Here’s Your Ultimate Guide to the Best New Malassadas on O‘ahu
Because does anyone really wait until Fat Tuesday to eat a doughnut?
For pure intensity, the year-end holiday season has nothing on what’s coming up. Right on the heels of Chinese New Year (Feb. 1) and Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) comes Fat Tuesday, which falls this year on March 1. Also known as Mardi Gras (and Malassada Day in Hawai‘i!), Fat Tuesday is the symbolic last day to feast on indulgences before the start of Lent.
In Hawai‘i, nothing captures our Fat Tuesday taste buds like a malassada. When our friends at sister publication HONOLULU Magazine bit into O‘ahu’s malassada scene two years ago, they ranked five beloved institutions: Leonard’s Bakery, Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery, Liliha Bakery, Kamehameha Bakery and Zippy’s. There are now many more places you can get your sugary fix.
Scroll below for more: Ready, set, dough!
SEE ALSO: 5 Places to Satisfy Your Malassada Craving on Fat Tuesday
100 Sails Restaurant & Bar
Among the most popular items at the dessert action station are ice cream sandwiches of taro malassada filled with pastry cream and vanilla bean ice cream. And rightly so: These are made to order, a heavenly combo of warm, airy malassada halves enveloping luscious, fragrant ice cream.
Dinner Friday to Saturday from 5 to 9:30 p.m., 100 Holomoana St., Waikīkī, (808) 944-4494, 100sails.com
Agnes Bake Shop
It was a sad day when Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop closed in January 2018, so malassada fans rejoiced when the business set up a malassada truck last summer. The truck usually parks in the parking lot of Manuheali‘i, right down the street from the bake shop’s former storefront, but occasionally roams so it‘s best to check Instagram. There are three flavors—regular, cinnamon and li hing—all $1.25 apiece or $14.40 for a dozen malassada costs $14.40. Pre-order by calling 284-4963 around 15 minutes before you arrive to ensure the freshest malassada.
Open daily Monday to Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5 Ho‘olai St., Kailua, (808) 284-4963, @agnesbakeshop808
SEE ALSO: Sweet Alert: Agnes’ Malassada Are Back in Kailua
Dukes Lane Market & Eatery
Head to the Spitfire Rotisserie & Flatbread counter inside Dukes Lane Market for these. Delightfully chewy, these mochi malassada come with no fillings—the flavor is all in the dough. Original is coated in plain sugar, ube is made with ube extract and sprinkled with ube powder, and yellow-orange mango, sweetest of the three, is made with mango purée. These sometimes sell out by the afternoon, so call (808) 923-5692 to pre-order.
Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., 2255 Kuhio Ave., Waikīkī, (808) 923-5692, dukeslanehawaii.com, @dukeslanehi
SEE ALSO: There’s Mochi Malassada in Waikīkī
Penny’s Malasadas
Penny’s sugary, pillowy malassada are light and easy to devour. Several flavors on a rotating menu are on offer daily: Coconut is almost always available and Nutella is a customer favorite; other choices include cherry limeade, banana cream pie, POG, liliko‘i and lemon meringue. A dozen plain costs $20; a dozen filled malassada is $24. Walk-up orders only; there’s also drive-thru service.
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 54-316 Kamehameha Hwy, Hau‘ula, @pennysmalasadas
SEE ALSO: Ice Cream and Malassada Worth the Drive to Lā‘ie
Piggy Smalls
If these malassada look familiar, chances are you’ve seen them at The Pig & The Lady. These lighter brioche bites are a feature of the new dessert menu at Pig’s sister restaurant in Kaka‘ako, with flavors changing seasonally. Pastry sous chef Kelsey Takara came up with peppermint chocolate malassada for the holidays and an orange creamsicle with candied orange peel version in January. February’s Valentine-inspired malassada are filled with a white chocolate raspberry cremeux, dusted in raspberry sugar and topped with white chocolate shavings. An order of three costs $6.
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., (808) 777-3588, thepigandthelady.com/piggysmalls
SEE ALSO: Find 12 Vietnamese Noodle Soups on Piggy Smalls’ New Menu
Mahi‘ai Table
Don’t let the setting inside Hawai‘i’s largest locally owned supermarket chain fool you. Mahi‘ai Table’s malassada crullers are only available at this eatery in Foodland Farms Kapolei. Four petite malassada ($8) come with liliko‘i caramel sauce for drizzling or dipping. They’re light, airy and pretty incredible.
Open Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; 91-5431 Kapolei Pkwy., (808) 670-2778, mahiaitable.com, @mahiaitable
SEE ALSO: Sneak Peek at Foodland’s First In-Store Restaurant
Redfish Poke Bar
Five minis are topped with Via Gelato’s horchata ice cream and sprinkled with a ramen-and-almond topping. Talk about sinfully sweet—with a lingering, slightly salty aftertaste.
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 685 Auahi St., (808) 532-6420, redfishpoke.com, @redfishpoke
SEE ALSO: Checking Out Redfish Poke Bar’s New Happy Hour