Hawaiʻi Eats · island
Hawaiʻi Island restaurants
591 restaurants, cafés, bars and bakeries on Hawaiʻi Island, across 24 towns, including 3 plate lunch spots, 1 poke counter, 1 saimin spot, 1 shave ice stand, 2 bakeries, 3 loco moco spots, 1 James Beard honoree and the oldest restaurants (back to 1929) from our hand-checked lists.
Plate lunch & drive-ins on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 19 plate lunch spots in Hawaii.
Café 100
969 Kilauea Ave, Hilo
Plate lunchLoco moco On the menu: loco moco (dozens of varieties), plate lunches
A family-run Hilo drive-in serving dozens of loco moco varieties.
Tex Drive In
45-690 Pakalana St #19, Honokaʻa
Plate lunchMalasadas On the menu: square malasadas, filled malasadas
A Honokaʻa drive-in known for its large, square malasadas, plain or filled.
Big Island Grill
75-5702 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona
Plate lunchLoco moco On the menu: loco moco, plate lunches
A Kailua-Kona local-food restaurant that HAWAIʻI Magazine readers named for loco moco and plate lunch in 2026.
Poke on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 13 poke counters and fish markets in Hawaii.
Da Poke Shack
76-6246 Ali‘i Dr, Kailua-Kona
Poke On the menu: poke
A Kailua-Kona poke counter in the Kona Bali Kai (Suite 101) that may close early when it sells out.
Saimin on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 7 saimin spots in Hawaii.
Nori's Saimin & Snacks
688 Kinoole St, Hilo
Saimin On the menu: saimin
A Hilo saimin shop.
Shave ice on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 5 shave ice stands in Hawaii.
Original Big Island Shave Ice Co.
69-250 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa
Shave ice On the menu: shave ice
A shave ice shop that HAWAIʻI Magazine readers named for Hawaiʻi Island in 2026.
Malasadas & bakeries on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 12 bakeries in Hawaii.
Two Ladies Kitchen
274 Kilauea Ave, Hilo
Malasadas On the menu: strawberry mochi, manju
A Hilo shop making Japanese mochi and manju fresh every morning; its strawberry mochi must be ordered ahead.
Tex Drive In
45-690 Pakalana St #19, Honokaʻa
Plate lunchMalasadas On the menu: square malasadas, filled malasadas
A Honokaʻa drive-in known for its large, square malasadas, plain or filled.
Loco moco on Hawaiʻi Island
By town. Each one was read against a 2025–26 menu or news story in October 2026. Every island: 7 loco moco spots in Hawaii.
Café 100
969 Kilauea Ave, Hilo
Plate lunchLoco moco On the menu: loco moco (dozens of varieties), plate lunches
A family-run Hilo drive-in serving dozens of loco moco varieties.
Ken's House of Pancakes
1730 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo
Loco moco On the menu: loco moco, pancakes, omelets, tripe stew
A Hilo diner known for pancakes, omelets and loco moco.
Big Island Grill
75-5702 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona
Plate lunchLoco moco On the menu: loco moco, plate lunches
A Kailua-Kona local-food restaurant that HAWAIʻI Magazine readers named for loco moco and plate lunch in 2026.
James Beard honorees on Hawaiʻi Island
Honors the James Beard Foundation gave, from semifinalist up to winner and America's Classic. They're facts, not ratings. Every island: 6 Hawaii James Beard honorees.
Manago Hotel
82-6155 Hawaiʻi Belt Rd, Captain Cook
America's Classic
James Beard: America's Classics 2023
Oldest restaurants on Hawaiʻi Island
Oldest first, each dated at the address it has now from its own account or a published history; the note under each one names the source. Every island: Hawaii's oldest restaurants.
Teshima's Restaurant
79-7251 Hawai'i Belt Rd, Kealakekua
On the menu: No. 3 teishoku, shrimp tempura, sukiyaki, sashimi · Since 1929
A Kealakekua family restaurant on the property where the Teshima family opened a general store in 1929; the restaurant replaced the store there in 1957.
The Teshima family opened their store on this property in 1929 and built the restaurant there in 1957 (Honolulu Magazine).
Towns on Hawaiʻi Island
Where Hawaiʻi Island's places to eat cluster, counted from open map data. Town pages: Kailua-Kona, Hilo, Waimea (Hawaiʻi Island), Waikoloa.
| Town | Places to eat |
|---|---|
| Kailua-Kona | 189 |
| Hilo | 173 |
| Waimea (Hawaiʻi Island) | 54 |
| Waikoloa | 40 |
| Pāhoa | 22 |
| Captain Cook | 21 |
| Kealakekua | 19 |
| Keaʻau | 15 |
| Hōlualoa | 8 |
| Honokaʻa | 8 |
| Nāʻālehu | 6 |
| Kapaʻau | 6 |
Health inspections on Hawaiʻi Island
The Hawaii State Department of Health, Food Safety Branch inspects restaurants on Hawaiʻi Island, as on every island, and posts a green, yellow or red placard at the door. It publishes results one search at a time, not in bulk, so Hawaiʻi Eats shows none.