Hilo
Locals love this drive-in for generous plate lunches and 20 rib-sticking varieties of loco moco (dish of rice, fried egg and hamburger patty topped with…
Must-see restaurants in Hawaiʻi the Big Island
Hilo
With a nouveau hippie vibe, this colorful downtown cafe takes health food up a notch. Breakfast hits include well-stuffed roasted veggie omelets and…
Kohala & Waimea
Redwater has quickly risen to the top of many lists, propelled in part by the reputation of owner/chef David Abrahams, a 25-year veteran of resort…
Hilo
Hip Kanpai looks slick enough for Brooklyn, but it is mellowed with Hilo's small-town camaraderie, easygoing attitude and Pacific fusion soul. The…
South Kona Coast
Randy's may only be open twice a week, but during those hours it packs in the customers, who come for Styrofoam boxes of huli huli chicken (smoked and…
Kona Coast
Ignore the mall setting and savor the beautifully presented Pacific Rim fusion cuisine, including tender miso black cod, Hawaiian ono (white-fleshed wahoo…
Hilo
A longtime local favorite, Miyo's is known for delicious home-style Japanese meals and nightly crowds. Try classics such as broiled ahi (yellowfin tuna)…
Hilo
For island-style Japanese food, this diner delivers high-volume flavor in a simple dining room filled with locals. Favorites include steaming ramen bowls…
North Kohala
Trio specializes in three-course, creative Hawaiian-fusion cuisine. The menu has a lot of variation; on one night you might mix Indonesian chicken with…
South Kona Coast
The bingo-parlor dining room of the Manago is an iconic Big Island experience. It feels like an early-20th-century diner, but one made for South Kona's…
South Kohala
Vegetarians flock to this spot, where the dishes show a commitment to local and organic produce and Pacific Rim influences. Kalbi-style tofu is served up…
Kailua-Kona
Come here for several variations on delicious ahi tuna poke, plus a range of other island dishes like salted Waimea beef served plate-lunch style with…
Kailua-Kona
Don’t let the fluorescent-lit dining room and polystyrene plates fool you: Ba-Le serves the sort of Vietnamese food that makes you want to pack it all up…
Kailua-Kona
An adorable little Japanese sushi house awaits discerning eaters on the west end of Aliʻi Dr. Friendly Seiji serves fresh fish and creative rolls that…
Kohala & Waimea
Barbecue isn't the first food genre folks tend to associate with Hawaii, but this is an island that loves smoked meat. This sit-down restaurant serves…
South Kohala
Fine dining and Pacific influences come together at this gem, which overlooks a fine sweep of the Mauna Lani oceanfront. Try the rib-eye steak, the slow…
Kailua-Kona
A convivial gathering spot for Sunday brunch or a sunny breakfast (served until 11:30am) with ocean-view dining on the sidewalk patio. This upscale diner…
Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona is likely your introduction to the Big Island; with this in mind, let Ultimate Burger be your introduction to the wonderful world of Big…
Kona Coast
Do you know what’s better than enjoying pupu (snacks) or a great burgers on the breezy, beachside porch of the Beach Tree on a perfect Hawaiian day? Not…
Hilo
Vegetarians rejoice, everything is fresh, locally sourced and meat-free at this pleasant cafe. You'll find 'ulu (breadfruit) and taro serving as the base…
South Kona Coast
For a real window into local life, grab a table at this family-run restaurant, which has been dishing up Japanese comfort food since the 1950s. The…
Hilo
Chances are, you won't get in. This destination sushi bar seats only eight – and it's fully booked a year in advance. Miracles can happen, however, and…
Kohala & Waimea
Ignore the strip-mall setting: this is a gem for reasonably priced or takeout sushi, and a beloved local institution. Nigiri (oblong-shaped sushi) and…
Kohala & Waimea
With a circle of vendors around a grassy field, this farmers market has a friendly, cohesive vibe. Find artisan edibles, including handcrafted pasta and…
Original Big Island Shave Ice Co, Inc.
South Kohala
Shave ice is great, but it's even better when it's mobile. This supremely good shave ice stand has great flavors ranging from ube (sweet potato) to haupia…
South Kohala
Also known as just 'Da Fish House,' this take-out counter mainly sells fresh fish, but you can also score some outstanding, delicious poke. Head to the…
Kailua-Kona
Expect a bustling crowd at this sprawling, eco-sustainable brewpub, with tiki-torch-lit outdoor seating and laid-back waitstaff. Pizza toppings verge on…
ʻULU Ocean Grill + Sushi Lounge
Kona Coast
ʻUlu means 'breadfruit,' and this sustainably minded restaurant is all about locally sourced produce, seafood and meat – some 75% of its dishes are made…
Puna
Naysayers are immediately converted upon tasting hip young Ashley's executions of her and husband Sean's wildly creative vegan gelato flavors (some 500 in…
North Kohala
Looking for a down-home country barbecue on a gorgeous piece of sloping pasture with wide-open views? Busloads of lei-wearing tourists join the Richards…
Kailua-Kona
Fumi's was founded by members of the family that runs Teshima's, and they bring a similar high level of home-cooked fare to hungry diners. The menu dips…
Puna
The cuisine and atmosphere is in such a different league from anything else in Puna, you'll be excused for thinking you've been transported to Northern…
Stratos New York Pizzeria/Pau Cow
Hamakua Coast
It's no Paulie Gee's, but the newish Stratos New York Pizzeria/Pau Cow (adjoining restaurants, same owner and chef) along Honomu's main drag does do what…
Hamakua Coast
In a cozy space with a New Age-y vibe, a husband-and-wife team serves creative healthy vegetarian fare (along with killer kombucha on draft!). Sample…
Hawaiʻi the Big Island
The US's southernmost bakery is squarely on the tour bus circuit and usually crowded – for good reason. If you want to try the Portuguese fried sweet…
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Lunch on organic vegetarian and vegan comfort foods like salads, sandwiches and pasta in the sunroom behind the Volcano Garden art gallery, or in the…
South Kohala
Spectacularly maintained and stocked, this is a one-stop shop for takeout food, freshly made sushi, basic and specialty groceries, magazines, gifts and…
South Kohala
The Mauna Lani's flagship restaurant showcases local ingredients creatively but simply. Island ingredients are crafted with care; the risotto with Hamakua…
Big Island Brewhaus & Taqueria
Kohala & Waimea
This brewpub nails the intersection of booze and belly-busting meals. The brewmasters have crafted over a dozen memorable beers, including White Mountain…
Kailua-Kona
Hayama imparts that feeling of authenticity you get when the kitchen and service staff don't speak much English, and most of the clientele speaks fluent…
