Picnic Lunch with a View

Spalding House is an idyllic spot for a contemporary museum – a 3.5-acre estate on Makiki Heights with panoramic views of Diamond Head and Waikiki – and also a great place to picnic.

The cafe on the museum’s first floor offers a picnic service called Lauhala and Lunch for $35, which includes a picnic basket for two, complete with tatami mats to sit on. Choose from an assortment of sandwiches, wraps, drinks and salads. The lomi kale Caesar salad with a Parmesan cheese dressing and bubu arare (puffed rice) is popular. The cafe will also throw in a sweet dessert, such as shortbread cookies or brownies.

Sit anywhere in the gardens or on the lawn under the canopy of one of the museum’s giant monkeypod trees.

“It’s a great way to be outside and enjoy the gardens,” says Susan Lai Hipp, chef and manager of the cafe. “It’s gorgeous. You can just soak up the property.”

It’s a good idea to call ahead to order your basket, Lai Hipp says, especially if you want to picnic at the height of the lunch rush.