Megan's Hilo Foodie Guidebook
Take out food
Aloha Mondays
1348 Kilauea AveTake out only restaurant providing a seasonal weekly menu with local ingredients
Fresh grab and go sushi. This is just down the hill from the Pineapple Retreat and a short drive away from the Pineapple Getaway. It’s a great option for picking up a picnic sushi lunch or dinner to enjoy at a park. The sign is in Japanese so you might miss this great spot if you don’t know to look for it.
Kitchen Umeko, LLC
14 West Lanikaula StreetFresh grab and go sushi. This is just down the hill from the Pineapple Retreat and a short drive away from the Pineapple Getaway. It’s a great option for picking up a picnic sushi lunch or dinner to enjoy at a park. The sign is in Japanese so you might miss this great spot if you don’t know to look for it.
Grab a fresh Poke bowl to enjoy along the Hilo bay front.
88 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Suisan Fish Market
93 Lihiwai StGrab a fresh Poke bowl to enjoy along the Hilo bay front.
The KTA Puainako location has a great selection of prepared foods and local treats. They have a great selection of Poke. You can get poke bowls to go, or for a better value, order the Poke by the pound and get a separate tub of already cooked rice. Enjoy local treats from their bakery such as lilikoi malasadas or mochi donuts.
Note: the downtown KTA store is smaller and doesn’t have the Poke or bakery options.
88 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo KTA Super Stores
50 E Puainako StThe KTA Puainako location has a great selection of prepared foods and local treats. They have a great selection of Poke. You can get poke bowls to go, or for a better value, order the Poke by the pound and get a separate tub of already cooked rice. Enjoy local treats from their bakery such as lilikoi malasadas or mochi donuts.
Note: the downtown KTA store is smaller and doesn’t have the Poke or bakery options.
Dining Out
Reservations recommended for this popular open air restaurant in Downtown Hilo. Check their schedule for live music times.
128 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Pineapples Restaurant
332 Keawe StReservations recommended for this popular open air restaurant in Downtown Hilo. Check their schedule for live music times.
Reservations recommended for this classy bay front dining spot.
137 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo Bay Cafe
123 Lihiwai StReservations recommended for this classy bay front dining spot.
They don’t take recommendations so go early or plan to wait (or skip the wait and order takeout to enjoy back at the house).
105 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hawaiian Style Cafe Hilo
681 Manono StThey don’t take recommendations so go early or plan to wait (or skip the wait and order takeout to enjoy back at the house).
Moms Hilo
190 Keawe StreetReservations recommended. Small local Japanese restaurant.
Reservations recommended. Small local Asian-fusion seafood restaurant.
41 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Moon and Turtle
51 Kalakaua StReservations recommended. Small local Asian-fusion seafood restaurant.
Dessert
The absolute best mochi! Mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert. This is a small shop and the line is often long, but worth the wait. We recommend phoning your order in at least 24 hours in advance. Check their website for days and hours as they aren’t open everyday. The strawberry mochi and seasonal fresh fruit options are musts (but you can’t bring them on an airplane to the mainland, so enjoy them here).
Two Ladies Kitchen
274 Kilauea AvePopover
399 E Kawili StLocal bakery with fun pastries, breakfast options, and a full coffee bar.
Stop by their bakery (Puainako location only) for local treats like lilikoi malasadas and mochi donuts. Go early in the day for the best selection.
88 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo KTA Super Stores
50 E Puainako StStop by their bakery (Puainako location only) for local treats like lilikoi malasadas and mochi donuts. Go early in the day for the best selection.
Lots of tasty sweets to enjoy or take home as gifts. They sell lots of chocolate options so plan to go straight home after and keep the chocolate in the fridge or bring a cooler if you’ll be out all day so it doesn’t melt.
67 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Big Island Candies
585 Hinano StLots of tasty sweets to enjoy or take home as gifts. They sell lots of chocolate options so plan to go straight home after and keep the chocolate in the fridge or bring a cooler if you’ll be out all day so it doesn’t melt.
Lani's Island Snack Shack
681 Manono StMellow shave ice spot with lots of tasty local snacks.
Stop on your way to Volcano for their famous “Stone Cookies” or mochi donuts.
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mt View Bakery Inc
18-1319 Old Volcano RdStop on your way to Volcano for their famous “Stone Cookies” or mochi donuts.
Cocktails and Drinks
Awesome spot to enjoy a cocktail at sunset! They serve food too.
23 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hula Hula's
93 Banyan DrAwesome spot to enjoy a cocktail at sunset! They serve food too.
Margarita Village LLC
11 Silva StreetClassic Hilo dive bar. Good place to stop after visiting Hilo’s beach parks.
Local brewery offering beers, ciders, hard seltzers, and hard teas. They serve food too.
This is just down the road from the Pineapple Retreat (could be considered walking distance if you don’t mind the uphill walk on the way home). This is a short drive away from the Pineapple Getaway.
21 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ola Brew - Hilo
1177 Kilauea AvenueLocal brewery offering beers, ciders, hard seltzers, and hard teas. They serve food too.
This is just down the road from the Pineapple Retreat (could be considered walking distance if you don’t mind the uphill walk on the way home). This is a short drive away from the Pineapple Getaway.
The Temple Bar
64 Keawe StreetClassy downtown bar
This is the best liquor store in Hilo. Grocery stores sell beer, wine, and liquor too, but this spot has the best selection in town.
Kadota Liquor
194 Hualalai StThis is the best liquor store in Hilo. Grocery stores sell beer, wine, and liquor too, but this spot has the best selection in town.
Stop by for a tasting or schedule a tour in advance for the full experience.
82 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Volcano Winery
35 Piimauna DrStop by for a tasting or schedule a tour in advance for the full experience.
Food trucks are often here (check schedule) so this is a nice spot to enjoy a beer and get some food.
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo Brewing Company
275 E Kawili StFood trucks are often here (check schedule) so this is a nice spot to enjoy a beer and get some food.
Farmers’ Markets
Sundays in Pahoa. Worth the drive and $2/car entrance fee. This is much less touristy than the Downtown Hilo farmers’ market.
169 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Mercado de Agricultores de Maku'u
15-2131 Keaau-Pahoa RdSundays in Pahoa. Worth the drive and $2/car entrance fee. This is much less touristy than the Downtown Hilo farmers’ market.
Small farmers’ market here on Saturdays that has some great food and dessert options. Grab a coffee from the Hilo Coffee Mill shop and pick up some tasty snacks from the farmers’ market for a leisurely Saturday brunch.
34 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo Coffee Mill
17-995 Volcano RdSmall farmers’ market here on Saturdays that has some great food and dessert options. Grab a coffee from the Hilo Coffee Mill shop and pick up some tasty snacks from the farmers’ market for a leisurely Saturday brunch.
This is a non touristy farmers’ market in town on Saturday mornings. Pick up some local produce or prepared food to enjoy on your Saturday adventures.
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Kinoole Farmers Market
1990 Kinoole StThis is a non touristy farmers’ market in town on Saturday mornings. Pick up some local produce or prepared food to enjoy on your Saturday adventures.
The biggest farmers’ market in Hilo. The best days to go are Wednesdays and Saturdays when the most vendors are there, including lots of great local souvenir options. There are still some produce vendors there every day of the week.
246 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo Farmers Market
Mamo StreetThe biggest farmers’ market in Hilo. The best days to go are Wednesdays and Saturdays when the most vendors are there, including lots of great local souvenir options. There are still some produce vendors there every day of the week.
This is a super chill farmers’ market worth planning a lunch stop at if you are exploring the waterfalls along the Hamakua Coast on a Sunday. Plan to enjoy a picnic meal overlooking the ocean!
Hamakua Harvest Farmers Market
44-2600 Mamalahoa HwyThis is a super chill farmers’ market worth planning a lunch stop at if you are exploring the waterfalls along the Hamakua Coast on a Sunday. Plan to enjoy a picnic meal overlooking the ocean!
Groceries
Safeway does curbside pickup through their app so this is a great option to order ahead so you can stock up on essentials when you arrive.
67 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Safeway
381 E Maka'Ala StSafeway does curbside pickup through their app so this is a great option to order ahead so you can stock up on essentials when you arrive.
Target offers curbside pickup for non-perishable items, so it’s a great place to plan ahead and order sunscreen, snacks, and other essentials to pick up on the way to your vacation rental.
Inside the store, they have a decent selection of groceries too and often have better prices on basics than Safeway and KTA (but not as wide of a selection).
34 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Target
391 Makaala StTarget offers curbside pickup for non-perishable items, so it’s a great place to plan ahead and order sunscreen, snacks, and other essentials to pick up on the way to your vacation rental.
Inside the store, they have a decent selection of groceries too and often have better prices on basics than Safeway and KTA (but not as wide of a selection).
If you want the full local grocery experience, this is the best grocery store to go to. It’s got a wide variety of local foods, seafood, and produce. Note: the downtown store is much smaller than the Puainako store and doesn’t have the bakery or poke.
88 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hilo KTA Super Stores
50 E Puainako StIf you want the full local grocery experience, this is the best grocery store to go to. It’s got a wide variety of local foods, seafood, and produce. Note: the downtown store is much smaller than the Puainako store and doesn’t have the bakery or poke.
Coffee
Great place to stop for coffee in your way to Volcano
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Koana
18-1325 Old Volcano RdGreat place to stop for coffee in your way to Volcano