29 Best Restaurants in Big Island, Hawaii

It figures that the best laulau (pork or chicken wrapped in taro leaves and steamed) in West Hawaii can be found at a roadside hole-in-the-wall rather than at an expensive resort luau; in fact, this humble family-run eatery was featured on the Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Plate lunches to go include tender chicken or pork laulau, steamed for up to 10 hours. The kalua (earth oven–baked) pig and cabbage is delicious, and the lomilomi salmon features vine-ripened tomatoes. Owners John and Janice Kaaloa grind their own poi sourced from taro in Hilo and Waipio.

With vintage memorabilia and a bluesy soundtrack as a background, this cool deli in a tiny strip mall has a lot more to offer than the average sandwich shop. Yes, there are gourmet sandwiches, salads, and wraps, but Poi Dog's wide-ranging menu extends to an impressive list of wines, craft beers, ales, and pilsners from all over the world. On the lighter side, they have a great mix of hard ciders as well. But there are also kombuchas, coffees, and other nonalcoholic beverages to choose from. Hailing from New Orleans, the proprietors love to bring a touch of the Big Easy to Kona, which you'll feel throughout the place. 

With the bar in the front and the dining patio in the back, Quinn's may seem like a bit of a dive at first glance, but this venerable restaurant serves the best darn cheeseburger and fries in town. The menu has many other tasty options, such as fish-and-chips and beef tenderloin tips. If time gets away from you on a drive to the north beaches, Quinn's, which stays open until 10, awaits your return with a cheap beer and a basket of fried calamari. Drinks are strong—no watered-down cocktails here. Breakfast is served from 7 to 10:45 during football season, and it's sure to be lively, especially if the Green Bay Packers are involved. Park across the street at the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel and get free 90-minute parking with validation.

A local institution, this casual place is famous for its malasadas, the puffy, doughy, deep-fried Portuguese doughnuts without a hole, best eaten hot; there are also cream-filled versions, including vanilla, chocolate, and coconut. For more than a snack, go for the Hawaiian burger, with a fat, juicy slice of sweet pineapple on top, the overstuffed burrito, or some decent house-made pizza.

Shave ice and ice cream in every imaginable flavor can be found at the ideal spot, close to the resort coast beaches. Prepare to wait in line for 15–20 minutes as you ponder your options, but don't fret: it's worth it.

Established in 1948, this casual spot is famous for its tasty loco moco, prepared in more than three dozen ways (with different meats, chicken, vegetables, and fish), and its low-priced breakfast and lunch specials. The word "restaurant," or even "café," is used loosely—you order at a window and eat on one of the outdoor benches provided—but you come here for the food, prices, and authentic, old-Hilo experience. You can stuff yourself for $5 if you order right.

Unassuming from the outside, this small, local-style plate-lunch eatery serves top-quality, genuine Hawaiian specialties in Hilo. All the staples are here, from kalua pork (slow-cooked and pulled) to shoyu chicken (cooked in a sauce including fermented soy sauce), loco moco (meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy), and pork adobo. Order at the takeout window and grab a seat at one of the picnic tables outside.

This is a popular local hangout, and not just because the kava drink makes you mellow. The Hawaiian proprietors also serve traditional Hawaiian food, including fresh poke, bowls of healthy organic greens, opihi (limpets), and traditional Hawaiian laulau (pork or chicken wrapped in taro leaves and steamed). Organic kava root, used for relaxation, is harvested on the Hamakua Coast and transformed into a traditional, slightly bitter brew. Seating is at a premium, but don't be afraid to share a table and make friends. 

When not on limited pandemic hours, this little spot offers epic cheeseburger plates (using grass-fed beef) and even has a 1950s-style malt shop. They also serve a local favorite, the pineapple whip, perfect for a cool break on a hot day. For now, order online and pick up; check online to see if they're back to full capacity.  

If you're looking for something sweet—or savory—this busy café in downtown Hawi serves breakfast (bagels, espresso machine–steamed eggs), and lunch (hot dogs, burgers, chili, salads) until 6. Sit outside and watch the world go by as you enjoy locally made ice cream that is ono (delicious), as well as other sweet treat specialties.

It's quite simply the best New York–style pizza in Kona. At this small, no-frills shop, the proprietors take great care to obtain the highest-quality ingredients for their pizzas, including large gourmet olives, banana peppers, and even meats sourced directly from Fontanini in New York. They shipped their special pizza ovens and mixers directly from New York too, adding to the pizza quality and authenticity. Try the Kona Supreme, smothered with mozzarella, sausage, red peppers, bacon, onions, and other fresh toppings. The homemade drizzles range from olive oil to BBQ sauce to ranch to sriracha. Online ordering makes it easy to call in your order and pick it up hot and ready to go. Kona Crust is open daily until 8 pm. 

There's no atmosphere to speak of at this diner, and water is served in unbreakable plastic tumblers, but if you're searching for local fare—that undefinable fusion of ethnic cuisines—this is the place. Choose from "grindz" that include loco moco (meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy), oxtail soup, plate lunches, pork chops, steaks, saimin, stir-fry, and daily specials.

The staff at this little place take pride in learning customers' names and treating you like a "regular." All the coffee favorites are here, from espresso to latte to a good old-fashioned cup of Kona. Homemade pastries are available, and they open at 6 am for the early birds. 

There's been a bakery in this building since 1912, when the previous owner served cookies and treats to the kids of plantation workers. Dean and June Edmoundson took over the spot in 1990 and have been treating visitors and residents to delectable goodies, including guava bear claws, paniolo (cowboy) cookies, homemade preserves, ice cream, and shave ice. There are also basic snacks if you've worked up an appetite visiting Akaka Falls, such as hot dogs and manapua (pork wrapped in a steamed bun). If you're staying in the area, they will deliver. 

Across the street from the Kona Inn Shopping Village, in Kailua Village, this upstairs cantina is a nice perch for enjoying nachos and margaritas (try the hibiscus margarita) on a lazy afternoon, or for watching the passersby on Alii Drive. Try the molcajete—a type of bowl—loaded with marinated chicken, steak, and shrimp and a sauce crafted of chiles and topped with jack cheese. Or just order the chips, salsa, and ceviche, which might hit the spot at the end of a long day sightseeing. At 5 pm, the banyan tree nearby fills with hundreds of chirping mynah birds, a veritable happy hour in bird land. The cantina is open daily 3 to 8. 

The menu at this little crêperie includes Illy espresso, teas, excellent sweet and savory crêpes, sandwiches, soups, salads, and rich desserts like lemon cheesecake and chocolate mousse, all made fresh daily. The small venue has a relaxed, urban-café vibe. It's a nice place to hang for a bit if you're waiting for a movie at the theater next door or feel like taking a break from paradise to sip a decent espresso and view the latest local art installations on display.

Named for a popular nearby surf spot, the low-key, no-frills café offers local plate lunch options and classics such as loco moco (meat, rice, and eggs smothered in gravy), alongside new inventions like crab curry bisque. The fresh-fish plate is decent, and all meals are served with fries or rice and macaroni salad. The prices are a bit higher than you might expect, but the portions are huge. It's a good place to stop for a last-minute bite—breakfast, lunch, or dinner—before catching your flight back to the mainland.

Billed as the southernmost bakery in the United States, it's a good spot to grab a snack or lunch. Hawaiian sweetbread is the specialty here. Local-style plate lunches and sandwiches on the bakeshop's sweetbread buns go well with Kau coffee, which has earned a reputation for excellence that rivals Kona coffee.

It may sound strange, but the takeout seafood counter tucked in the back of this grocery store serves some of the finest poke in Hilo. For $10 a bowl, you get enough seafood on a steaming pile of rice to feed two people. This place offers premium poke at an affordable price, along with an array of seasonings and homemade sauces.

Known for home-baked pastries, gourmet loose-leaf teas, and high-end coffees, this sweet, cozy spot is a lovely destination not far from the beach.  Sandwiches and salads are served from 10 am to 3 pm. Try the brie, apple, and fig jam combo on freshly baked baguette or one of the signature salads. They even serve made-to-order Italian sodas.

Visitors enjoy stopping here before or after a morning of snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay, and for good reason: the views of the Honaunau Coast from this roadside restaurant are nothing short of drop-dead stunning. This place is best for breakfast or a quick bite, as overpriced mains can miss; but if you're in the mood for a Hawaiian smoothie, iced honey-mocha latte, or scone, it's worth the stop. It can get crowded, and parking is tricky and limited, so you may need to park across the highway and dash over. They are open until sunset. 

Located in the Office Max shopping complex in Kailua-Kona, this excellent burger joint may look like a chain, but it's an independent, locally owned and operated eatery that serves 100% organic, grass-fed Big Island beef. Be sure to order a side of seasoned Big Daddy fries served with homemade aioli dipping sauce. The menu lists a couple non-meat options, too. Top it off with local beers or house-made lemonade or green tea.

Verna's is tried-and-true among locals, who come for the juicy house-made burgers and filling plate lunches, and the price is right with a burger combo that includes fries and a drink. If you're hungry for more, try the traditional Hawaiian plate with either laulau, beef stew, chicken long rice, or lomilomi salmon (salted salmon with onions, tomatoes, and green pepper). Whatever you choose, you won't leave hungry. Outdoor seating is available. Verna's is one of the few joints in Hilo that's open 24 hours a day.

At this little eatery that brings a whole new meaning to gourmet hamburgers, locally raised, grass-fed, hormone-free beef is ground fresh, hand-shaped daily on-site, and grilled to perfection right before your eyes. Top your burger (be it ahi, veal, Kahua Ranch Wagyu beef, Hamakua mushroom, or Waipio taro) with everything from local avocados, baby greens, and chipotle goat cheese to tomato marmalade.

Right next to the Waimea General Store, this is a good stop for a steaming latte and a warm pastry, a cup of hot soup, or a freshly made salad. The small lanai offers enjoyable views of Waimea's compact, rolling hills dappled with rain, fog, sunlight, and, often, rainbows.

A cute vintage shack, painted a cheery yellow, is the home of the best smoothies and shakes on the Hamakua Coast. Order at the counter and take away, or sit awhile under the canopy while you indulge in a Mango Tango, Lava Java, Bananarama, or any of about 15 selections of creative smoothies; you can pair it with tasty turkey, fish, or chicken roll-ups and other wraps. Although the focus is on vegetarian fare, there's something for everyone here, including a kids' menu and the Beyond Burger, a veggie burger impossible to distinguish from the real thing. What's Shakin' is in Pepeekeo, south of Honomu Town.