Il Lupino’s Breakfast of Champions

Although Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar is ostensibly Italian, its affable owners Wolfgang Zwiener and son Peter Zwiener are German — together they prove that decadent cuisine spans no cultural boundaries.

As the flagship Italian restaurant for the father-son duo, Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar opened its doors in December 2010 at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki. Now open from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night lighter fare, it’s been bustling with a full house ever since.

Translated, Il Lupino means “the little wolf,” and Wolfgang Zwiener’s exemplary culinary reputation remains unsurpassed.

Early risers love to wake up to Il Lupino’s decadent breakfast options, such as Frittata Florentina ($12) and the restaurant’s famous Buttermilk Pancakes ($10).

Frittata Florentina is an open-faced omelette consisting of the freshest ingredients including avocado, tomato, spinach, mushrooms and Fontina cheese served with homemade potatoes.

“Our Frittata Florentina is a popular item on our breakfast menu,” says general manager Adriana Nickerson. “However, if you love pancakes, our Buttermilk Pancakes are so awesome that you don’t even need maple syrup! “We make them in house every day!”

Il Lupino’s Buttermilk Pancakes are topped with a hint of powdered sugar, and Nickerson says the secret ingredient behind these delectable pancakes is none other than sour cream.

So, when your day calls for a breakfast of champions, look no further than Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar, as it’s known for transforming simple, everyday ingredients into dishes that are quick, healthy and undoubtedly delicious.

Il Lupino