lilikoʻi Kitchen
539 Kailua Road Ste. 102, Kailua
lilikoikitchenhawaii.com
Instagram: @lilikoikitchenhawaii
Open daily, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.