When people think about eating in Hawaii, Oahu tends to steal the spotlight. Many of the restaurants on Oahu get the most fame, but the Island of Hawaii (still referred to by many locals as the Big Island of Hawaii) is deeply underrated on the food front. It sits at the intersection of everything that makes Hawaiian foo d great. Rich volcanic soil produces exceptional produce on local farms around Hilo and Honokaa, world-class cattle ranching thrives in Waimea, and bountiful Pacific waters provide fresh fish year-round. Add in generations of Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese, and native Hawaiian culinary influence, and you have an island food scene that rewards curious eaters willing to explore beyond the resort buffets.

Being less familiar with the food and restaurant scene on the Big Island, I sought advice from my mother, who was born and raised on Oahu, but spent years of her adulthood on the Big Island. She wrote a robust two page email full of recommendations including a restaurant she says she "dreams of." This guide covers the best places to eat on the Big Island of Hawaii, including beloved classics, a few exciting newer additions, and a whole lot of food worth getting on a plane for. All restaurants listed below are currently open as of 2026.

Cafe Pesto (Hilo)

If you ask a local where to eat in Hilo, chances are good that Cafe Pesto will be the first name out of their mouth. My mother had it on her handwritten list of Big Island must-eats, describing it as the place she "dreams of," which is exactly the kind of recommendation that makes you drive directly there from the airport.

Cafe Pesto has been serving the island since 1988 and is widely considered one of the finest staple restaurants in all of the Hawaiian Islands. Long considered an innovator of locally sourced Hawaii cuisine, the restaurant earned its reputation for food that is wonderfully fresh, creatively presented, and affordably priced. The menu blends Pacific Rim influences with Italian-inspired technique, resulting in dishes that feel entirely unique to Hawaii.

During our week-long visit to the Big Island, we ended up eating at Cafe Pesto four times, including once driving all the way to the Kawaihae Harbor location just for another taste. Standouts included the Asian Pacific crab cakes, the mahi mahi sandwich, and the wood-fired pizzas topped with local ingredients like Big Island goat cheese and kalua duck. The lilikoi (passion fruit) juice alone is worth the visit. Like my mother, I too dream of eating at this place.

The Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm (Hilo)

For the most unique dining concept on the Big Island, the Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm in Hilo delivers an experience that is genuinely unlike anything else. Founded in the 1920s, the Seaside Restaurant and Aqua Farm is one of Hawaii's oldest restaurants and has been in the Nakagawa family since its founding. Third-generation owner Colin Nakagawa carries on a family legacy that has survived Pearl Harbor, the 1946 Hilo tsunami, and a global pandemic. Behind the restaurant is Lokowaka, a 30-acre all-natural, brackish fishpond where Nakagawa raises mullet, tilapia, and the local favorite aholehole. When a fish is ordered in the restaurant, it is freshly caught from the pond and brought in to be prepared. The farm-to-table concept does not get more literal than this.

On our visit, we ordered the aholehole out of pure curiosity. It arrived as two whole medium-sized fish, lightly battered and deep fried. The flavor was distinctive and clean, though the abundance of tiny bones requires patience. The real draw here is the experience itself: sitting in a dining room overlooking the fishpond at sunset, watching egrets wade through the shallows while your dinner was swimming an hour earlier.

Arrive before sunset and request a table by the window for a view of egrets roosting around the fishpond. The restaurant is located at 1790 Kalanianaole St, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 4 PM to 8 PM. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Hawaii-aholehole at Seaside Restaurant in Hilo

Village Burger (Waimea)

In the cool, mountainous upcountry town of Waimea (also known as Kamuela), it is nearly impossible to talk about food without first talking about cattle. The legendary Parker Ranc h is one oldest and largest cattlee ranches in the United States. Its paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) have been producing some of the finest beef in the Pacific for over 175 years. So where does one actually eat that beef? One place is Village Burger, located in the Parker Ranch Shopping Center.

Spearheaded by Chef Edwin Goto, a James Beard Award finalist, he pioneered the use of locally grown grass-fed beef at Village Burger. Not only is the beef locally sourced from Hawaii Ranchers and Kahua Ranch Wagyu, but so are all the trimmings, including Kekela Farms baby greens, Nakano Farms tomatoes, Hawaii Island Goat Dairy chevre, and Hamakua mushrooms. Even the brioche buns come from a local bakery using Chef Goto's own recipe.

We shared the Kahua Ranch wagyu beef burger and the Hamakua mushroom burger, and savored every last bite. The twice-cooked hand-cut fries and milkshakes made with locally produced Tropical Dreams ice cream are mandatory accompaniments.

Village Burger is located at 67-1185 Hawaiʻi Belt Rd and is open daily from 10:30 AM to 6 PM.

Merriman's (Waimea)

If you are looking for the best fine dining experience on the Big Island, Merriman's Waimea belongs at the top of your list. Chef Peter Merriman is widely credited as one of the founding fathers of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. He has been a culinary pioneer in Hawaii for over 35 years and is known as the original "locavore," a vocal champion of Hawaii's farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. His restaurants showcase island-grown and harvested foods through simple preparations that reflect the myriad flavors of Hawaii's multiculturalism.

At Merriman's Big Island, the menu features fresh island flavors, an extensive wine list, and cozy upcountry dining with warm Hawaiian hospitality. The restaurant sources 90 percent or more of its ingredients from local producers. Expect dishes like spicy Kona lobster ravioli, poke plates with fresh wasabi grated tableside, and seasonal preparations that change based on what local farms are producing. This is the kind of restaurant worth building an evening around, and reservations are essential.

Merriman's Waimea is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:30 AM, dinner nightly from 5 PM, and Sunday brunch from 10:30 AM.

Waimea-Paniolo — A paniolo, or Hawaiian cowboy, as part of the decor at Village Burger in Waimea.

TEX Drive In (Honokaa)

After a morning of horseback riding in the Waipio Valley, we asked our hosts where to grab a bite. The answer was overwhelmingly TEX Drive In, which happened to also be on my mother's list. We went two days in a row, and we have zero regrets. TEX Drive In is located in the historic plantation town of Honokaa on the Hamakua Coast and has been serving local Hawaiian food since 1969. The menu covers classic Big Island plate lunch territory, including chicken katsu, Korean fried chicken, teriyaki beef, and burgers made with local ingredients.

The main reason most people make the drive to Honokaa, however, is for the malasadas. Malasadas are Portuguese-style donuts made from deep-fried yeast dough coated in sugar, and they are considered a quintessential Hawaii food experience. TEX Drive In has clearly had enough time since 1969 to perfect the art of malasada-making. Newer versions are filled with cremes, jams, and jellies in flavors like mango, lilikoi, guava, and haupia (coconut cream). Our personal recommendation is to order the plain sugar-coated version or the haupia-filled one, though the mango is a close contender.

TEX Drive In is located at 45-690 Pakalana St #19 in Honokaa, and it’s open Monday through Sunday from 6 AM to 6 PM.

Punalu'u Bake Shop (Na'alehu)

On the subject of malasadas, no Big Island food guide would be complete without a mention of Punalu'u Bake Shop. This is a natural stop if you are driving between Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Kailua-Kona, since the bakery sits directly on Route 11 midway between the two.

Punalu'u Bake Shop and Visitor Center is located on Mamalahoa Highway in the town of Na'alehu and welcomes more than 200,000 visitors from around the world each year. It is the southernmost bakery in the United States. The bakery is most famous for its Hawaiian sweet bread, which is baked in-house using a generations-old secret recipe, but the malasadas are the real draw for us.

On our visit, the taro malasada was a delightful surprise. Rather than being filled with taro cream as expected, the bread itself is flavored with taro, making it lighter in texture with a subtly earthy, slightly sweet flavor. The full bakery offering also includes turnovers, cheesecake, pies, eclairs, anpans (Japanese pastries), and other baked goods, alongside a full outdoor cafe serving plate lunches, fresh salads, and Ka'u coffee.

Punalu'u Bake Shop is located at 95-5642 Mamalahoa Hwy, and is open daily from 8:30 AM to 5 PM.

Malasada from Punalu'u Bake Shop — A taro malasada from Punalu'u Bake Shop.

Kava Bars Across the Big Island

No trip to the Big Island of Hawaii is complete without sampling kava, known locally as 'awa. Kava is a traditional Pacific plant beverage made by drying and powdering the roots of the kava plant and mixing them with water. The active ingredient, kavalactone, produces a soothing, relaxing effect on the mind and body and can cause mild numbness or tingling in the mouth. The effect is gentle and calming rather than intoxicating in the way that alcohol is. Kava bars are a beloved social institution across the Big Island, drawing together locals and visitors in a communal, low-key setting. Here are three notable ones worth visiting:

Kanaka Kava in Kailua-Kona is a local favorite and a great introduction to the kava bar experience.
Bayfront Coffee, Tea, and Kava in Hilo is conveniently located in downtown Hilo and a good stop after exploring the waterfront.
Kava Kafe in Hawi is a charming spot in the North Kohala region, worth visiting if you are driving up the Kohala Coast.

Hawaiian awa or kava — Hawaiian 'awa or kava, served in a coconut shell.

Kona Coffee in Kailua-Kona

As Seattleites, we take our coffee seriously. Drinking Kona coffee directly in the region where it is grown is a genuine bucket-list coffee experience. Kona coffee is grown in the volcanic foothills of Hualalai and Mauna Loa on the western slope of the Big Island, and the combination of rich soil, cloud cover, and ideal temperatures produces some of the most prized coffee in the world.

While Kona coffee is available practically everywhere in the region, seek out smaller cafes with direct ties to specific farms for the most authentic experience. The original post mentioned Cafe Kona de Pele, which sources from the Kona de Pele farm in the Captain Cook region and serves excellent coffee alongside desserts and coconut ice cream. Alternatively, the Captain Cook area has several farm-direct coffee shops and tours worth adding to your itinerary if you want to go deeper into Kona coffee culture.

Final Tips for Eating Well on the Big Island

The Big Island rewards travelers who are willing to eat like locals. A few practical notes before you go:

Reservations can matter more than you might expect, especially at Merriman's and the Seaside Restaurant. Both fill up quickly, particularly on weekends. For casual spots like TEX Drive In and Village Burger, arriving early in the day gets you the freshest malasadas and shortest lines respectively.

The island's food scene is deeply tied to its agricultural identity. Waimea and the Hamakua Coast produce a remarkable amount of what ends up on plates across the island, from the Kahua Ranch wagyu at Village Burger to the Hamakua mushrooms that appear on menus everywhere. Paying attention to where ingredients come from adds a layer of appreciation to every meal.

Finally, do not overlook the farmers markets. The Hilo Farmers Market operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is one of the best in the state, offering fresh tropical fruit, local produce, prepared foods, and the chance to sample things like lilikoi, rambutan, and star fruit picked that morning.

Have you eaten your way around the Big Island? Share your favorite restaurants and hidden gems in the comments below!