Annabelle White’s Hawai‘i Top Food Tips

Best Breakfast

Rated #1  – trip advisor

Kono’s Restaurant, 66-250 Kamehameha Hwy, Suite G110, Haleiwa, Oahu 

Most popular item - breakfast bomber with their Kalua Pork(famous Hawaiian style pork )

The place is small and very busy so have to stand in line but worth it!!

Also try Bill’s Hawaii, 280 Beachwalk Ave – super delicious ricotta cakes and even a full “Aussie” breakfast on offer.  Also The Egghead Café 885 Queen St is very popular.

Breakfast or lunch or dinner  24 hours a day a personal favourite is Liliha Bakery, 515 N Kuakini St – a bit away from the main part of town but delicious coco puffs and excellent counter food with old fashioned service – it’s like turning back the clock – totally charming  - you can get there by bus 13 if you do not have car.

Best Lunch

Rated #1 by trip advisor is Ono Seafood. (see Poké )

Rated #2 by trip advisor is:

Steak Shack 2161 Kalia Rd Honolulu (this restaurant is also rated #3 of all the restaurants in Honolulu by trip advisor)

Food is served in cardboard containers and is basically take away. It’s not fancy and it just says Shack, but don’t be fooled by the name. The food is fresh and tasty, and word is out about its popularity so expect a queue.  This is located by the beach so grab a plate and a drink and find a place by the beach and enjoy!

If shopping at Ala Moana – there are plenty of great, and inexpensive, food options including the Shirokiya Japan Village Walk. This is located across from Foodlands (a great place to buy fresh poké) in the expanded ‘Ewa Wing and includes a quality food court and beer garden featuring $1 beers!

Best dinner - Hawaiian

Helena’s Hawaiian Food – 1240 N School St Honolulu.

Serving traditional, local Hawaiian food since 1946 this family-owned business comes highly rated.

Rated #1 by yelp and #4 of 1932 of restaurants in Honolulu by Tripadvsior

Try the pipikaula ribs they are highly recommended, if you want real Hawaiian eat here!

Also during the day The Highway Inn Kaka’ako, 680 Ala Moana Blvd is popular for traditional Hawaiian combo plates and the Lomi Salmon is very popular.

Best Coffee:

Rated #1 trip advisor

Kai Coffee Hawaii – 2424 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu

They boast locally grown, handcrafted Hawaiian coffee and they deliver! - with a great range of beans, teamed with exceptional service.

Best Night Out

Chef Mavro – make a booking for this fine dining restaurant and be so impressed with the care and flavours of the menu – 1969 S King St Honolulu – think the best traditional European culinary skills with outstanding  local produce and exceptional service – it’s a total delight!

Best Malasadas: Hawaii’s favourite Fried treat. A yeast donut of Portuguese origins rich in eggs, butter and milk This is a tradition in Hawaii where they are so taken to this donut they celebrate  Strove Tuesday as Malasada day.

• Leonards Bakery, 933 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu – also a little food truck in Waikele (check their website for locations)

Expect a queue but worth the wait, hot fresh and delicious!

Best Poké :

On the Island of Oahu, locals have been preparing poké  – which means “to cut Crosswise” in Hawaiian – since at least the 1700’s, more recently Asian immigrants made their mark by adding soy sauce, sesame oil and other seasonings.

Poké is so popular that most grocers or deli counters are stocked with multiple varieties.

Ono Seafood – 747 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu

“if you like Poké bowl and want some of the freshest fish you’ve ever tasted make sure you stop here”

The Spicy ahi bowl the most popular flavour but there are eight different flavour styles to choose from.

Select your bowl size, flavour and type of rice.. you can even have two flavours in one bowl.

Must try:

Manapua – a relative of the Chinese steamed pork bun, came to Hawaii with the Cantonese immigrants in the 19th century.

Char Hung Sut – 64 N Pauahi St, Honolulu rated #1 by Yelp

Situated in Chinatown they bring out your order piping hot and everything is so quick. This is not a sit in restaurant and popular so there is lots of people waiting and orders go fast.  Along with the Manapua try the half moons (dim sum type dumpling loaded with pieces of Char siu pork and diced walnuts) and pork hash(pork wrapped in a wan tan noodle wrapper) also talked about here is the mai tai soo ( Chinese barbeque park encased by pastry dough)

Just be aware that this is cash only