Big Island Eats in Kawaihae

Kawaihae is a tiny port town on the Big Island of Hawaii. Located thirty-five miles north of Kailua-Kona, Kawaihae is known for surfing, art galleries, and restaurants. This small town boasts four of the best eateries on the entire island. Café Pesto, Kawaihae Kitchen, and Kohala Burger & Taco are in the Kawaihae Shopping Center. Original Big Island Shave Ice is less than half a mile away from the Kawaihae Shopping Center. With so many wonderful eateries within reach of one another it’ll be hard not to eat at each of them in the same day.

Café Pesto

On the first floor of the Kawaihae Shopping Center, Café Pesto serves up what they refer to as “creative island cuisine”. This sit-down restaurant can get busy but takes reservations. Café Pesto is open every day for lunch and dinner. Their menu includes soups, pastas, pizzas, and island inspired dishes. Those struggling to decide what to order should try the Crispy Coconut Crusted Calamari. This appetizer comes with a honey mustard-mango dipping sauce that balances well with the squid. For your main course the Pacific Island Seafood Risotto is an opportunity to sample a variety of fresh local seafood. If your stomach has any room left at the end of the meal for dessert you can’t go wrong with the Macadamia Nut Cookie.

Kawaihae Kitchen

Those with a craving for Hawaiian style lunch plates just have to go to Kawaihae Kitchen. The easiest way to approach Kawaihae Kitchen’s menu is to focus on the three main parts of the menu. Choose from a category marked either plate lunch, rice bowls, or bentos boxed lunch items. For the plate lunch you have options such as chicken katsu or shrimp tempura. Each plate lunch comes with rice and Hawaiian macaroni salad. The rice bowls include the same options as the plate lunch as well as an ahi bowl. With the ahi bowl you get fresh local ahi fish piled on top of rice, along with avocado, cucumber, and lettuce. The ahi bowl is refreshing and delicious. Whichever choice you go with your order will be to go. Kawaihae Kitchen is a takeout eatery with only seating for a couple of people inside their tiny establishment. For those needing to eat on site the Kawaihae Shopping Center has a few benches available on which you can sit and eat your meal.

Kohala Burger & Taco

When dining in Hawaii you tend to notice that many meals are fusion style dishes. These dishes pick from a few different cuisines to create a tasty blend. That’s why a fish taco joint in Hawaii isn’t so far-fetched of an idea. With the fresh caught seafood available daily fish tacos on the island are fantastic. What you don’t expect to find in the Hawaiian Islands is a good burger. Kohala Burger & Taco is a great place for both fish tacos and burgers using local grass-fed beef. When eating the burger the grass-fed beef dissolves in your mouth. The burgers come with a ¼lb patty on a brioche bun. Their famous fish tacos are made with local fish and wrapped in warm tortillas. Cap off your meal with a Dole Pineapple Whip for dessert.

Original Big Island Shave Ice

For the best shaved ice on the Big Island head to Original Big Island Shave Ice. This stationary food truck is family owned and operated. Begin your order by selecting either the small or regular sized cup. Once you’ve decided on the size you will choose which ice cream you want in the center of the ice. You can pick up to three flavors of syrup to pour over the ice. The syrups contain natural ingredients using recipes passed down within the family from generation to generation. The syrups and the ice melt in your mouth, causing a burst of deliciousness for your taste buds. You can even add toppings such as gummy bears or mochi. Enjoy your shave ice cone while sitting on the benches next to the food truck.

 

Kawaihae Eats

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Cafe Pesto: 20.038872, -155.829890
Kawaihae Kitchen: 20.038968, -155.829971
Kohala Burger and Taco: 20.039083, -155.829863
Original Big Island Shave Ice: 20.037341, -155.826791
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Cafe Pesto
Big Island Eats in Kawaihae
Cafe Pesto, Hawaii 270, Kawaihae, HI, United States
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Kawaihae Kitchen
Big Island Eats in Kawaihae
Kawaihae Kitchen, Akoni Pule Highway, Waimea, HI, United States
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Kohala Burger and Taco
Big Island Eats in Kawaihae
Kohala Burger & Taco, Kawaihae, HI, United States
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Original Big Island Shave Ice
Big Island Eats in Kawaihae
Original Big Island Shave Ice Co, Inc, Kawaihae Road, Waimea, HI, United States

 


Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii

Visitors that arrive to the Big Island of Hawaii by way of Kona International Airport will have their first look at Hawaiian city life in nearby Kailua-Kona. This quintessential beach town thrives off locals and tourists alike. Kailua-Kona has many restaurants so you know you will eat well whether you are in town to shop or sight see. There’s food to satisfy every craving from hearty breakfasts to fresh poke to delicious lunch plates to sweet shave ice. Below you will find listed in alphabetical order seven of the best Kailua-Kona eateries.

Mural inside 808 Grindz Cafe - Kailua-Kona, HI

Mural inside 808 Grindz Cafe

Loco Moco at 808 Grindz Cafe - Kailua-Kona, HI

Loco Moco at 808 Grindz Cafe

808 Grindz Cafe

808 Grindz Cafe is in a strip mall in Kailua-Kona. As you enter the restaurant the first thing you see is a huge mural on a wall depicting beachgoers relaxing. The mural emanates good vibes making you think you too are beachgoer just taking a food break. 808 Grindz Cafe might be a small restaurant with a tiny kitchen but it dishes out big plates of food. Order from a variety of classic Hawaiian favorites made with a special chef’s twist. Favorites include the kalua pork hash, the 808 Combo, and the loco moco.

If you’ve never had loco moco be sure to order it at 808 Grindz Cafe. A loco moco begins with rice as the base of the dish and a hamburger patty on top of the rice. Poured over the hamburger patty and rice is brown gravy. An egg placed on top of everything completes the dish. The 808 Grindz Cafe is open daily, except Mondays, for breakfast and lunch only.

Banana macadamia nut pancakes at Big Island Grill - Kailua-Kona, HI

Banana macadamia nut pancakes at Big Island Grill

Sign for Big Island Grill - Kailua-Kona, HI

Sign for Big Island Grill

Big Island Grill

The moment you enter the Big Island Grill you know you’ve stepped into a classic diner. Sit amongst the many locals and enjoy a great meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Take a moment and explore the menu at Big Island Grill. Their menus are full of traditional Hawaiian dishes. Choose from favorites such as the saimin, loco moco, katsu, or kalua pork. The Big Island Grill serves one of the best banana macadamia nut pancakes, not just in Kailua-Kona but the entire state of Hawaii. Order the short or full stack and remember to pour as much of the coconut syrup as your heart desires. A cup of the Kona coffee or guava juice will help you finish up those pancakes.

Garlic butter jumbo shrimp plate at Broke Da Mouth - Kailua-Kona, HI

Garlic butter jumbo shrimp plate at Broke Da Mouth

Spam musubi at Broke Da Mouth - Kailua-Kona, HI

Spam musubi at Broke Da Mouth

Broke Da Mouth

Broke Da Mouth is one of the most unassuming eateries in the world. Next to a laundry mat in an out-of-the-way strip mall you’ll find a foodie’s paradise. Chefs at this Kailua-Kona eatery cook up pile high food plates for starving customers. The portions are dense so bring your appetite. The best food options are those from the Grindz section of the Broke Da Mouth menu. Select from such savory options as shoyu butterfish, braised boneless kalbi, furikake chicken, or jumbo shrimp. Each plate comes with two scoops of white rice and your choice of macaroni or green salad. If you’ve never had Hawaiian macaroni salad try that island favorite.

For those still hungry add a foot long musubi roll. A musubi roll is rice and a filling, such as spam and egg, wrapped in seaweed. The musubi roll might just come in handy and tide you over if you’re waiting for a load of laundry to finish next door.

Entrance to Da Poke Shack - Kailua-Kona, HI

Entrance to Da Poke Shack

Poke Plate at Da Poke Shack - Kailua-Kona, HI

Poke Plate at Da Poke Shack

Da Poke Shack

A popular dish to come out of Hawaii is poke. Poke is raw sushi grade fish sliced into cubes and marinated in sauces such as shoyu (soy sauce). Often mixed with the fish are onions and furikake. A dry Japanese seasoning, furikake includes sesame seeds and seaweed flakes. Da Poke Shack is one of the go to places for poke on the Big Island for both locals and visitors.

A great choice from the menu for those getting poke from Da Poke Shack is their Poke Plate. The Poke Plate includes two scoops of rice and your choice of poke. You get to choose two sides, such as edamame or seaweed salad.  Da Poke Shack has two locations on the Big Island.  The Kailua-Kona location has a few seats available for those that wish to eat on site. A second Da Poke Shack location is in Captain Cook, off Mamalahoa Highway at Mile Marker 106.

Breakfast sandwich at Green Flash Coffee - Kailua-Kona, HI

Breakfast sandwich at Green Flash Coffee

Entrance to Green Flash Coffee - Kailua-Kona, HI

Entrance to Green Flash Coffee

Green Flash Coffee

A great spot for breakfast or lunch in Kailua-Kona is Green Flash Coffee. This small coffee shop serves Kona coffee and Hawaiian inspired espresso drinks. The Haupia Latte and the Mauna Kea Mocha will satisfy the sweetest of teeth. Items on the breakfast and lunch menu are served throughout the day. The breakfast sandwiches Croque Madam/Monsieur and the French toast are delicious. The bread for the French toast, both the breakfast sandwich and the regular French toast, is Punalu’u sweetbread. Punalu’u sweetbread is fresh from the Punalu`u Bake Shop in the city of Naalehu. The lunch menu options include sandwiches made with their Panini grill. For those not craving a sandwich Green Flash Coffee sells smoothies made with fresh fruit.

Moo Bettah sign - Kailua-Kona, HI

Moo Bettah sign

Shave Ice at Moo Bettah - Kailua-Kona, HI

Shave Ice at Moo Bettah

Moo Bettah

When you crave dessert swing by Moo Bettah in Kailua-Kona. Perfect for those warm Hawaiian days choose from milk shakes, scoops of ice cream, or frozen yogurt. If those options aren’t enough you can pick from a list of smoothies, floats, and shave ice. Don’t confuse shave ice with a snow cone. Snow cones have crushed ice as opposed to shaved ice. With the shaved ice in a plastic bowl flavored syrups poured over the ice give the ice a sweet taste. To experience a real Hawaiian style shave ice add a scoop of macadamia nut ice cream at the bottom of the shave ice.

Poke and sides on display at Umekes - Kailua-Kona, HI

Poke and sides on display at Umekes

Poke from Umekes - Kailua-Kona, HI

Poke from Umekes

Umeke’s

For many foodies poke is a religious experience. These foodies believe that their sworn duty is to eat the best poke from every region of the world. The Hawaiian Islands are full of places selling poke and Umeke’s is a front-runner for one of the best on the Big Island. The fish sold at Umeke’s in Kailua-Kona is fresh and delicious.

Umeke’s has two locations on the Big Island.  Depending on what time you visit the Umeke’s at Ali’i Plaza, you might see the staff working on large cuts of fish and preparing the poke. The various poke Umeke’s offers is on display in a glass case. Umeke’s sells poke by the pound or in a local style lunch bowl or plate. The lunch specials include poke, rice, and your choice from a variety of sides. One side dish you can buy is the Hawaiian favorite lomi lomi, a tomato and salmon salad. For dessert Umeke’s sells a Hawaiian favorite, the coconut-based Haupia.

The Umeke’s at Ali’i Plaza is a takeout establishment but if you want a more traditional sit-down experience, visit Umeke’s Fish Market Bar and Grill.  Located in Kailua-Kona, here you will find a full-service restaurant that has food and a bar that serves wine, beer, and cocktails.  Umeke’s Fish Market Bar and Grill has won awards for the food it serves and has appeared on the Cooking Channel.  Be sure while visiting the Big Island to visit either of Umeke’s locations for a poke feast you won’t soon forget.

 

Kailua-Kona Dining

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808 Grindz Cafe: 19.642470, -155.994061
Big Island Grill: 19.640135, -155.992239
Broke Da Mouth: 19.648566, -156.000360
Da Poke Shack: 19.607898, -155.977167
Green Flash Coffee: 19.622141, -155.985421
Moo Bettah: 19.570480, -155.962074
Umeke\'s: 19.638445, -155.991071
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808 Grindz Cafe
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
808 Grindz Cafe, Kopiko Street, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Big Island Grill
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Big Island Grill, Kuakini Highway, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Broke Da Mouth
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Broke Da Mouth Grindz & Catering, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Da Poke Shack
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Da Poke Shack, Ali'i Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Green Flash Coffee
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Green Flash Coffee, Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Moo Bettah
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Moo Bettah Frozen Fun, Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States
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Umeke's
Dining in Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Umeke's Poke Bowls And Local Lunch Plates, Hualalai Road, Kailua-Kona, HI, United States