At Nui Italian, they specialize in stone-fired pizza two ways – Roman and Neapolitan – plus serve up many other classic Italian dishes. Their full bar serves all the best tropical drinks, too, allowing you to elevate your meal even more. On top of all that, the eatery sits in the heart of the Hilton Waikoloa Village, which lets you enjoy open-air dining in a lowkey setting.
As you can probably imagine, this restaurant is rather popular as a result, especially during the tourist season. Despite that, they are a first come, first served establishment. So, you cannot make any reservations – even if you’re dining with a large group. Instead, you’ll need to sign in at the front desk, and then wait for a table to open up. Most days, you can expect a 30 minute wait, although it’ll be longer if you want a table in a certain area.
You have your choice of tables in their cozy indoor lounge. Or you can sidle up to the bar for a quick bite to eat and plenty of delicious drinks. For the best dining experience, ask for a spot in their open-air garden area. From that vantage point, you get a phenomenal view of the lush tropical landscape backed by the Waiulua Bay in the distance.
No matter where you sit, however, you definitely need to peek through the glass to check out the pizza kitchen. In that area, the crew works hard to hand toss all the dough, and then add tasty toppings before sliding each pie into the pizza oven. You can see right into the oven, too, and watch as the cheese gets melty, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
Just as much care goes into the creation of all their other Italian fare. Plus, they go all out to create drinks to remember as well. Then, their team brings it all together with quality service for all their patrons. So, you’re sure to have a wonderful meal whenever you swing by.
Their most popular items include:
Everything Pizza
For a taste of their Roman dough, go with the Everything Pizza. They start this dish by proofing their special dough recipe for three days, which creates a flavorful crust with tons of crunch. Then, they add their signature San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, plus pepperoni, roasted chicken, and prosciutto. As if that’s not enough, they pile on the kalamata olives, basil, mushrooms, and tomatoes before baking it to perfection.
Bianca al Funghi
If you prefer Neapolitan style pizza, treat yourself to the Bianca al Funghi. This pizza also features an aged dough that comes out crisp on the outside and poofy in the middle. Over that, they add San Marzano tomato sauce, fontina, and mozzarella cheese. Then, it gets artichokes, roasted mushrooms, garlic, caramelized onion, and arugula. A drizzle of truffle oil goes over it all, and then it goes into the oven until bubbly and hot.
Frutti de Mare Pasta
When only the best ocean flavors will do, the Frutti de Mare Pasta is the way to go. This dish starts with the exquisite preparation of lobster tail, Kauai prawns, and u10 scallops. Then, they saute broccolini, spinach, and mushrooms before adding San Marzano tomato sauce, white wine, and fresh basil. After that’s done, the whole lot goes over a bed of al dente pasta right before serving.
Although it’s super easy to fill up on pizza deliciousness, do your best to save room for dessert. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on their lovely sweet treats, like the Tiramisu with its delightful mix of chocolate and coffee flavors. Want to enjoy their most iconic dessert? Go with the Lava Flow Panna Cotta, for sure. Or you can keep it simple by getting sorbet or ice cream in your flavor of choice.
Insider Tips:
-When dining with six or more in your party, expect to see an 18% gratuity automatically added to your check.
-If you’re picking up takeout, go to the first entrance. Otherwise, pass it by to land at the main entrance.
-Although you normally have to pay to park in the hotel lot, the restaurant provides complimentary parking to all their patrons. Just ask your server to validate your parking stub when paying your bill.
-Don’t want to walk all the way from the parking lot to the front doors? Take the tram.