5 Ways to Taste Oʻahu

Share savory lau lau and delicate poi at a traditional, festive lū‘au. Or on your own, discover other Hawaiian classics, such as lomi lomi salmon and squid lū‘au at Highway Inn, Haile's or Ono Hawaiian Foods. Visit an okazuya, a traditional Japanese deli, for furikake chicken. And sample Oʻahu's other melting-pot cuisine such as saimin (Hawaiʻi’s Chinese noodle soup) and manapua (Chinese steamed bun) stuffed with kālua pork.

Oʻahu embraces contemporary trends as much as traditional dishes. The island is home to James Beard Foundation favorites including Chef Mavro restaurant and Alan Wong’s, and new-generation chefs are taking farm-to-table cooking to new levels. Sample outstanding seasonal menus at Town, The Pig and the Lady and Livestock Tavern. And don’t miss Koko Head Café, with fusion specialties such as Black Sesame Yuzu Muffins, or 12th Ave Grill for smoked ahi spread.

Oʻahu’s creative mixologists infuse the island’s bounty in unique cocktails. Sample the fusion of flavors with The Kitchen Cocktail at Mud Hen Water, created with ingredients from Oʻahu’s local farmers. Enjoy a classic with a twist such as the Liliko'i Mule at Manifest, featuring island grown passion fruit. At the Ko Olina resort area, unwind with Monkeypod Kitchen’s signature Mai Tai, crafted with house-made macadamia nut rosewater.

Every September, master chefs from around Hawaiʻi, the U.S. and the Pacific Rim share their menus at the Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival, a multi-day extravaganza that is Hawai‘i’s premier epicurean event. Enjoy the local food scene at events such as Eat the Street food truck festivals (held near-monthly), the Waikīkī Spam Jam in May, nearly two dozen year-round farmers markets and food tours including Aloha Plate Food Tours and Aloha Food Tours.

Need to refuel after sightseeing? Grab a quick bite at one of Oʻahu’s many snack shops or bakeries. You might choose:

• Malasada: a Portuguese-style doughnut
• Poke: fresh, raw fish cut into cubes and marinated in a variety of styles
• Loco Moco: plate lunch with rice, hamburger and eggs smothered with gravy
• Coco Puff: pastry puff filled with chocolate and topped with Chantilly
• Haupia: sweet coconut cream custard dessert