Lēʻahi Brewing Co. quietly opened two weeks ago at Aloha Tower Marketplace, bringing an open-air taproom with a conservation bent to downtown Honolulu. Founders Mary Demonteverde and Mike Romeo say the brewery’s main purpose is to fund long-term restoration on the slopes of Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) and channel support to Hawai‘i farmers. The beer garden leans breezy and neighborhood-y, with oversized chairs, bar seating and planters filled with endemic species. Service is intentionally limited for now as the team builds out canning and education programs.
As reported by Honolulu Magazine, Demonteverde — who co-founded the Kuilei Cliffs restoration effort — said the brewery sprang from the need for sustainable funding. “We know we aren’t going to be around forever, so for our mission to continue it has to be sustainable,” she told the magazine. The profile details volunteers pulling invasives and replanting native vegetation on Kuilei Cliffs, framing the taproom as the revenue engine to keep that work going.
Where to drink and what to expect
Located at 1 Aloha Tower Drive inside Aloha Tower Marketplace, Lēʻahi’s waterfront spot fills the former Hooters/Gordon Biersch space and offers an open-air lanai with harbor views, per Lēʻahi Brewing Co.. The site notes complimentary first-hour parking with validation in the Aloha Tower lots and urges patrons to follow the brewery’s social channels for updates. The owners have also opened the space for private rentals and community programming that ties back to their conservation and education goals.
Beers that taste like Hawai‘i
Honolulu Magazine reports Lēʻahi launched with 18 taps and plans about four core beers for canning while keeping the rest rotating. Early pours include an Amber Rice Lager (4.4% ABV) and a māmaki-infused riff; future recipes point to starfruit, mango, ʻulu and Kona coffee. Drafts run $7 for 16-ounce pours and $5 for 8-ounce half-pours, with cans expected in the coming months. The brewery also emphasizes hands-on brewing education and internship opportunities for local students.
How your pint helps the ʻāina
According to Lēʻahi Brewing Co., revenue from each pint is earmarked for Mahi‘ai Market, a Hawai‘i farm collective that connects brewers to island producers and funnels dollars back to local agriculture. Kuilei Cliffs — the nonprofit Demonteverde helped found — has run volunteer restoration projects on the Diamond Head slopes, a campaign First Hawaiian Bank highlighted in a 2024 volunteer news release. The founders say the brewery’s model is designed to provide lasting financial backing for both agricultural livelihoods and habitat restoration on Oʻahu.
For now, Lēʻahi is keeping hours tight while it scales production and builds partnerships with local restaurants and farmers. If you go, expect approachable, locally flavored beers with a harbor view — and the satisfaction of knowing your pint is meant to support both farmers and the ʻāina. Keep an eye on the brewery’s social feed for can drops and updated hours.
