Hawaii is the ultimate melting pot of food cultures. From pineapples to poi, here are some of the things you should try on your trip to the islands!
A perfect bite of ahi tuna. Fluffy shave ice with lilikoi syrup. Freshly scrambled eggs with…spam? Yes! Hawaii local food is a unique and wonderful part of visiting the islands. When I visited Hawaii, I enjoyed the food culture as much as I could. I’m not an expert, but I can tell you about some of the delicious things on offer there. Here are my “must try” recommendations.
Ahi and Poke
Hawaii has incredible seafood, and the top of their seafood pyramid is ahi. Ahi is a Hawaiian name that refers to either yellowfin or bigeye tuna. There are lots of ways to eat ahi, from raw sushi-style preparations to grilled fish tacos. All of them are good ideas.
The most popular way to eat ahi is a dish called poke (poh-kay). Raw fish is marinated in soy sauce with garlic, onions, and other ingredients for a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. It’s often served with white rice. You’ll also find places making poke bowls with veggies and other toppings. This is a more modern riff on the dish, but also quite tasty.
Shave Ice
The first thing you need to know about shave ice is that it’s not a snow cone. Not even close. It’s a fluffy, snow-like dessert combined with syrups and other toppings like sweetened condensed milk or fresh fruit. Texture is key here, and the good shops use a machine to carefully carve off flakes from large blocks of ice. Shave ice traces its history back to Japanese immigrants who brought their traditional ice-based dessert called kakigōri to the islands. In Hawaii, folks began adding different syrups made from various tropical fruits. There are too many flavor options to mention here, but I love shave ice with coconut milk or haupia, a sweetened coconut treat.
Fresh Fruit, Smoothies, and Acai Bowls
It may be tough to get super excited for fruit, but hear me out. Over the years, the different groups who came to Hawaii brought a wide range of tropical fruits. Mangoes, passionfruit, pineapple, bananas, coconuts–all of these are grown locally today. And all of them are fantastic.
When I was in Waikiki, I stopped by The Sunrise Shack for probably the best smoothie ever. A perfect blend of mango, pineapple, and banana. Sweet and dessert-like but also refreshing.
If you’re looking for something more substantial, go for an acai bowl or smoothie bowl. There are many variations, but the idea is a blended fruit base with toppings like granola, coconut flakes, and sliced fruit.
Poi
In Hawaii, there is a distinction between “local food” and “Hawaiian food.” Calling a food “Hawaiian” means it comes from the native Hawaiian people. And if you want to know about Hawaiian food, you have to start with poi.
Poi is a preparation of mashed taro root, a bit like a sweet potato. It’s one of those dishes people say is “an acquired taste.” Poi is a sticky paste with a flavor that’s sweet, starchy, and slightly earthy. It’s a staple food that generations of Hawaiians have treasured, so consider it a learning experience. You might just like it!
Spam Musubi
Need a quick snack? Spam musubi is the ideal snack food. It’s basically spam sushi (or more like onigiri if you know Japanese food). A slice of spam is grilled up and topped with sweet soy sauce, then wrapped up in nori seaweed. You’re just gonna have to trust me that it’s delicious. You can find spam musubi everywhere, even in convenience stores.
Bonus: if you want even more spam-a-licious food options, try getting spam, eggs, and rice for breakfast. It’s a local favorite!
Kalua Pork
Roasting a pig is always a good plan, and Hawaii’s version is particularly so. The traditional way to do it is in an earth oven, Dig a big hole, add some hot coals, lower your whole hog down there, and cover with banana leaves and a layer of dirt. Several hours later, the pork will be the smoky and tender stuff of dreams! Today, there are various modern cooking innovations, but the end result is the same delicious flavor. When you’re ready for a break from seafood, kalua pork will be waiting for you.
Plate Lunch
If you really want to delve into the cultural mashup that is Hawaii’s food, go for a plate lunch. It’s the quintessential Hawaii local food. Typically, you get a main entree like kalua pork or shoyu chicken (teriyaki chicken) with sides of white rice and macaroni salad. All of this is served together on a plate or a to-go box. Of course, there are variations on the theme. My picture above has some grilled ono, another favorite fish of Hawaii. Some places have other side dishes you can pick from. If you’re indecisive, you can look for a “mixed plate” where a combination of different main entrees are served together. No matter what you pick, you’ll have a hearty and delicious lunch beloved by locals.
Still feeling hungry? Check out some more food-related posts here.
