Poke bowl, yum

What to Eat in Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi’s diverse cultural heritage comes to life through its dishes and flavors. This is where traditional techniques and fusion ingredients collide in deliciously unexpected ways. You can go from poi (pounded taro) and haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding), to malasadas (Portuguese donut), roadside garlic shrimp plates, to the crowd-pleasing Spam musubi without missing a beat. With a tapestry of cultures from its indigenous roots to Japan, Puerto Rico and the Polynesian islands, Hawaiʻi’s edible history has countless stories to tell.

Must Do:

  1. Kid-Friendly Foods

    For the main meal, Puka Dogs and Hawaiian pasteles are sure-fire hits. These snappy hot dogs marry sweet and savory with bright fruity relishes while pasteles have Puerto Rican origins, replacing corn masa with grated green bananas. Wash it all down with lilikoʻi (passion fruit) juice and beat the heat with refreshing shave ice in every color of the rainbow. Where to take the kids: Rainbow Drive-In (Oʻahu), Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice (Maui), Porky’s Kauaʻi (Kauaʻi), and Big Island Grill (Hawaiʻi Island).

  2. Quick Eats

    The beauty of island life is that you don’t need to pull out all the stops for an incredible meal. Hawaiʻi’s food trucks are legendary and always worth the trip, flip-flops and all. Truck on over to Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck (Oʻahu), Thai Mee Up (Maui), Shaka Tacoz (Hawaiʻi Island), and Trucking Delicious (Kauaʻi) and take your plate to the closest beach.

  3. chef arranging food on plate

    Fine Dining

    Hawaiʻi’s fine-dining scene is helmed by world-renowned chefs and earn accolades near and wide. Sourcing hyper-local, changing with the seasons, and always innovating, these are the spots to go to for special occasions. Plan ahead for seats at Mugen (Oʻahu), Mama’s Fish House (Maui), Eating House 1849 Koloa (Kauaʻi), and Merriman's Big Island (Hawaiʻi Island).

Tropical fruit plate

Insider Tips

Attend a lūʻau for a pupu platter of Hawaiʻi’s popular culinary hits. Tuck into an impressive spread of classic Hawaiian dishes like laulau, kālua pork, and ahi poke.

Hawaiian food isn’t limited to meat and seafood. All the islands have restaurants that celebrate plant-based fare with creative uses of ʻuala (sweet potato), ʻulu (breadfruit), and more. There are also all-vegan cafes and food trucks carving out their space here.

Respect the Spam. It’s a beloved food in Hawaiʻi that has a hallowed place in our pantries. Locals grill it with teriyaki sauce, serve it with scrambled eggs and nori, or simply sauté it with rice and vegetables for an easy hearty meal.

Must Go

Oʻahu Oʻahu

On Oʻahu, you can eat something new every day. Take meat jun, a Korean-inspired dish of thin beef that’s dredged, fried and dipped or decadent hula pie, found on menus all around the island. Enjoy experimental bites at hip spots in Honolulu’s Chinatown or try prix-fixe meals on the South Shore. Don’t forget to grab warm sugar-dusted malasadas from Leonard's.

Map of Oahu
Maui Maui

On Maui, comfort food and seafood are the stars of the show. Da Kitchen takes spam musubi to the next level with its deep-fried cousin, while oceanfront restaurants in Kāʻanapali and Kīhei serve fresh catches on the daily. Visit a food truck if you need something savory on the go.

Hawaiʻi Island Hawaiʻi Island

On Hawaiʻi Island, you can taste the flavors of the island in a big way. It's home to world-famous Kona coffee and some of the state's best poke (try Da Poke Shack or Suisan Fish Market). Head to Hilo Farmers Market for apple bananas and rambutan, or splurge on farm-to-table dining. Must try: Delectable stuffed mochi from Two Ladies Kitchen!

Kauaʻi Kauaʻi

On Kauaʻi, food trucks reign supreme, creating a roaming taste of island cuisine. Enjoy everything from fish sandwiches to pork tacos and traditional plate lunches, or savor a sit‑down meal at restaurants serving authentic Hawaiian dishes and exceptionally fresh poke.

Kauai fresh local food
Map of Oahu

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