Must-see restaurants in South Kona Coast

The full name is 'Kaʻaloa's Super J's Hawaiian Food,' but everyone calls it Super J's. They also call it freakin' delicious. The laulau (pork, chicken or…

Perched precariously next to the highway, the Shack is famous for insane views of Kealakekua Bay from its open-air deck. We can say, with no hyperbole,…

We first came here after Ironman, where we saw a wiry Italian, without an ounce of fat on his body, walk by, then walk in, saying to his partner, 'It's…

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…

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…

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…

There’s a sense of playful anarchy here, from the young counter staff to the punk and reggae coming out of the kitchen. You know what else comes out of…

Keʻei Cafe has carved a name for itself as a solid outpost of haute Hawaiian cuisine. Cracking peanut miso salad sets the stage for powerful mains like…

Baskets overflow with everything from tart apple bananas to filling breadfruit, creamy abiu (sapote) and purple jaboticaba berries. Slurp a smoothie on…

Menehune, named for Hawaii's legendary little people, makes some fine coffee and dishes out a great range of burgers, fish and chips, sandwiches and other…

Thin crust and zesty sauce makes us happy travelers. Claims to authentic NYC pizza are only slightly exaggerated at this native NYer's kitchen, just south…

This roadside business dishes out fish and chips made with locally caught seafood species such as ono and mahimahi. It's decent enough, and pretty filling…

This clean, cozy cafe has a back porch for sitting, watching geckos and sipping strong Kona coffee while dining on salads, sandwiches, bagels, scrambles,…

Barbecued ribs, pork and chicken are slowly cooked in the barrel smoker parked by Mile 106. Chow down at picnic tables out back, or for DIY surf-and-turf…

South Kona's largest grocery store lets you stock up on beach picnic supplies. Also has a very good beer, wine and liquor selection.