Senia

Opened in 2016 to widespread critical acclaim, this bustling neighborhood restaurant, in Honolulu’s Chinatown, combines a lively à la carte dining room with an intimate chef’s counter. Led by Anthony Rush - award-winning British chef and co-owner of the restaurant with his wife Katherine Nomura - Senia’s culinary team have devised a set of menus that highlight Hawai’i’s abundance of ingredients and showcase the gastronomic possibilities of creative collaboration.

Served from 17:30 until 21:30 Tuesday through Saturday, the à la carte menu offers casual, approachable food that celebrates a wide variety of flavors and the very best of what’s in season. A choice of snacks, small plates and larger format dishes designed to be shared, help establish a relaxed setting that exudes informal elegance. Smoked Ahi Cigars, Falafel Fries, Maui Nui Venison Carpaccio, Roasted Bone Marrow and Snake River Farms American Wagyu (served with triple-cooked roasties, spinach and mushroom) are just some of the mouthwatering dishes we instantly fell in love with, but as was the chef’s intention when the restaurant first opened, guests here are truly spoilt for choice.

Senia’s much-heralded tasting menu, served at the intimate eight-seat chef’s counter (single sitting at 18:30, Friday and Saturday), offers an incredible gastronomic experience you’re unlikely to forget in a hurry. Premium ingredients, original flavor combinations and artful plating results in a series of inspired dishes that are, without exception, visually stunning and delicious. No stranger to top-tier dining, having learned his trade in Michelin-starred kitchens in the UK and the US, chef Rush’s breadth of expertise and leadership is evident in the exquisite cuisine on offer. And the kitchen-facing counter - allowing dialogue between diners and the culinary team - adds an extra dimension to an already immersive experience.

Providing the perfect complement to the food, the cocktail program - though less extensive than that of sister restaurant Podmore - delivers a range of innovative, delectable drinks with a focus on creative presentation and high quality ingredients. There’s also a carefully curated wine list comprised of interesting, terroir-driven wines that pair well with Senia’s cuisine.

Taking its name from the Greek word Xenia meaning ‘the custom of offering hospitality to strangers’, the restaurant’s unique ambience is such that it feels like you’re dining amongst friends. Undeniably stylish but by no means stuffy, Senia remains one of Honolulu’s hottest dining destinations. Effortlessly marrying first-class fine-dining with the warm hospitality Hawai’i is famous for, a meal here is a truly memorable experience you’ll want to revisit again and again…