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Serving the Big Island of Hawai'iSince 1995 |
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KONAWEB's Restaurant Favs |
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Aloha! OK. Well, my personal favorite-meal-of-the-day is Breakfast. My favorite places to enjoy that meal are Pine Tree Cafe' in Kailua-Kona (Bob loves the veggie omelet and I, the fried poke omelet), and historic Teshima's in Honalo (a real slice of local life on the southern end of Kailua-Kona). Teshima's has the best pancakes in town, according to pc expert, Konabob. You can't go wrong with Kailua-Kona's oceanfront Island Lava Java's breakfasts, though we are disappointed in lunch/dinner there. The Coffee Shack in Kealakekua is always a treat (Ono Benedict, folks - and the view!), but there is often a wait, and parking can be a challenge. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. For a very special experience, spend a couple of hours at Sunday brunch at the Holualoa Kitchen, in Holualoa, of course. The open-air ambiance is magical, AND you get to hear live Hawaiian music - something rare these days - from the wonderful Holualoa Trio while you're eating (10:30-12:30). The restaurant has a varied brunch menu - great Stuffed French Toast, a standout Smoked Turkey Club Sandwich, omelets, huevos rancheros, a fresh catch Benedict and sandwiches, and more. Full bar, too. We highly recommend Hawaiian Style Cafe' in Waimea for their waffles and omelets, but be prepared for LARGE servings (Haupia pancake, we're lookiing at YOU!) The Waimea branch is only open till 1:30pm, and still requires cash payment only. My friends in Hilo recommend Coconut Grill as a good, solid, breakfast place. (I hear that Ken's House of Pancakes has slipped a bit.) Read about Paul's Place in the Other Recommendations section below - a great choice for breakfast or lunch. Paradise Donuts' donuts are great (Kona International Marketplace Food Court); closed Sundays. And try Punalu'u Bakery in Naalehu's malasadas! Sundog Bread sells their stellar breads and pastries (the Lilikoi Buns and Cardamom Buns are fantastic!) in Holualoa on Wednesdays at 1:30pm from a tent just north of the public parking area till they sell out (there WILL be a line). Fish and More - The fried poke bowl at Pine Tree Cafe' is a great lunch/light meal. It comes with your choice of type of rice, topped with furikake, aoli sauce, and house made pickles on the side. They have a fun, varied menu there of local favorites. I love the straightforward fresh fish sandwich (ahi!) at the Harbor House at Honokauhau Harbor (and the setting), but be aware that the fish and chips there is frozen cod, so thumbs down on that item. For fish and chips, I recommend the back, outside seating area of Kailua-Kona's Quinn's Almost by the Sea - they're made with fresh ono, and the service is really sweet. I also love Umeke's for fresh fish. They make a tempura tofu/avo veggie taco for those of you, who don't eat fish. In that same area of Kailua-Kona is Izakaya Shiono which has great sushi and ramen. A family-run landmark, Teshima's has incredible shrimp tempura, prepared in a technique that you can get nowhere else. Food Trucks We Love - Califas Mexican food truck really has it together: their tacos, burritos and taco salad are all outstanding. You can find them at Food Truck Fridays, from 4-8pm at the Target parking lot, or in the HPM parking lot on Monday and Tuesday mornings from 9am-3pm, and they're in Waikoloa Village at the Waikoloa Night Market from 4-8pm on Saturdays. The Mexican food truck at Maku'u Farmers Market in Pahoa on Sundays (they are in half of the stand there that serves crepes) has a fantastic Shrimp Burrito Deluxe (I was advised by a friend to get it without the sausage). A special treat for us when we're in Waimea on a Wednesday or Saturday at lunchtime is to get grilled cheese sandwiches at Red Barn food truck at the Pukalani Stables farmers market. We love the Phoenix sandwich! The sandwiches come with a side of their excellent tomato bisque. Our Favorite Places to Get Pizza - Bianelli's at Keauhou Shopping Center is now open for Lunch (11am-2pm) and Dinner (4-8pm) every day of the week.The menu has been trimmed down and the pizza is pricier, but the flavor is still the one we crave most! Pau in Waimea - thin crust pizza, and the Vintner's Salad with champagne dressing is great. Black Rock Pizza's two locations - Kealakekua and Coconut Grove Marketplace in Kailua-Kona - are very good. Ola Brew has good beers/hard ciders and gets raves on their burgers and flatbread pizzas. They have Kona and Hilo locations. Cafe Pesto on the Bayfront in Hilo has very good flatbread pizzas, and consistently good food. 'Ohelu Cafe in Volcano Village has excellent, crispy thin-crust pizza. Cafe Il Mondo in Honoka'a has very good pizza and calzone, too - see Other Recommendations. Other Recommendations - Just had a great lunch at Original Thai in Kailua-Kona. Excellent flavors. Best Tom Kha in town. Family run. Having patience is a virtue here, because they are understaffed, and they make everything from scratch, but we love it. BTW, no alcohol served here, but you can bring your own wine or beer for a corkage fee of $2/person. We loved our meal at Peppercorn Spice in Kea'au. The Crispy Eggplant is worth the drive from Kona! It's a "Mom and Pop" restaurant, with Pop doing the cooking and Mom doing the serving, so be patient. Big Island Brewpub in Waimea makes great brew, but their food choices are kind of an afterthought. Had a wonderful lunch at Gill's Lanai in Kea'au after going to the Pololu Valley lookout with relatives. Very tasty Banh Mi sandwiches on great French rolls, fresh ahi fish and chips. They also serve hamburgers, hot dogs and much more; beer and wine too. It's a very small, outdoor place where you order at the counter. Don't let the "folksy" vibe fool you; the food is top notch. Gill's is closed Sunday and Monday. Another restaurant along those lines that we love is Liko Lehua Cafe' in Hilo, which is essentially a take-out window in a charming bright yellow building "above downtown Hilo" on Kaumana Drive. No seating except for one picnic table, but if that's occupied, Rainbow Falls is close by for a picnic. The menu features burgers, fish, pasta, milkshakes and their famous fruit butters. The cafe' is closed on Saturday and Sunday. We enjoyed our lunch at Cafe' Il Mondo in Honoka'a very much, also! They have drastically simplified their menu since COVID, but everything they serve is very well done - wood-fired pizza and calzone, lasagna, salads, sandwiches. Best focaccia I've had anywhere. Beer and wine are served, as well. A nice space, with a true Italian chef. Paul's Place in downtown Hilo is really fun for breakfast/lunch. Excellent food (the waffles are spectacular!). Very small/very limited seating; text him for reservations. We must rave about 'Ohelu Cafe' (Next to Volcano Store in Volcano Village), a small, classy, restaurant with great food: fish and shrimp, BBQ ribs, thin-crust crackly pizzas, burgers, wonderful salads. Good portions, too. Locally crafted beers and a good wine list. Call them at 808-339-7865 for their hours. Sometimes, when the volcano isn't active, they are open for walk-ins for lunch and don't close between lunch and dinner. Dinner reservations are recommended. Had very good sandwiches today at new sandwich place, Da Whip, near Costco. A grilled cheese on local sourdough, with gruyere, tomato relish, Cheddar and Parmesan that had the surprise of sliced green apple in it, and a smoked beef (they smoke their own meat) with BBQ sauce, slaw, crispy onions & melted Cheddar! Big flavors are featured in all the offerings. Vegan and veggie options too. Nice place and nice people. (They are on an upper floor, but there is an elevator for the stairs-challenged.) We like family-run Manny's Kitchen in Captain Cook for Mexican, but you should call them before heading there, as their hours are kind of crazy: two of their staff left for college. Bob loves their Crunchy Tacos and I had Chile Rellenos the last time we were there that were really good. I've also had a very good wet burrito there. Order at the counter. Not fancy, the food comes in a to-go container with plastic utensils. They also have a drive-thru window. Phone: 808-936-6214. Fancy/Schmancy - Our favorite places for special occasions are Pu'eo's Osteria in Waikoloa Village and Merriman's in Waimea. The Beach Tree Grill at the Four Seasons is very good, with live music in the evening. Hale Kai at the Fairmont Orchid is a "casual," feet-in-the-sand restaurant, right on the ocean - not inexpensive. A step above, Ulu at the Four Seasons has many fans. Special Mentions: Places We Will Try Soon or Revisit After a Long Pause:
Hope this is helpful, and fun! |
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