HONOLULU (KHON2) — Highway Inn, the family-owned restaurant known for Hawaiian comfort food since 1947, has opened a new café called Tūtū’s Place at Bishop Museum.
The café honors Nancy Toguchi, who co-founded Highway Inn with her husband, Seiichi. While Grandpa cooked, Grandma Nancy made sure guests felt welcome.
That spirit is now carried into the museum setting, and there’s a space designed for both food and gathering.
Tūtū’s Place celebrates Hawai‘i’s food traditions through a menu that blends old favorites and new ideas. Visitors will find Highway Inn staples such as kālua pig, beef stew, lau lau and squid lū‘au on Aloha Fridays and Saturdays.
Other options include shave ice, musubi, kālua pig flatbreads, lū‘au veggie tarts and house-baked cookies.
The café also serves espresso drinks made with locally roasted coffee and a range of pastries. The food reflects both the islands’ diverse heritage and the comfort of eating with family.
“Sunday dinners at my grandparents’ house were simple meals, full of love, that brought our family together,” said third-generation owner Monica Toguchi Ryan. “With Tūtū’s Place, I wanted to capture that same spirit of aloha and belonging — where food connects us and stories live on — ringing generations together so this knowledge isn’t lost in the rush to seek what’s new.”
The café was built inside the former Hall of Discovery which has been redesigned to feel like a plantation-era home. Décor includes vintage pieces, a communal dining table and a keiki play corner.
Visitors can relax with coffee on a sofa in “Tūtū’s living room” or cool off with shave ice overlooking the Great Lawn.
The Wall of Discovery highlights Hawai‘i’s food history through photos and artwork. Talk-story sessions and special events are also planned.
“On behalf of the entire Bishop Museum ʻOhana, congratulations to our friends at Highway Inn on the grand opening of Tūtū’s Place, a wonderful and welcome addition to our museum campus,” said Dr. Kristofer Helgen, Bishop Museum president and CEO.
Tūtū’s Place is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
It is located between Hawaiian Hall and the J. Watumull Planetarium. Parking is validated for two hours with a $10 minimum purchase. Museum admission is not required to dine at the café.
You can find them on Instagram @myhighwayinn or check out their website.
So, as one of Oahu’s oldest restaurants, Highway Inn has spent generations feeding locals and visitors; and their new story at Bishop Museum has begun.