These 14 Iconic Foods In Hawaii Will Have Your Mouth Watering
By Megan Shute|Updated on May 18, 2020(Originally published May 04, 2020)
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
The Aloha State is the most isolated population center on earth, and as a result, our food preferences and culinary styles are unique from those you will find on the mainland. While some of these Hawaiian food dishes have roots in other cultures or have since made their way to the continental United States, these 14 uniquely Hawaiian dishes are simply mouthwatering — and you absolutely can’t leave the islands without trying them.
The loco moco: A beef patty nestled into a bed of rice with a fried over-easy egg balanced on top, with a smothering of brown gravy bringing everything together.
Malasadas — Portuguese donuts without a hole — are wildly popular in Hawaii, and nowhere does them better than Leonard’s Bakery. A crispy golden brown exterior gives way to a soft and chewy inside in flavors like cinnamon sugar — some malasadas are even filled with custard or haupia, and there is a malasada flavor of the month.
More Spam is sold in Hawaii than the rest of America per capita, so it makes since that the islands have combined Spam and sushi to create spam musubi. Often seen as the quintessential beach snack, spam musubi is sold everywhere from specialty eateries to your local gas station.
A plate lunch is a specific meal consisting of two scoops of rice, an entrée, macaroni salad, and sometimes a generous helping of gravy. Entrees include everything from kalbi and chicken katsu to garlic shrimp, mahi mahi, and more.
Ah, Shave Ice: the quintessential Hawaiian treat, the perfect snack for a quick sugar rush after a day spent in the ocean. Is there really any better dessert on a hot Hawaiian afternoon? We sure don’t think so.
This traditional dish is usually cooked in an underground oven, called a Imu, and served at most Hawaiian luaus. It's also used as a protein source in a variety of scrumptious dishes, from nachos to sliders.
There is nothing quite like an acai bowl full of acai berries, fresh fruit, granola or oatmeal, and a drizzle of honey, after a sunrise hike. This is such a healthy and satisfying breakfast, and I’m still trying to perfect the sweet meal at home.
Manapua translates to "delicious pork thing" in Hawaiian, and that is exactly what it is: diced pork filling inside a steamed white bun. You can substitute other meats, or even bean paste if you would like — yum!
Combine Japanese sticky rice and an ice cream filling and you’ve got ice cream mochi. II was introduced to mochi shortly after moving to Hawaii and fell in love. Yes, you can find mochi in other states, but everyone knows that the best mochi comes from Hawaii's own Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert.
Poke, a raw fish salad, usually consists of cubed ahi (yellowfin tuna) marinated with sea salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, limu seaweed and chili powder. The delicious dish is currently taking over the mainland, but Hawaii obviously still does it best.
Grown exclusively in the Kona district of Hawaii Island, Kona Coffee is perhaps the most well-known beverage to come out of Hawaii. Trust us, you’ll never want to drink regular coffee again after one sip of 100 percent Kona coffee.
Haupia, a traditional coconut milk based Hawaiian dessert, is in the pudding family, and most often used to create a delicious chocolate haupia pie. And no one does haupia pie better than Ted’s Bakery, an absolute must-stop while on the North Shore.
It’s hard to think about Hawaiian food without talking about pineapple. Hawaii is famous for its pineapple production, though the sweet fruit was not introduced to the islands until the 1500s.
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More to Explore
Hawaiian Restaurants
Megan Shute|May 18, 2020
Which restaurants serve the foods Hawaii is known for?
From mouth-watering loco mocos and traditional plate lunches to kalua pork, lau lau, and poi, Hawaiian food is as unique as the islands themselves and there’s nowhere better to taste these mouthwatering dishes than at Da Poke Shack, Rainbow Drive-In, Ono Hawaiian Foods, and these other classic restaurants found across the state.
What are the most popular restaurants in Hawaii?
Though the Hawaiian Islands are small in terms of landmass, the islands feel huge as soon as you consider the countless restaurant options found across the state, some more popular than others. From casual drive-ins and seaside poke joints to upscale seafood restaurants and resort restaurants, these 14 famous restaurants found throughout Hawaii are totally worth the hype — and 100 percent worth the wait. We also suggest you check out our recent 2020 dining bucket list, featuring one delicious restaurant for each month of the year.
What are the most beautiful restaurants in Hawaii?
We love hole-in-the-wall restaurants as much as the next person, but every once in a while, we want to do a little celebrating and enjoy an upscale meal. From upscale oceanfront seafood establishments to those nestled in gorgeous gardens, these 13 Hawaii establishments just might be the most beautiful restaurants in the Aloha State, and you’ll want to visit them all at least once.
