13 Strange Local Eats You’ll Only Understand If You’re From Hawaii
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Megan Shute
Author
As the most isolated population center on earth – located more than 2,000 miles from the closest continent – the Hawaiian Islands are unique. Everything from our culture to the food we eat is a bit different than the mainland. From sweet treats and unique pastries to savory dishes and popular snacks, many of our favorite local foods might seem odd to anyone who hasn’t called the islands home.
This traditional dish is usually cooked in an underground oven, called a Imu, and served at most Hawaiian luaus.
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.
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More Spam is sold in Hawaii than the rest of America, so it makes sense that the islands have combined Spam and sushi to create spam musabi.
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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.
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.
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.
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A traditional Hawaiian dish, Poi is made by pounding boiled taro roots and mixing with water until the ideal smooth consistency is met.
Haupia, a traditional coconut milk based Hawaiian dessert, is in the pudding family, and most often used to create a delicious chocolate haupia pie.
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Laulau is a native Hawaiian dish consisting of pork wrapped in taro leaves.
This small round fruit originally hails from China, but is wildly popular in Hawaii - and may be off-putting to anyone from the mainland, until they try it, that is.
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.
The slightly tangy and slightly sweet Hawaiian macaroni salad is a critical part of any plate lunch.
This wildly-popular noodle soup dish is inspired by Japanese ramen, Filipino pancit, and Chinese mein. It was developed by immigrants during Hawaii's plantation era, and has become a staple of Hawaiian cuisine ever since.
Have you ever introduced someone to your favorite Hawaiian food and were met with confusion? You might also love checking out these 13 eateries that serve the best Hawaiian food.
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