Big Island Hawaii: Food Guide

The Big Island’s food identity is built on two foundations: the agricultural richness of its varied climate zones — coffee, macadamia nuts, tropical fruit, beef cattle, and some of Hawaii’s best vanilla all come from this island — and the same multicultural layering that characterizes Hawaiian cooking across the state. The west Kona coast has the resort-style restaurant concentration; Waimea is where several of the island’s most serious locally sourced restaurants have clustered; and Hilo has its own distinct local food culture largely untouched by resort economics. This guide covers the key restaurants and food stops across all three areas as of 2026.

Waimea — The Culinary Center

Waimea (elevation 2,600 feet, also called Kamuela) has a higher concentration of quality locally sourcing restaurants relative to its population than almost anywhere in Hawaii. The region is surrounded by Parker Ranch cattle land, Waimea-area farms, and the island’s most productive agricultural belt.

Merriman’s Big Island — 65-1227 Opelo Rd, Waimea. The original Peter Merriman restaurant, opened in 1988 as one of the founding establishments of Hawaii Regional Cuisine — the movement that insisted on building menus around locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients. The philosophy holds 35 years later. Merriman sources Parker Ranch beef, locally caught shutome (broadbill swordfish) and ahi, Waimea lettuces, and upcountry produce. Mains approximately $35–58 as of 2026. Reservations strongly recommended; the restaurant is a destination in itself and books out on weekends.

Pau — 65-1144 Mamalahoa Hwy, Waimea. A more casual lunch and breakfast option in Waimea town. Sandwiches, salads, and plates using local ingredients. Mains approximately $14–22. Popular with Waimea workers and ranchers. Open weekdays.

Waimea Farmers Market — Waimea town. Saturday mornings from approximately 7am–noon. Local produce, honey, coffee, macadamia nuts, and prepared foods from island vendors. One of the best markets on the Big Island.

Kailua-Kona and South Kohala Coast

Jackie Rey’s Ohana Grill — 75-5995 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua-Kona. A reliable mid-range restaurant in central Kona with consistently good preparations of local fish, fresh poke, and island-influenced plates. The ohana (family) ethos shows in the relaxed service and reasonable prices for a resort town. Mains approximately $22–38. Reservation recommended for dinner.

Da Poke Shack — 76-6246 Ali’i Dr, Kailua-Kona. One of the most reviewed poke counters on the island. Ahi, salmon, and crab poke in a rotating selection of marinades — shoyu, spicy, sesame, and more. Poke plates approximately $14–20. Counter service; queues at lunch are normal. Order early.

Island Lava Java — 75-5799 Ali’i Dr, Kailua-Kona. A Kona beachfront café serving Kona coffee, breakfast plates, and lunch. Açai bowls approximately $12–15; breakfast plates approximately $12–18. Reliable coffee and an ocean view. Opens early.

Kona Brewing Company — 74-5612 Pawai Pl, Kailua-Kona (the original brewpub). Kona Brewing began here in 1994 and is now distributed nationally, but the original Kailua-Kona brewpub still produces its own small-batch beers alongside the main lineup. Pizza and pub food approximately $16–26. Large outdoor seating area; family-friendly. Open daily.

Brown’s Beach House — At the Fairmont Orchid, Kohala Coast. The best resort restaurant on the Kohala Coast for oceanfront fine dining. Big Island-sourced fish, local beef, and produce from nearby farms. Mains approximately $40–65. Sunset dinner timing is worth planning — the ocean views are among the better in any Hawaiian restaurant.

Hilo

Hilo’s food culture is less glossy than Kona’s resort strip but more genuinely local. The city’s restaurant scene serves a working population with Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and native Hawaiian backgrounds, and the prices reflect the absence of resort markup.

Café 100 — 969 Kilauea Ave, Hilo. A Hilo institution since 1946 and the restaurant credited with creating the loco moco — a hamburger patty over white rice, topped with a fried egg and brown gravy. The dish is now one of the defining local plates of Hawaii and is on every plate lunch menu in the state, but Café 100 is where it began. Counter service; plates approximately $8–14. Open Monday–Saturday for breakfast and lunch. No reservation; no frills.

Ken’s House of Pancakes — 1730 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo. A 24-hour diner that has operated continuously since 1971 on Banyan Drive. The full American diner menu — pancakes, eggs, saimin, loco moco, and daily specials — is available at any hour. Plates approximately $10–18. No reservation. One of the more useful practical stops in Hilo for early or late meals.

Sombat’s Fresh Thai — 88 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo. A well-regarded Thai restaurant in downtown Hilo with a long-running local following. Fresh ingredients and reliable execution. Mains approximately $14–22. Reservation recommended for dinner.

Two Ladies Kitchen — 274 Kilauea Ave, Hilo. A small Japanese mochi and confectionery shop that draws queues from early morning. Strawberry mochi — a large fresh strawberry wrapped in sweet bean paste and rice cake — is the signature. Prices approximately $2–4 per piece. Sells out routinely before noon. Cash only.

Suisan Fish Market — 93 Lihiwai St, Hilo. A fish market and poke counter operating since 1907, directly on the Hilo waterfront. Fresh poke, sashimi, and local fish by the pound. Poke approximately $14–18 per pound. Open Monday–Saturday 8am–5pm. One of the most authentic fish market experiences on the island.

Volcano Village

The small community around Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (outside the park entrance) has several options for breakfast before morning park visits or dinner after sunset lava viewing.

Café Ono — 19-4030 Old Volcano Rd, Volcano Village. A small community café near the park entrance with good breakfast plates, local coffee, and light lunches. Plates approximately $10–16. Opens early enough for pre-park morning visitors.

Kilauea Lodge Restaurant — Old Volcano Hwy, Volcano Village. The most formal restaurant in the volcano area, inside a 1938 YMCA lodge building. European-leaning preparations of local fish and pork. Mains approximately $24–38. Reservation recommended for dinner.

Kona Coffee

The Kona coffee belt along Highway 180 above Kailua-Kona produces beans sold in premium coffee markets globally. Tasting directly at farm tasting rooms is the cheapest and most informative way to understand the range — from washed light roasts to natural-process darker styles.

Greenwell Farms Tasting Room — 81-6581 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kealakekua. Free tastings with farm tour. Open daily 8:30am–5pm.

Hula Daddy Kona Coffee — 74-4944 Mamalahoa Hwy, Holualoa. One of the more critically reviewed small-batch Kona producers; focus on light roasts showing the bean’s natural fruit character. Tastings free. Open Monday–Friday 9am–4pm.

Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation — 73-1944 Hao St, Kailua-Kona. Full roasting and processing operation with free tours and tasting room. Open daily 9am–4pm.

Plate Lunch and Local Standbys

Ba-Le Sandwich — Multiple locations including Hilo and Kailua-Kona. A Hawaiian-Vietnamese chain serving French baguette sandwiches (banh mi), pho, and plate lunches. Sandwiches approximately $6–9; pho approximately $10–14. Reliable and inexpensive.

Umekes Fish Market Bar and Grill — 74-425 Kealakehe Pkwy, Kailua-Kona. Poke bowls, fish plates, and a lively bar. One of the busier casual dining options in Kona. Poke bowls approximately $16–24. No reservation; expect a short wait at peak lunch.

Punalu’u Bake Shop — Highway 11, Naalehu. The southernmost commercial bakery in the USA, a roadside stop between Kona and Hawaii Volcanoes. Sweet bread (a Hawaiian Portuguese-influenced enriched bread) and malasadas (fried Portuguese doughnuts). Open daily 9am–5pm.

Practical Notes

• Merriman’s booking: Reserve 1–2 weeks in advance for weekends; weekday lunches are more accessible.
• Hilo pricing vs. Kona: Expect to pay roughly 20–30% less for comparable food quality in Hilo versus resort-area Kona. A day trip to Hilo can include some of the island’s best eating at much lower prices.
• Coffee purchasing: Kona coffee labeled “Kona Blend” contains only 10% Kona beans by Hawaiian law — it is not comparable to 100% Kona. Look for “100% Kona” labeling. Expect to pay approximately $30–50 for a half-pound of quality 100% Kona as of 2026.