I grew up in Hawaii and think Oahu has some of the best food in the world. Here are 13 authentic places to eat.
- As an Oahu local, I feel like I'm in on a secret that Hawaii has some of the best food in the world.
- My top restaurants in Oahu feature local ingredients and range from old-school spots to trendy new places.
When I lived in New York for about five years, I was surrounded by diverse cuisines and some of the top-rated restaurants in the world. Yet I constantly missed the food of my hometown in Hawaii.
I grew up on Oahu and live here now as an adult and feel like I'm in on a well-kept secret that Hawaii is home to some of the best food in the world. From old-school eateries that have been around for decades to new spots that rival the trendy restaurants opening in New York, my favorite places to eat are often rooted in a strong sense of place and take inspiration from the local ingredients of Hawaii, like haupia (coconut) and fresh seafood.
In my opinion, the best things to eat feature local ingredients prominently, so you'll eat particularly well if you prioritize the places serving dishes that you can't easily find on the mainland and are very tied to Hawaii's history.
For centuries, Native Hawaiians sustained themselves from the land and sea with food like poi (taro root fermented, baked, and then pounded into a paste-like consistency), but European colonization led to the industrialization of Hawaii's land into sugar and pineapple plantations, which brought in immigrants from places like Portugal, Japan, and China to work laborers, bringing over foods like rice, li hing mui (sour plum) and pao doce (Portugese sweet bread).
As a result, the local cuisine is now a combination of Asian and Pacific flavors plus a dash of Western influence that you likely can't find anywhere else. Think pan-seared ahi steak seasoned with furikake (Japanese sesame and seaweed seasoning) served with a creamy dip and sides of white rice and mac salad (the best place to get it is at Nico's, more on that below).
Most of all, I strongly believe in supporting local businesses, especially as a visitor. It not only provides an authentic experience, but you'll also give back to the place you're visiting, which is especially important considering Hawaii's history.
If you're ready to plan the ultimate Hawaiian gastronomic journey, here are my favorite locally-owned food and drink spots to try.
For delicious poke: Off the Hook Poke Market
Unless you don't eat raw fish, I would be sorely disappointed if you came to Oahu (or Hawaii in general) and didn't make it a priority to try poke. It is a staple dish for locals — and my favorite post-beach meal.
Although raw cubed fish can be found on the mainland, in my opinion, that's far from the original poke that comes from Hawaii. Off the Hook Poke Market serves some of the freshest ahi tuna poke I've ever had in the lush valley of Manoa. It gets incredibly tender fish each morning from the fish market, and I think the spicy ahi offers the right balance of spice and creaminess. Just prepare to wait in a long line.
For local-inspired desserts: Tiny Pyramid
Tucked into a nondescript shopping center away from tourists, Tiny Pyramid is for all sweet tooths. This family-owned bistro and bakery has over 40 delicate-looking French-style pastries inspired by local ingredients. My favorites include the sweet potato and haupia (coconut) mousse over a white sponge cake and a lilikoi (passionfruit) cheesecake. Chocolate lovers will find themselves in heaven over their chocolate mac-nut tart.
For a refreshing acai bowl: Haleiwa Bowls
If I'm surfing up on the North Shore, eventually, the hot sun and salty water make me crave a refreshing acai bowl topped with fresh fruit, granola, raw coconut flakes, and raw local honey. I'll make a stop at Haleiwa Bowls on my way back to town and pick up a mana bowl, which has blended acai and all those delicious toppings. The blue majik bowl is also aesthetically pleasing and has a blended base of pineapple and banana turned baby blue thanks to blue majik spirulina.
For big portions of local favorites: Side Street Inn
I grew up making frequent visits to Side Street Inn, and my dad always makes sure we hit this beloved local spot when he's in town because their food is straightforward, delicious, and the servings are huge.
This award-winning restaurant has two locations that have been around for years and might look familiar if you've seen Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." Tuck into whopping platters of local staples like sizzling kalbi, garlic chicken, chicken katsu, and fried rice with Portuguese sausage and char-siu, which is a Chinese barbecue pork.
For authentic Hawaiian food: Helena's Hawaiian Food
Helena's Hawaiian Food is a staple for authentic Hawaiian food. It opened in 1946 and has earned multiple awards. If you eat meat, consider ordering kalua pig, which is a pig traditionally cooked in an underground oven called an imu. I love lau lau, which is meat cooked until tender in ti leaves, and eaten with white rice or poi. Don't leave without ordering haupia for dessert — it's a pudding-like dessert that's creamy without being too sweet.
For a fancy night out: Mina's Fish House
Overlooking the water at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina on the west side of Oahu, Mina's Fish House is one of the only restaurants in the world to have fish sommeliers. In a way, it makes sense since people's livelihoods in Hawaii have long been tied to the ocean.
I recently ate here for the first time and was blown away by the fish sommelier's knowledge and love for the ocean as he explained the daily catch in detail. If you order the whole-fish catch of the day, he even comes back to cut it for you. Mina's Fish House is pricey, but the experience — and the food — is worth it.
For a crisp beer: Hana Koa Brewing Co.
I'm proud of Hawaii's beer scene and mention it to visitors every chance I get because our local brewers make creative brews using flavors unique to the islands. Stop by Hana Koa Brewing Co. in the trendy former warehouse neighborhood of Kakaako, which was opened a few years ago by a man with Native Hawaiian heritage and his wife, whom he met on the mainland. Their Dortmunder Mifflin is a German-style lager with hints of fresh papaya and honeycomb. If you're not a fan of beer, you'll be satisfied with their seltzer flavors as well. They also often collaborate with other local businesses like the Rice Factory, a specialty Japanese rice shop in Honolulu.
For plate lunches: Pioneer Saloon
In Hawaii, a plate lunch is an affordable, filling meal consisting of a scoop of rice, macaroni salad, and a protein like barbecue pork or chicken katsu. They're perfect for a post-hike lunch or to take to the beach. My favorite place to get a plate lunch is Pioneer Saloon, which has two locations in Honolulu. I highly recommend the ahi katsu, which is fried ahi served with tartar and ponzu sauce. It also has an ono loco moco, a local favorite of a hamburger steak and two sunny-side-up eggs over a bed of rice, drizzled in a decadent curry-gravy-like sauce.
To cool off with shave ice: Waiola Shave Ice
I grew up eating the local snack of shave ice (no, it's not "shaved") on the hottest afternoons. My mom would always drive my sister and me to Waiola Shave Ice on Waiola Street in Honolulu after school for a sweet treat. As adults, my sister and I will still always stop at the original Waiola after a blazing beach day (there's another location in Kapahulu). Their shave ice is finely ground, and they pour enough syrup so you're never left with that dreaded plain icy center. They have an overwhelming number of flavors, ranging from classic pineapple and coconut to the more creative pickled mango and li hing mui (a sour plum treat). I highly recommend getting your shave ice with condensed milk drizzled on top or with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom.
Honorable mentions
Nico's Pier 38
Seafood in Hawaii shines for obvious reasons. Nico's Pier 38 is another great place to eat fresh seafood and a longtime favorite of my family. My sister opts for the furikake pan-seared ahi, and I almost always get the fresh ahi poke in its fish market.
Foodland Poke
Did you know that you can get some of Hawaii's best poke in a grocery store? Head over to the poke counter at any Foodland, which is found across the island, to grab some fish for the beach. I'm a fan of the Spicy Hawaiian, which combines limu (seaweed) with spicy mayo. If you get a poke bowl, ask for furikake on the rice.
Hau Tree
Located on the edge of Waikiki in the Kaimana Hotel, Hau Tree is right on the beach, providing a beautiful setting to catch the sunset. I recommend couples reserve a date night here, which has mouthwatering libations such as the Kapua fizz, which mixes gin with calamansi, a lime native to the Philippines, and absinthe.
Recognizable by its iconic, retro-looking sign, Leonard's Bakery is famous for its malasadas, which are donuts with Portuguese origins that are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It's served warm in a pink plastic bag or box, and if you're a fan of indulgence, I recommend trying the one filled with haupia cream.