Hawaii Food Tour
Here’s a collection of delicious food spots and unique travel experiences that I would like to share with you. I made it a point to eat at places that were relatively affordable since Hawaii is quite pricey. I’m a strong believer that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat well wherever you travel as long as you do your research and ask locals where to go. Below is a video I made from my trip.
Hawaii reminded me so much of the Philippines. The weather, the food, and the warm hospitality is so close to home. I have a newfound appreciation for Hawaiian culture which is endearingly similar to Philippine culture. Similar geography, similar history. I was surprised to learn that 25 percent of Hawaii’s population is of Philippine descent. Next to English, the most widely spoken language is Ilonggo, a Philippine dialect.
Places to eat
Joe’s Grill Express $
I learned about Joe’s Grill Express from one of my favorite travel vloggers, Mark Wiens. Joe’s is about a five minute drive from the airport, making it a perfect pit stop before heading into the city. They are well known for their Special Loco Moco — two slices of SPAM, two fried eggs, a burger patty with lots of gravy, all on a bed of white rice.
Koko Head Cafe $$
This island style brunch house is by Lee Ann Wong of Top Chef. They have a wide array of Asian-inspired dishes dumplings, fish skillet, and breakfast bibimbap. You should definitely try their cornflake French toast which has crispy bacon, creamy black pepper maple, and frosted flake gelato. This spot is slightly pricey but worth a visit!
Leonard’s Bakery $
We visited this bakery at least three times because of their soft, fluffy, freshly baked malasadas — a Portuguese doughnut without a hole. You can have the malasadas coated with plain sugar, cinnamon sugar (my favorite) or li hing which is salty dried plum, or you can have them filled with custard, chocolate, coconut, guava or macadamia. Do not miss this!
Waiola Shave Ice $
I was a skeptic about shaved ice until I tried it at Waiola, an unassuming, low-key dessert joint. Originally a mom-and-pop grocery store, Waiola serves ice bowls flavored with homemade syrups from sugarcane sugar. You can top your ice bowl with azuki beans, custard pudding and mochi which are made in small batches for freshness. A simple but irresistible snack!
Jenny’s Garlic Shrimp $$
The line at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck was long so I went to its next door neighbor, Jenny’s, instead. Some locals told me that Giovanni’s has such a strong following because of its history as the first shrimp truck in the North Shore. At Jenny’s, I had their bestseller — a plate of spicy garlic shrimp, a side of salad, and buttered rice. Absolutely delicious.
Musubi Cafe Iyasume $
SPAM musubi galore with at least 20 varieties of this irresistible Hawaiian snack. They serve SPAM musubi with avocado, scrambled eggs, bacon, pickles, you name it. My favorite is the musubi with fried beancurd that gave each bite a sweet kick to balance off the saltiness of the SPAM. They also offer bowls of udon and miso soup but go here for the musubi.
Marukame Udon $
Hands down, the best bang for your buck in Hawaii. In this cafeteria style eatery, a bowl of udon costs about $8, which is a steal in Waikiki. I tried their curry udon and Kalua pork udon, a summer special. The noodles were freshly cooked and the curry and broth were both flavorful. There is almost always a wait to dine at their Waikiki branch but the one in Chinatown barely has any lines.
Itchy Butt $
A no frills, hole-in-the-wall Korean fried chicken spot. They make you choose your sauce: Korean or garlic. Your order comes with fried cheese, pickled radish and two drinks. Be prepared to wait because they cook your chicken only after you order. I’ve heard a lot of people say this is the best spot to grab fried chicken in Oahu.
Helena’s Hawaiian Food $
After waiting for 45 minutes at the parking lot, we finally made it to Helena’s. A favorite of both locals and tourists, this humble eatery serves authentic Hawaiian food at a very reasonable price. Definitely try their Kalua pork which is pork cooked in an imu, an underground oven. In 2000, the James Beard Foundation awarded Helena’s the Regional Classic Award, which only a handful of Hawaiian restaurants have received.
Ono Seafood $$
Known to be one of Hawaii’s best poke spots, Ono Seafood offers a number of ahi and tako poke bowls for $10-$12. ‘Ono (pronounced as oh-no) is Hawaiian for “delicious”. This spot definitely lives up to its name. My favorite was the Hawaiian style ahi poke which was seasoned with sea salt, green onions, limu (a seaweed), candlenut, chilis and sesame oil.
Fresh Catch $
Similar to Ono Seafood, Fresh Catch offers a variety of delicious poke bowls, lunch plates, and fresh seafood. Their Hawaiian role poke and furikake salmon were exceptionally amazing. Needless to say, everything tasted fresh, which is probably why they have such a strong local following. We heard the seared ahi tuna is great too. This spot has indoor seating and lots of parking.
Sky Waikiki $$$
What better place to soak up stunning views of Waikiki than on a rooftop bar! Sky certainly offers excellent eye candy, chic ambience, and delicious drinks. Because the sun was scorching hot, the bar staff gave out umbrellas to keep cool under the shade. Pricey! You’re paying for the view.
Banan $
The founders of Banan are committed to sustainable initiatives such as sourcing ingredients from local farms and reducing food waste by giving their banana peels to be used as feeds. The specialty here is their banana soft serve. I tried one of their original creations called Riss Moore — acaí-banana soft serve with papaya, pineapple, strawberries, granola, quinoa, shaved coconut and honey. Refreshing. And healthy too!
Island Style BBQ $
Another humble, unassuming eatery that serves freshly cooked homemade meals. Its patrons are mainly locals, grabbing lunch over their break. Their portions are huge and can be shared. I loved their furikake salmon and grilled pork. Nearby is Magnolia Ice Cream, a household name for Filipino frozen delights, where you have a halo-halo or mais con yelo.
Rainbow Drive In $
This is another local favorite that’s been serving plate lunches since 1961. You’ll feel transported back in the 70s with its retro sign and old school interior. According to the site, they serve over 1,000 plate lunches daily. They have the usual suspects — loco moco, SPAM, fried eggs, bacon, corned beef, and lots of gravy — served with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad.
Tamashiro Market $$
This is a supermarket with a great prepared food section. Their poke bowls made with high quality ingredients and you have a variety of high-grade tuna to choose from. There is no eating area inside so everything is to go. There are a couple of parks nearby where you can go for a picnic.
Maunakea Market $
Located in the heart of Chinatown, Maunakea Market offers a wide selection of Asian food, mostly from Filipino mom and pop eateries but you’ll see Thai, Vietnamese, and even Korean dishes as well. Here you can also get fresh vegetables, tropical fruits (I was surprised they had calamansi!), fish and meat. Did you know that Chinatown used to be Hawaii’s red light district?
Accommodations
Airbnb in Kaimuki $$
I highly recommend this Airbnb for its great value and responsive host, Iris. This Airbnb is newly constructed, spotless clean, and conveniently located in a residential area, away from the tourists and close to restaurants locals frequent. The only area for improvement is the wifi connection which was extremely spotty. Check in with Iris about the wifi before booking.
Things to do
Dole Plantation $
This is a pineapple theme park, museum, and farm rolled into one. You can experience the plantation by touring of their garden, taking a crack at their pineapple maze, or riding a train that takes you around the plantation. This is a great place to learn more about James Dole, who built Hawaii’s pineapple industry. Don’t forget to try their delicious pineapple soft serve. You can visit the plantation in tandem with a trip to the North Shore because it’s on the way up.
KoAloha Ukulele Factory Experience $
This is one of the highly-rated Airbnb Experiences in Honolulu. Our guide, Maia Mayeshiro, showed us around the factory and explained the intricate steps in making a ukulele. According to Maia, the three most distinguished ukulele brands are known for a particular attribute: Kamaka for its long tradition, Kanile’a for its craftsmanship, and KoAloha for its volume. The tour was a highlight of our trip, especially Maia’s performance at the end of the tour. Five stars!
WWII Red Light District Tour $
Did you know that during WWII, Hawaii had the largest red light district in the world? Our guide, Carter, took us to old brothels, a legendary tattoo parlor, and the storied watering hole of the sailors on board USS Arizona, while recounting the seedy affairs that transpired in Hawaii during the war. Carter is fantastic at weaving suspense, drama, and dead-pan humor into her stories.
Visit the Beaches $
Don’t miss out on the beaches, of course. Check out Ehukai Beach Park and the Banzai Pipeline when you visit the North Shore. Off the beaten track are Waimanalo Beach and Sherwood Beach where most locals go for a dip. Watch out for jelly fish warning signs though.
