Food · Big Island (Hawaiʻi) · United States
What to eat in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Big Island (Hawaiʻi), and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Loco moco · Photo: California Cow from Seattle, USA, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Poke, Loco moco and Plate lunch. Visit a farm in South Kona or Hōlualoa for a walk through the trees and a cupping of different roasts. Many restaurants close by 8:30–9pm, especially in Hilo and smaller towns.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Poke
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 6
- Tipping
- Tipping follows US norms: about 18–20% in restaurants, a few dollars per drink at bars…
- Food experiences
- 4
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10 foods to try
Dish
1.Poke
Cubes of raw ʻahi tuna or other fish dressed with shoyu, sesame oil, onion and limu seaweed, sold by the pound at grocery counters and served over rice in bowls.
Where: Fish markets and supermarket poke counters in Kona and Hilo, and casual poke shops across the island.
Dish
2.Loco moco
White rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg and brown gravy. The dish is widely credited to Hilo in the late 1940s.
Where: Diners and drive-ins in Hilo, plus local cafés across the island.
Dish
3.Plate lunch
Two scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and a main such as kalua pork, teriyaki beef, chicken katsu or garlic shrimp.
Where: Drive-ins, lunch counters and food trucks all over the island.
Drink · Vegetarian
4.Kona coffee
Grown only on the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona districts, Kona coffee is smooth and low in acidity.
Where: Farm tasting rooms along the Māmalahoa Highway and coffee shops in Kailua-Kona.
Drink · Vegetarian
5.Kaʻū coffee
A less-known coffee from the southern Kaʻū district, grown on former sugar land and increasingly award-winning.
Where: Farm stands in Pāhala and Nāʻālehu and speciality shops on the island.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.Malasadas
Portuguese-style fried doughnuts rolled in sugar, sometimes filled with custard, haupia (coconut) or lilikoʻi cream.
Where: Bakeries in Hilo, Kona and the Kaʻū district, especially on weekend mornings.
Bakery · Vegetarian
7.Sweet bread
Soft, sweet Portuguese-style bread, sometimes flavoured with taro or guava, a favourite road-trip snack.
Where: Bakeries in Nāʻālehu in the Kaʻū district, on the drive between Kona and the volcano.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Shave ice
Finely shaved ice drenched in syrups like lilikoʻi, guava and lychee, often over ice cream or sweet azuki beans.
Where: Shave-ice stands in Kailua-Kona, Hilo and along the Kohala Coast.
Snack · Vegetarian
9.Macadamia nuts
The Big Island grows most of Hawaiʻi's macadamia nuts, sold roasted, salted or coated in chocolate.
Where: Farm visitor centres near Hilo, markets and supermarkets.
Snack
10.Spam musubi
A slice of grilled, glazed Spam on a block of rice wrapped in nori, Hawaiʻi's favourite grab-and-go snack.
Where: Convenience stores, delis and supermarkets island-wide.
Travelling around United States? What to eat in United States covers the dishes to try in each of our 44 destinations there.
Food experiences
Coffee farm tasting
Visit a farm in South Kona or Hōlualoa for a walk through the trees and a cupping of different roasts.
Hilo market breakfast
Graze on tropical fruit, mochi and pastries at the Hilo Farmers Market on a Wednesday or Saturday morning.
Lūʻau on the Kohala Coast
Several resorts host lūʻau with kalua pig cooked in an imu (earth oven), Hawaiian food and hula performances.
Poke counter picnic
Buy fresh poke and musubi from a supermarket counter and eat them at a beach park.
Quick bites and street food
- Sweet bread — Bakeries in Nāʻālehu in the Kaʻū district, on the drive between Kona and the volcano.
- Macadamia nuts — Farm visitor centres near Hilo, markets and supermarkets.
- Spam musubi — Convenience stores, delis and supermarkets island-wide.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 6 are usually vegetarian: Kona coffee, Kaʻū coffee, Malasadas, Sweet bread, Shave ice and Macadamia nuts. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Many restaurants close by 8:30–9pm, especially in Hilo and smaller towns.
- Supermarket poke and deli counters offer some of the best-value meals on the island.
- Book resort dinners and lūʻau ahead in winter and summer holidays.
- Carry cash for farm stands and small food trucks.
- Lilikoʻi (passion fruit) and haupia (coconut) flavour many local desserts.
Tipping
Tipping follows US norms: about 18–20% in restaurants, a few dollars per drink at bars, and tips for tour guides, boat crews and hotel staff.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aloha | Hello, goodbye, love |
| Mahalo | Thank you |
| Ono | Delicious |
| Pau | Finished |
| Makai / mauka | Towards the sea / towards the mountain |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Big Island (Hawaiʻi) famous for?
Poke, Loco moco, Plate lunch and Kona coffee. Cubes of raw ʻahi tuna or other fish dressed with shoyu, sesame oil, onion and limu seaweed, sold by the pound at grocery counters and served over rice in bowls.
+Is Big Island (Hawaiʻi) good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Kona coffee, Kaʻū coffee and Malasadas.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Big Island (Hawaiʻi)?
Tipping follows US norms: about 18–20% in restaurants, a few dollars per drink at bars, and tips for tour guides, boat crews and hotel staff.