PHOTO: La Mer is one of the most expensive hotspots in Hawaii.

Hawaiian-style dining is about more than just the luau. The food on the Hawaiian Islands has made Hawaii a standout among foodies, as well. Whether you are a seafood-lover, have a desire for Asian fusion or can’t go anywhere without ordering French cuisine, Hawaii has something for everyone.

The setting anywhere in the islands will most likely be outstanding, and the food, service and commitment to organic, local ingredients continues to make Hawaii a hotspot for food critics and food lovers alike. It’s no surprise that a community that values authenticity would honor restaurants that use local ingredients and make the Hawaiian culture part of their operations.

If you have a client who is yearning to dine amid beauty and luxury, Hawaii is a logical place to recommend. Here are 10 restaurants that are among the best Hawaii has to offer, from Oahu to Lanai.

OAHU

Alan Wong’s Restaurant
Alan Wong’s Restaurant certainly isn’t cheap, and you won’t be gazing out at the clear blue waters at this establishment, but there’s a reason why Chef Wong’s masterpiece continues to receive rave reviews throughout the Hawaiian Islands and beyond: the food and the service.

Chef Wong, one of the early pioneers of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, presents an Asian fusion restaurant in Honolulu that is hard to beat. Menu items such as chopped ahi sashimi and short rib soy have become mainstays here, bolstered by local ingredients and cooking techniques that give you an authentic taste of Oahu.

Beyond the food, the wine list is excellent, and the service is top-notch. While Alan Wong’s prices aren’t for the faint of heart, if you can manage to pony up the money, you’ll be glad you did.

Chef Mavro
Chef George Mavrothalassitis, one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, combines Hawaiian and French flavors to deliver a fantastic meal that has delighted customers for years.

His restaurant, Chef Mavro, has been named a AAA Five Diamond award winner for the past six years. And, given the popularity of his restaurant today, it doesn’t appear as if he’s losing any steam.

Combining his South France influences with local ingredients, Chef “Mavro” continues to attract new customers based on his menu and service. From the foie gras to the lamb to the duckling, the meat dishes in this establishment are truly fantastic. The building’s décor is also charming and—while it is a fine-dining restaurant—the dress code is casual to embrace the spirit of “Aloha.”

La Mer
Another top-rated dining establishment in Honolulu, the French restaurant La Mer is one of the most expensive hotspots in Hawaii, but does it deliver.

Lauded for its food, service, décor and setting, the Halekulani Hotel establishment overlooks the popular Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head, while delivering premier Neoclassic French cuisine.

The longest-running AAA Five Diamond restaurant in Hawaii, La Mer has made its name tapping into local Hawaiian ingredients inspired by the flavors of France. From the seafood to the meats to the cheeses to the truffles and the sauces, it’s hard to complain about the food here.

The service has also received grand reviews from guests and food critics alike, and its wine list is award winning. There’s an attention to detail at La Mer that propels it above most.

Michel’s
Adding to the wealth of fantastic French restaurants in Honolulu that draw from local ingredients, Michel’s is set within the Colony Surf Hotel at the base of Diamond Head overlooking the beach and the ocean.

A well-known romantic hotspot since 1962, the restaurant serves French haute cuisine complemented by island-based additions, from lobster bisque and island seafood cioppino to Beef Tenderloin Rossini and red snapper. To add to the upscale, romantic environment, servers wait on you clad in tuxedos as you dine near the ocean, looking out onto the lapping waves and brilliant Hawaiian sunset.

If you are looking for a place to bring a date, Michel’s has long been a staple among the lovebirds.

Of course, you can also go there if you just want some amazing food and service, too. Dessert items such as Hawaiian Apple-Banana Flambé is the cherry on top.

Orchids
Halekulani Hotel deserves a lot of credit for housing two restaurants that are regularly pointed to as premier Hawaiian hotspots.

PHOTO: Halekulani Hotel is home to Orchids.

While the fancy French restaurant La Mer sits upstairs, those who want to dine more affordably on some of the finest seafood Hawaii has to offer should try out Orchids. It has a more casual dress code, but don’t let that fool you. There’s no question this establishment takes itself seriously, evidenced by its delectable Pacific Rim specialties and exquisite service.

The open-air environment on the beach adds to this restaurant’s appeal. The experience is sealed by mouth-watering menu items such as lamb chop, braised veal shank, lobster omelette and ahi crudo.

Whether you want breakfast, lunch or dinner, Orchids has the food, setting and service to satisfy you.

MAUI

Gerard’s Restaurant
Gerard’s Restaurant is another French establishment you’ll want to check out. While it may be reserved for customers who don’t mind spending a little dough, Gerard’s is another restaurant courtesy of Chef Gerard Reversade that doesn’t disappoint.

Much like La Mer, Gerard’s draws from French influences (preparing charcuterie items like his uncle Emile did in France’s Loire Valley), but he makes sure to use local Hawaiian ingredients like fresh island pork. From Seared Foie Gras Medaillons to chilled cucumber soup with goat cheese to Hawaiian Snapper and Roasted Rack of Lamb, Gerard’s offers variety and deliciousness.

There’s also another attraction: the fact that the French restaurant in Lahaina is based in a Victorian-style house where customers can sit out on the veranda and feel like they’re in a different era.

Mama’s Fish House
Since it was established in 1973, Mama’s Fish House has been a staple on Maui as a veritable local hangout. Maui’s first fresh-fish restaurant is situated within a coconut grove on a white-sand beach and incorporates many things that honor the island’s past, such as Polynesian artifacts and local wood carvings.

Mama’s Fish House, which is committed to staying green and drawing from fresh local ingredients, houses such menu items as macadamia nut crab cakes, crispy mahimahi rolls, wasabi crusted calamari, sashimi, Hawaiian ceviche and a variety of fish dishes caught by local fisherman.

Part of the restaurant’s charm is its simplistic and genuine feel, but there’s nothing simplistic about the menu—the flavors that sprout from Mama’s Fish House are one-of-a-kind and a tribute to the dedication of the chefs.

LANAI

The Dining Room-Lodge at Koele
The Dining Room at Four Seasons Resort Lanai, the Lodge at Koele, continues to receive applause from customers and food critics for its food, service, décor and beautiful setting.

PHOTO: La Mer is one of the most expensive hotspots in Hawaii.

You’ll feel like you’re in a grand country estate while you dine here, and everything — from the food to the service to the chandeliers, vases and hues — has an air of sophistication to it. The Hawaiian fine dining restaurant offers anything from Pacific Rim seafood to Big Island lamb and venison, all spawning from ingredients via the local fishermen and farmers. Did I mention it’s set among pine trees and meadows?

The service is, of course, top-notch, blending the attention to detail of executive chef Kevin Erving with the hospitality Four Seasons is known for.

KAUAI

Hali’imaile General Store
Hali’imaile General Store, courtesy of chef Bev Gannon, began as a gourmet takeout deli in 1988.

It has since morphed into one of the top restaurants in Hawaii, whether you want to have a quick midday meal or sit down for a lovely dinner.

Chef Gannon’s crab pizza and sashimi pizza have been hits ever since they were introduced on the menu, and the local establishment continues to open eyes as new visitors taste what the fuss is all about. The award-winning restaurant offers a variety of menu items, from Kalua pork sliders to local mussels to horseradish-crusted opakapaka to macadamia nut-crusted mahimahi.

Nestled in the pineapple fields of Haleakala and close to the quaint town of Makawao, Hali’imaile General Store also has the setting, too.

Kauai Grill
It’s not exactly surprising that the St. Regis Princeville Resort — a property with a sterling reputation — would house one of the best restaurants on the Hawaiian Islands.

Kauai Grill, courtesy of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, sports a French and Asian menu complete with local ingredients. Dishes include steamed onaga, tandoori spiced mero, carmelized veal tenderloin, soy glazed short ribs, blue truffle cheese fritters, Sichuan peppercorn-crusted bigeye ahi tuna and steamed Kona lobster with lemongrass puree, just to name a few. There’s also a five-course vegetarian menu, and the coconut panna cotta is a mouthwatering finish to your meal.

Of course, all of this is set beside the jaw-dropping Hanalei Bay, one of the most scenic spots on Kauai.

From the food to the service to the setting, Kauai Grill is a restaurant you must visit.