The traditional food court — a collection of inexpensive fast-food eateries grouped around a central seating area — is undergoing a transformation. While every mall still has these casual gathering places, they’ve been growing and changing on Oahu. Call them food halls, restaurant clusters or centralized dining areas, they represent a range of cuisines and price points, from the upscale Waikiki Yokocho to the grab-and-go accessibility of the “grocerant.” And there’s more to come in 2017.
Waikiki Yokocho opened its doors last week, the latest centralized dining concept to hit the isles — and certainly not the last.
Yokochos, traditionally alleyway clusters of casual restaurants, exist throughout Japan. Hawaii’s version, a 16-restaurant project at the Waikiki Shopping Plaza, features more upscale venues, reflecting a general trend toward catering to the tastes of increasingly sophisticated diners.
This year brought various centralized dining concepts that include high-quality food, and more are coming in 2017.
Japan Village Walk opened at Ala Moana Center in June, with a mix of casual eateries as well as specialty bistros and a bakery by the gourmet outfit Vintage Cave.
Other players in the arena are “grocerants,” traditional supermarkets that offer a range of restaurant-style options, from expanded delis and hot bars to gourmet pizza and well-executed hot plates to order. Two of those opened this year — at Ala Moana’s Foodland Farms and Taste of Times in Mililani.
Next year comes chef Michael Mina’s The Street and Ala Moana’s The Lanai, both of which will present curated lineups of food vendors.
Frank Clark, CEO of Waikiki Yokocho, says Hawaii diners — and its visitors — are primed for such offerings.
“People’s palates are changing. They’re looking for higher-quality food,” Clark said. “Waikiki Yokocho is their chance to try very authentic Japanese cuisine. Good food translates everywhere.”
Mina’s Waikiki project, set to open in the spring, will include 12 to 18 casual restaurants in a 12,500-square-foot space with communal seating. Mina’s involvement — he’s a James Beard award-winning chef — means diners can expect food that goes beyond standard casual fare. Some venues will involve Mina chefs; others will be partnerships with other chefs. Confirmed for the space are The Ramen Bar, International Smoke and Kai Poke.
The Lanai, to be housed in the former Shirokiya store, will comprise 10 to 12 specialty vendors with centralized seating for 450 customers. Ala Moana plans to open it next fall. The space will fill the need for quick-food options on the Diamond Head end of the mall, which have been missing since Shirokiya relocated.
“Traffic in that location is driven by locals because it’s near Macy’s,” said Kay Day, senior director of leasing for the center. She said the area is also close enough for nearby office workers to stop in for grab-and-go lunches. A walk to the other side of the huge mall, where Shirokiya’s Japan Village Walk is located, would take too much time.
The Lanai will introduce fresh concepts in casual dining, something that will appeal to foodies.
“We want to address the millennial customers who take pictures of their food,” Day said.
She’s hoping for an eclectic mix of venues: a noodle bar, pizza joint and banh mi vendor, for instance, would offer diverse options.
“There are many discussions going on,” she said.
“We’re hoping to work with up-and-coming chefs with experimental, contemporary food concepts. We want to offer something with a different point of view.”
