Best Malasadas in Hawaiʻi, Every Island Ranked (2026)

If you leave Hawaiʻi without eating a malasada, did you even go? These fluffy, golden, sugar-dusted Portuguese donuts are one of the defining foods of the islands, and the debate over who makes the best ones is the kind of thing that can start real arguments at a family barbecue.

Malasadas came to Hawaiʻi with Portuguese immigrants who arrived to work the sugar plantations in the late 1800s. The tradition stuck, and today you’ll find bakeries on every major island putting their own spin on the original. Some keep it classic. Some stuff them with haupia or ube. One place puts ice cream inside, which honestly changed our lives.

We’ve eaten our way through dozens of bakeries across the state to bring you this ranking. Here’s where to find the best malasadas on every island, starting with Oʻahu.

Best Malasadas on Oʻahu

Leonard’s Bakery

Kapahulu, Honolulu

📍 933 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816

🕒 Daily 5:30 AM – 7:00 PM

💰 $1.50–$2.50 per malasada

🅿️ Small lot behind the bakery (fills fast) or street parking on Kapahulu

There’s a reason Leonard’s has been the gold standard since 1952. The original sugar-dusted malasada is perfectly fried, with a thin, crispy shell that gives way to pillowy, slightly eggy dough inside. They make them in batches throughout the day, so you’re almost always getting one that just came out of the fryer. The line can wrap around the building, but it moves fast.

What to Order: The original sugar malasada is the purest form. For filled, the haupia (coconut custard) and custard are the classics. The li hing mui sugar-coated version is a local twist worth trying.

Pro Tip: Go between 6–7 AM on weekdays for zero wait. Malasadas are best within 15 minutes, so eat them in the parking lot. Seriously.

Related: 50 Best Places to Eat on Oahu

Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery

Kaimuki + Kakaako

📍 3632 Waiʻalae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816 (Kaimuki) | 675 Auahi St (Kakaako)

🕒 Daily 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

💰 $2–$4 per malasada, $6–$8 Malamode

🅿️ Street parking on Waiʻalae Ave or side streets

Pipeline is the new-school answer to Leonard’s, and they’re not trying to replicate the classic. The standard malasada is excellent, crispy and airy, but the real star is the Malamode: a warm malasada split open and stuffed with a scoop of their house-made ice cream. They also do Cake Bombs and seasonal flavors that rotate regularly.

What to Order: The Malamode with haupia ice cream. Indulgent, messy, and absolutely worth it. The ube malasada is beautiful and tasty.

Pro Tip: The Kaimuki location is the original and has the best vibe. Kakaako usually has a shorter wait. Get there early on Malasada Day (Fat Tuesday).

Champion Malasadas

Multiple Locations, Oʻahu

📍 Various pop-up and permanent locations (check Instagram @championmalasadas)

🕒 Varies, typically 8:00 AM – sold out

💰 $2–$3 per malasada

🅿️ Varies by location

Champion has built a cult following by doing one thing really well. Their malasadas are noticeably crispier on the outside than most, with a lighter, airier interior. They run a tighter flavor rotation, but everything they put out is quality. They frequently sell out.

What to Order: The original sugar is their best showcase. When they have lilikoi (passion fruit) cream filling, get it.

Pro Tip: Follow them on Instagram for location updates. They sell out regularly, especially on weekends.

Kamehameha Bakery

Kalihi, Honolulu

📍 1284 Kalani St, Honolulu, HI 96817

🕒 Tue–Sat starting 2:00 AM until sold out

💰 $1.50–$2.50 per malasada

🅿️ Lot parking available

Kamehameha Bakery is the insider’s pick. They open at 2 AM, which tells you this is a bakery that serves the working crowd and early risers. Their malasadas are excellent, but they’re equally famous for their poi glazed donuts, which are purple, slightly sweet, and unlike anything on the mainland.

What to Order: The poi glazed donut is a must. Their malasadas are soft and slightly denser than Leonard’s. Get both.

Pro Tip: They open at 2 AM and popular items sell out early. For poi donuts, arrive before 6 AM.

Best Malasadas on the Outer Islands

Tex Drive In

Honokaa, Big Island

📍 45-690 Paauilo Mauka Rd, Honokaa, HI 96727

🕒 Daily 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM

💰 $1.50–$2.50 per malasada

🅿️ Parking lot available

On the Big Island, Tex Drive In is the malasada destination. Located in Honokaa on the Hamakua Coast, this drive-in has been a stop for anyone heading to or from Waipio Valley. Their malasadas are made fresh to order with tropical cream fillings like guava, mango, and lilikoi.

What to Order: The lilikoi cream-filled malasada is the signature. The guava filling is also excellent.

Pro Tip: If doing the Hamakua Coast drive from Hilo, this is the perfect halfway stop. Their loco moco is underrated too.

Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop

Kailua-Kona area, Big Island

📍 77-6504 Mamalahoa Hwy, Holualoa, HI 96725

🕒 Tue–Sat 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM

💰 $1.50–$2 per malasada

🅿️ Small lot parking

Up in the hills above Kailua-Kona, Agnes’ is a family operation making malasadas the traditional way for decades. No fancy fillings, no gimmicks. Just perfectly fried dough rolled in sugar, served warm.

What to Order: The plain sugar malasada. Tradition at its finest. Get a bag of six.

Pro Tip: Call ahead on busy days, they sell out. Combine with a Holualoa art gallery walk.

Komoda Store & Bakery

Makawao, Maui

📍 3674 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, HI 96768

🕒 Mon–Sat 7:00 AM – sold out

💰 $1.50–$3 per pastry

🅿️ Street parking on Baldwin Ave

Komoda’s is famous for cream puffs and stick donuts, and their fried pastries absolutely deserve a spot on this list. This tiny, family-run Makawao bakery has been operating since 1916 and the line starts before they open.

What to Order: The cream puffs and stick donuts are legendary. If they have malasadas that day, grab them.

Pro Tip: Arrive by 6:45 AM. Popular items sell out within the first hour.

Malasada Tips from Locals

Eat them immediately. Malasadas are best within 10–15 minutes of frying. Don’t save them for later. Eat them in the parking lot like everyone else does.

Malasada Day is real. Fat Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) is Malasada Day in Hawaiʻi. Leonard’s alone can sell 10,000+ that day. Plan accordingly.

Plain vs. filled is a real debate. Purists say the original sugar malasada is the only true test. Filled-malasada fans say haupia and custard add another dimension. We say get both.

Order by the box for groups. Most shops sell by the piece or by the box (6 or 12). Get a mixed box so everyone can try different flavors.