Part art gallery, part restaurant, and part fever dream of two culinary mad men, Vintage Cave has given the fine dining scene in Hawaii new life. The Honolulu-based restaurant—which is located “in the bowels of Ala Moana Center, in the employee parking lot where it often floods during winter,” as Honolulu Magazine memorably described it—stands as a testament to what chefs can do with a little imagination and a lot of money.
The money behind Vintage Cave: Takeshi Sekiguchi, the colorful but secretive Japanese mogul who opened the $650 million Grand Wailea. The chef: Chris Kajioka, a Hawaii native who’s worked prestigious kitchens from San Francisco to New York. It was Sekiguchi who lured Kajioka back home with an offer he couldn’t refuse: to open a fine dining establish built to his specifications. Money was no object.
The 32-seat Vintage Cave cost $20 million to build and features walls adorned with art from Sekiguchi’s extensive personal collection. The ever-evolving tasting menu runs to around $295 per person, though prices can dip lower, depending on what’s on offer.
And what’s on offer? Seasonal vegetables, imported fish and meats, and locally sourced products are often featured. But part of the experience of bellying up to the table there is the element of surprise. You get what you get from Chef Kajioka (or one of the many guest chefs he invites for special events), and chances are, you’ll love it.
Another element you’ll love: the Private Society Membership. Spilt into two-tiers (Charter Members pay $500,000 and Special Members $50,000), the membership offers a whole range of benefits, including access to the private wine cellar.
Vintage Cave
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Ste 2250
Honolulu, HI 96814
Neighborhood: Ala Moana
