Measuring over 4,000 square miles, the Big Island has a lot of ground to cover. Naturally, you’ll want to spend your mornings and afternoons here outside, so you’ll need a satisfying lunch to keep you fueled up. for your island adventures Here’s a list of our favorite spots on the Kohala Coast for a tasty lunch on the Big Island.
But wait, there’s more. We’re here to help demystify some of the unusual words you might see on menus like furikake, laulau and lilikoi — and explain which meat is being served and why. And possibly most importantly of all, provide the fun facts on the origins of local dishes.
If you’re happy with your meal, tag us @LocalGetaways on Instagram to share the love.
For more suggestions on best restaurants on the Big Island, the best things to do on the Big Island, and the best places to stay on the Big Island, click here.
Feature Photo: Cafe Pesto
Pizzeria: 55-3406 Akoni Pule Hwy, Hawi
Food truck: 61-3628 Akoni Pule Hwy, Kamuela
Hidden on the rear lanai behind two quaint storefronts in Hawi, this New York-style pizzeria with counter service and occasional karaoke has added a food truck in a Kawaihae boat yard that’s more convenient for Kohala resort visitors as well as the local paddlers and fishermen. The daily trio of pizzas, available by the enormous slice or whole, always include cheese and pepperoni, with a tantalizing special such as bacon, jalapeño and honey drizzle.
45-3625 Mamane St, Honokaa
The historic Main Street of Honokaa town is worth perusing all on its own, but this compact restaurant makes the perfect start or end to your stroll. Its specialties of gyoza dumplings chicken karaage and ramen with locally sourced noodles and bone broths (and a veggie version with red miso) have branched out to include similarly tasty rice and cold noodle bowls and steamed Hirata buns with a variety of fillings.
There are lots of microbreweries popping up on the islands lately, and Big Island Brewhaus is one of the best. The food here is just as tasty as the beers — the menu of Mexican-style dishes and standard pub fare is made from locally sourced ingredients.
This 1912 building was restored to create this beautiful cafe, offering the perfect ambiance for a leisurely lunch. There’s an ohia wood-fired pizza oven in the kitchen and a menu full of the flavors of Hawai’i Regional Cuisine. There are so many tasty choices — coconut calamari, locally sourced salad, award-winning pizza, saffron risotto — how do you choose just one?
65-1227 Opelo Rd., Waimea
808.885.6822
Chef Peter Merriman is one of the godfathers of Hawaii’s farm to table movement, and Merriman’s is leading the way for culinary excellence on the islands. Their lunch menu has all the fixings of a great midday meal — we recommend the Caesar salad to start, followed by the fresh-catch fish sandwich and accompanied by a couple glasses of chardonnay.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, 68-1400 Mauna Lani Dr, Kamuela
CanoeHouse isn’t the only restaurant at the Mauna Lani with a killer ocean sunset view, but it’s the most casual, with picnic tables, Adirondack chairs and a predominantly sandwich-and-salad lunch and dinner menu. But as part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, anything culinary gets special attention, so the bacon in the Smoked BLT benefits from a guava barbecue glaze, vegetarians can enjoy tofu poke or falafel tacos, and the poke and seared ahi wrap boast impeccably fresh fish.
