Assaggio, the longtime Italian restaurant tucked into Kailua Business Center, will serve its final plates at the end of the year as the owners head into retirement after 35 years in the business. The Kailua location, which opened in 1991, was the first in what became a small chain across Oʻahu and, for many Windward regulars, its impending closure feels like losing a neighborhood fixture.
According to the Pacific Business Journal, owners informed staff that they plan to retire and will wind down the Kailua restaurant by year’s end. The April 9, 2026 article by Virginia Noone was the first public word of the shutdown, and the business had not issued a broader statement to other outlets at that time.
Background
Public records cited by the Better Business Bureau trace the Kailua restaurant back to 1991. From that single spot, the brand expanded into multiple locations across Oʻahu over the following years.
Kailua’s small-business climate
The closure lands in the middle of a broader shuffle for Kailua small businesses, as rising rents and ongoing staffing and supply challenges continue to squeeze local operators. In a September 2024 piece, Honolulu Civil Beat reported that landlord decisions and lease terms have been key factors behind several recent closures, pushing some long-running businesses to sell or shut their doors.
What’s next for Assaggio
The Pacific Business Journal notes that the Kailua restaurant was the first of six Assaggio locations across Oʻahu, and the outlet reported that it is not yet clear whether the other restaurants will remain open after the owners retire. Hoodline has reached out to Assaggio’s management and the property owner for more details and will update this story if they respond…