Where to Eat on the Big Island: Complete Food Guide (2026)

Where to Eat on the Big Island: The Complete Food Guide (2026)

The Big Island is massive, roughly the size of Connecticut, and the food scene stretches from the resort-lined Kohala Coast all the way down to the rainforest towns of Puna. Whether you just landed in Kona, you are road-tripping to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, or you are settling into life on the Hilo side, this guide covers the spots we actually send friends and family to when they visit.

We organized everything by region so you can find great food wherever you are on the island. Each listing includes addresses, hours, what to order, and price ranges so you can plan without guessing. Let’s eat.

Already explored our other island guides? Check out Where to Eat on Maui and Where to Eat on Kauaʻi.

Kona Coast (West Side)

Kailua-Kona is where most visitors land and where you will find the biggest concentration of restaurants. From waterfront fine dining to grab-and-go plate lunches in strip malls, the Kona side delivers.

Huggoʻs

Konaʻs most iconic oceanfront restaurant has been serving fresh seafood right on the water since 1969. The lanai seating puts you so close to the waves you can feel the mist. Their macadamia nut crusted fresh catch is a signature, and the sunset views from the cocktail lounge are hard to beat anywhere on the island.

📍 75-5828 Kahakai Rd, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Hours: Dinner Sun-Thu 5pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm | Breakfast Daily 7am-11am
Price: $$$ | Reservations recommended
Phone: (808) 329-1493 | huggos.com

Pro tip: Huggoʻs On the Rocks next door is their casual, open-air sibling with lower prices, sand floors, and the same ocean setting. Great for pau hana drinks and pupus.

Umekeʻs Fish Market Bar & Grill

Voted best poke in Hawaiʻi multiple years running, Umekeʻs is the real deal for fresh fish. Chef Nakoa Pabre runs a boat-to-bowl operation with some of the cleanest, most flavorful poke you will find on any island. The fish market side lets you grab poke by the pound, while the full restaurant serves creative plates like their ahi katsu and garlic shrimp.

📍 74-5599 Pawai Pl, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm
Price: $$ | Walk-ins welcome
Phone: (808) 238-0571 | umekes.com

Broke da Mouth Grindz

This local favorite in the Kona industrial area draws long lines for its Hawaiian and Filipino plate lunches. The portions are enormous and everything is made fresh. Their kalua pig, chicken katsu, and garlic shrimp plates are all winners. Expect to wait during peak lunch hours, but the food is worth every minute.

📍 74-5565 Luhia St, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Hours: Wed-Sat 11am-2:30pm & 4pm-8pm (Closed Sun-Tue)
Price: $ | Cash and card accepted
Phone: (808) 327-1499 | brokedamouthgrindz.com

Heads up: They sell out regularly. Arrive early for the best selection, especially on weekends.

South Kona & Captain Cook

Head south of Kailua-Kona on Highway 11 and you will find some of the most authentic Hawaiian food on the island. This stretch is also home to Kona coffee farms, so plan to pair your meal with a farm tour.

Kaaloaʻs Super Jʻs

If you only eat one traditional Hawaiian meal on the Big Island, make it Super Jʻs. This tiny family-run spot in Captain Cook serves some of the best lau lau in the state, with pork and fish wrapped in taro leaves and slow-steamed for hours until everything is fall-apart tender. The kalua pork, lomi salmon, and poi round out a plate that tastes like Sunday dinner at a Hawaiian auntieʻs house.

📍 83-5409 Mamalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook, HI 96704
Hours: Mon, Wed-Sat 10am-3pm (Closed Tue & Sun)
Price: $ | Cash preferred
Phone: (808) 328-9566

Local tip: Call ahead to order. They are a small operation and can sell out by early afternoon, especially on Saturdays.

Kohala Coast & Waimea

The resort corridor along the Kohala Coast is home to the island’s finest dining, but upcountry Waimea (Kamuela) is where ranching heritage meets farm-to-table cooking. This is Big Island food at its most refined.

Merrimanʻs

Chef Peter Merriman helped start the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement, and his flagship Waimea restaurant is still one of the best meals on the island. The kitchen sources the vast majority of its ingredients from neighboring Big Island farms, and the menu changes with the seasons. The wok-charred ahi is legendary, but honestly, everything on the menu delivers.

📍 65-1227 Opelo Rd, Kamuela (Waimea), HI 96743
Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm | Dinner Daily 5pm-8:30pm | Brunch Sun 10:30am-2pm
Price: $$$$ | Reservations strongly recommended
Phone: (808) 885-6822 | merrimanshawaii.com

Good to know: A 4% surcharge on food goes directly to the kitchen team.

Lava Lava Beach Club

Tables in the sand, live music, and a cocktail in your hand as the sun drops behind the Kohala mountains. Lava Lava is the quintessential Big Island vibe spot at Anaehoʻomalu Bay. The food is solid, with fresh fish tacos, coconut shrimp, and kalua pork sliders, but the setting is what makes it unforgettable. Get there early for a beachfront table.

📍 69-1081 Kuʻualii Pl, Waikoloa, HI 96738
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-9pm | Sat-Sun 11am-9pm
Price: $$-$$$ | Reservations recommended for dinner
Phone: (808) 769-5282 | lavalavabeachclub.com

Fine Dining Worth the Splurge

The Big Islandʻs luxury resorts along the Kohala Coast are home to some of Hawaiʻiʻs most celebrated restaurants. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want an extraordinary meal, these are worth every penny.

Miller & Lux Hualalai

Chef Tyler Florenceʻs steakhouse at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai took home both the 2025 Best Neighbor Island Restaurant and Best Hawaiʻi Island Restaurant awards. The focus is on exceptional steaks and sustainable seafood, all prepared with the kind of precision and presentation you expect at this level. The wagyu is incredible, and the wine list is deep.

📍 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, 72-100 Kaʻupulehu Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
Price: $$$$ | Reservations required
fourseasons.com/hualalai/dining

Engawa

Hawaiʻiʻs only sake brewery doubles as one of the most intimate dining experiences on the island. Chef and Brewmaster Dr. Chiaki Takahashi serves a six-course prix fixe dinner for just 20 guests each night, with sake brewed on-site using Mauna Kea water. This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of meal.

📍 Kohala Coast area (reservations required for exact location)
Price: $$$$ | Limited to 20 guests nightly, book well in advance

Hilo (East Side)

Hilo is the Big Islandʻs rain-kissed, old-school town, and the food scene here is more local, more affordable, and more personal than the Kona side. This is where you eat like a local without even trying.

Hawaiian Style Cafe

Massive portions of Hawaiian comfort food at prices that feel like a time warp. The breakfast plates are legendary, with pancakes the size of hubcaps and loco moco that could feed two people. Lunch brings plate lunches loaded with kalua pork, chicken katsu, or fresh fish. This place is always packed, which tells you everything you need to know.

📍 681 Manono St, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Mon 8am-2pm | Tue-Thu 8am-2pm & 5pm-8:30pm | Fri-Sat 7am-2pm & 5pm-9pm | Sun 7am-2pm
Price: $ | Cash preferred
Phone: (808) 969-9265

Cafe Pesto

A Hilo institution inside the historic S. Hata Building downtown. Their wood-fired pizzas are creative and consistently good, topped with things like kalua duck, smoked salmon, or Big Island goat cheese. The pasta dishes and fresh catch specials are also solid. The building itself is beautiful, with exposed brick and high ceilings that make it feel special without being stuffy.

📍 308 Kamehameha Ave, Ste 101, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Daily 11am-8:30pm
Price: $$ | Walk-ins welcome, reservations available
Phone: (808) 969-6640 | cafepesto.com

Puka Puka Kitchen

A small downtown spot that punches way above its weight. The ahi don (seared ahi over rice) is the star, and the chicken katsu with garlic rice is a close second. Everything is made fresh with locally sourced ingredients. Lines form fast during the lunch rush, but they move quickly.

📍 270 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Mon & Sat 9:30am-2:30pm | Tue-Fri 9:30am-2:30pm & 5pm-8pm | Closed Sun
Price: $ | Cash and card
Phone: (808) 933-2121

Kenʻs House of Pancakes

A Big Island landmark that has been feeding locals and visitors for decades. The menu is huge, covering everything from traditional pancakes and omelets to local-style plate lunches and saimin. It is not fancy, but it is dependable, affordable, and open early. Perfect for a pre-volcano breakfast or a post-drive meal when everything else is closed.

📍 1730 Kamehameha Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Daily 6am-9pm
Price: $ | Family-friendly
Phone: (808) 935-8711 | kenshouseofpancakes.com

Two Ladies Kitchen (Mochi)

This tiny mochi shop is one of Hiloʻs most beloved stops. Their handmade strawberry mochi is the signature, with a whole fresh strawberry wrapped in sweet mochi dough, but they also make seasonal fruit variations and other creative flavors. The catch: you have to pre-order by phone, and they sell out fast. Call early in the day, especially if you want strawberry.

📍 274 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, HI 96720
Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-4pm (pre-order only)
Price: $ | Call (808) 961-4766 to order

Puna & Volcano Village

If you are visiting Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park (and you absolutely should), you will pass through the Puna district. The food scene here is small but mighty, with a hippie-meets-Hawaiian vibe that feels completely different from the rest of the island.

Kaleoʻs Bar & Grill

The heart of the Pahoa food scene. Kaleoʻs serves everything from fresh catch and coconut curry to hearty burgers and local-style plate lunches. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with live music on weekends. It is the kind of neighborhood spot where everyone seems to know each other, and visitors feel right at home.

📍 15-2969 Pahoa Village Rd, Pahoa, HI 96778
Hours: Thu-Sun 4pm-8pm
Price: $$ | Reservations recommended on weekends
Phone: (808) 965-5600 | kaleoshawaii.com

Food Trucks Worth Tracking Down

Big Island food trucks are a whole category of their own. They pop up at farmers markets, beach parks, and parking lots across the island. Here are a few to keep on your radar:

Willieʻs Hot Chicken (Kailua-Kona): Crispy fried chicken with seven different sauces. The Sweet Hawaiian flavor is a must.
Island Style Grindz (rotating locations): The owner catches most of the fish himself. Check their socials for the weekly schedule.
Highway 130 Food Trucks (Keaʻau to Pahoa): A whole corridor of trucks serving Thai, poke, tacos, lumpia, banana bread, and more.
Food Truck Fridays at Target Lot (Kailua-Kona): Multiple trucks gather every Friday. Check local Facebook groups for the weekly lineup.

Related: Best Food Trucks on Oʻahu

Military Discounts & Tips

The Big Island does not have a major military base, but plenty of military families visit from Oʻahu or are PCSing through. Here is what to know:

Many resort restaurants along the Kohala Coast offer kamaʻaina and military rates on accommodations, which can free up your dining budget.
The Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC) has properties on the Kona Coast at deeply discounted rates for eligible service members.
Always ask about military discounts at restaurants. Many local spots offer 10-15% off with a valid military ID even if it is not advertised.
The Hilo Farmers Market and KTA Super Stores are great places to stock up on affordable local food if you are cooking at a vacation rental.

Planning a trip from Oʻahu? Check out our Hawaiʻi on a Military Budget guide for more money-saving tips.

Quick Tips for Eating on the Big Island

Kona vs. Hilo: The two sides of the island feel like different worlds. Kona is drier, more touristy, and more expensive. Hilo is wetter, more local, and easier on the wallet.
Check hours carefully: Many spots close early or have limited days. Call ahead, especially for small family-run restaurants.
Farmers markets are goldmines: The Hilo Farmers Market (Wed & Sat) and Keauhou Farmers Market (Sat) have incredible local produce, prepared foods, and Kona coffee.
The drive between sides takes time: Kona to Hilo is about 2.5 hours via Saddle Road (Hwy 200). Plan your meals around which side of the island you are on.
Reservations matter for fine dining: Merrimanʻs, Huggoʻs, and resort restaurants fill up fast, especially during peak season.