Hawaiʻi’s Foodie Neighborhoods: 4 Gems for the Culinary Explorer

Wander the historic buildings of bustling downtown Honolulu, its neighboring Chinatown district and urban Kaimukī neighborhood long enough and you’ll need to take a break to refuel. In Chinatown, be sure to stop at The Pig and The Lady for local-focused food with modern Vietnamese flair. When you get to Kaimukī, check out the industrial vibe and farm-to-table ethos of Mud Hen Water restaurant, then head to Koko Head Cafe, whose menu features brunch dishes inspired by local cuisines.

Laid-back beach life awaits in Kīhei and Pā'ia. With easy access to the catch of the day for restaurants in both Maui towns, expect stellar fish and seafood when you’re ready to eat. Don’t miss Mama’s Fish House for the freshest mahi-mahi (dolphin fish), ono (wahoo), ahi (yellow-fin tuna) and more, brought directly to the restaurant by fishermen whose names are listed on the menu. Pā'ia Fish Market is a nautical-themed spot with indoor picnic tables, well-known for its fish burgers and plate lunches. A local approach to comfort food, the typical plate lunch features a choice of an entrée, generally accompanied by white rice and macaroni salad. Housed in a former pineapple plantation store, the Hali'imaile General Store features modern takes on traditional cuisine and an impressive vegetarian menu.

Waimea, Hawaiʻi Island’s largest interior town, is known for its ranching and paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture. Nestled bayside in the shadow of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes, Hilo is Hawaiʻi Island’s biggest town. For big-appetite breakfasts and lunches in both towns head to Hawaiian Style Café and tuck into a menu stocked with traditional American and Hawaiian dishes such as massive pancakes, kālua (meaning cooked in an underground oven) pork hash and a variety of plate lunches. Hilo’s Ken’s House of Pancakes, a traditional American-style diner with Hawaiian flair, offers a menu featuring macadamia pancakes and loco moco bowls, the latter a favorite Hawaiʻi comfort food dish classically crafted with white rice, topped by a hamburger patty and fried egg, and smothered with gravy. Ken’s offers loco moco in several inventive variations. 

The Kauaʻi oceanside town of Poʻipū – its Hawaiian name refers to the crashing of waves – is breathtakingly beautiful and relatively unpopulated. Head to Poʻipū Shopping Village to cool off with handmade scoops of gelato in Hawaiian flavors at Papalani Gelato, or find an entirely different kind of refreshment at Kōloa Rum Co., a distillery specializing in single-batch rum made from local sugar cane. The Sheraton Kauaʻi Resort is home to RumFire Poʻipū Beach, an oceanfront restaurant known for its seasonal dishes and rotating fresh seafood specials.

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu is your main gateway to Oʻahu and all of Hawaiʻi, but airports are available at each island for you to easily explore the entire state. Fly into Hilo (ITO) or Ellison Onizuka Kona (KOA) international airports on Hawaiʻi Island, Kahului Airport (OGG) on Maui, Lāna‘i Airport (LNY) on Lāna‘i, Molokaʻi Airport (MKK) on Molokaʻi and Līhuʻe Airport (LIH) on Kauaʻi.