Hawaiian Airlines' Curated Local Food Guide – Endorsed by 5,000 People

▲ To give travelers a taste of Hawaiian cuisine, Hawaiian Airlines compiled opinions from more than 5,000 employees to create this Hawaiian food guide.

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report | Photo Provided by Hawaiian Airlines

It’s no secret that Hawaiians love to “eat,” and travelers worldwide know that food in the Hawaiian Islands is not just about eating—it’s an “experience”!
Mark Dunkerley, President and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, noted that when visitors come to Hawaii, one of the most common questions they ask locals is—where to eat? That’s why Hawaiian Airlines asked over 5,000 of its local employees to share their favorite and most recommended restaurants, categorized by type and location.

% The innnamon's Restaurant is a highly popular breakfast spot.

Breakfast & Brunch
The family-run Boots & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen is a top pick among Hawaiian Airlines employees, best known for its generous portions of home-style dishes and Hawaiian jam pancakes that draw morning queues. Also not to be missed are Cinnamon’s Restaurant on Oahu and Koa Pancake House, which has seven locations.

Fast Food
Hawaiian-style fast food, which includes two scoops of rice, macaroni salad, and a choice of meat—chicken or seafood—is a uniquely local meal. With over 50 years of history, Rainbow Drive-In in Honolulu, right next to Waikiki Beach, is internationally acclaimed for its famous lunch plates. Prices range from $6.25 to $8.50, with popular combos being the Mixed Plate (barbecued beef, moi fish, and boneless chicken), Chili Dog Plate, and Loco Moco.

% The dishes at Roy’s Restaurant feature strong local Hawaiian flavors.

Romantic Dinners & Special Occasions
For nearly 40 years, Hy’s Steak House has been a top choice for steakhouses in Hawaii, beloved by both visitors and locals. Premium cuts of beef are prepared using various cooking methods, served in a romantic setting by waitstaff in tuxedos.
Other options include Roy’s Restaurant Fusion Cuisine, with locations on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, as well as Alan Wong’s Restaurant. Renowned chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong were among the 12 chefs who pioneered the Hawaiian regional cuisine movement in 1991, promoting a fusion of Hawaii’s diverse ethnic flavors with global cuisine.

PAU HANA
In Hawaiian, PAU HANA literally means “work is done,” and in the native language, it signifies a celebration of a hard day’s work with a hearty appetite. Side Street Inn, opened in 1992, has long been a favorite spot for Honolulu residents to unwind after work or celebrate weekends.
Must-tries include stir-fried Kalbi (Korean-style grilled short ribs), fried rice, tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet), and garlic edamame—all staples here, and a top pick among Hawaiian Airlines employees.

Desserts
Hawaiian Airlines employees highly recommend Bubbie’s Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts in Honolulu, which offers over 20 different flavors of Japanese-style mochi ice cream.

Late-Night Eats
Zippy’s Restaurants, voted the top choice for late-night meals, has 25 locations across the Hawaiian Islands and serves delicious local food 24/7. The chain’s chili recipe remains its best-selling item, with over 1.1 million pounds sold monthly.
Visitors can try Zippy’s golden fried chicken, oxtail soup, and the famous Zip Pac (beef, Spam, fried chicken, and moi fish over steamed white rice). Other options include Liliha Bakery and Likelike Drive Inn.

▲ Helena’s Hawaiian Food offers a variety of classic Hawaiian dishes.

Hawaiian Specialties
Helena’s Hawaiian Food in Honolulu’s Lilihau neighborhood is also a favorite Hawaiian specialty spot among Hawaiian Airlines employees. Since opening in 1946, the late Auntie Helen gained worldwide acclaim for her flavorful Kalua (pork cooked in an underground oven) and Pipikaula (Hawaiian-style beef jerky), among other delicious offerings. Before her passing, she was honored with the James Beard Foundation Award for Regional Classic in 2000. Other notable spots include ‘Ono Hawaiian Foods and Highway Inn, both located in Honolulu.

Hawaii Island
When adventuring on Hawaii’s Big Island, Hawaiian Airlines employees especially recommend Big Island Candies on the island of Hawaii. The candy shop offers a variety of choices including crispy cookies, brownies, chocolates, and its bestseller—chocolate cream puffs. Other options include Two Ladies Kitchen, known for its strawberry mochi.

Maui
On Maui, the top pick is Sam Sato’s in Wailuku, a family-run restaurant specializing in yakisoba (dry noodles), barbecued beef and chicken skewers, and Japanese buns with various fillings such as red bean and lima beans. Also worth trying is Tasaka Guri Guri Sho, famous for its unique frozen desserts.

▲ Rainbow Drive-In in Honolulu has been in business for over 50 years.

Kauai
Hawaiian Airlines employees voted Hamura Saimin as a must-visit restaurant on Kauai. This fourth-generation family-owned noodle shop serves specialty vegetables, luncheon meat, char siu, and handmade noodles made by Grandma, the owner. The restaurant sees long lines every day.

Oahu
On Oahu, Leonard’s Bakery has been serving delicious “Portuguese donuts—Malasadas” to travelers from around the world since 1952. Portuguese donuts are deep-fried to a golden crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and topped with a layer of powdered sugar. Customers line up outside the bakery every morning for this sweet treat, which is also a favorite among Hawaiian Airlines employees.

%The %ide Street Inn is also a beloved dining spot among many Hawaiian employees. (ETtoday News Cloud reminds you that excessive drinking is harmful to your health)

HawaiianMiles Partners
Hawaiian Airlines has partnerships with nearly 100 popular restaurants and specialty shops across Hawaii. These include Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, Aiea Bowl, The Alley Restaurant, Kin Wah Chop Suey, and more. You can earn miles when you use the co-branded Hawaiian Airlines credit card at these locations.
To experience Hawaiian dining spots, check out the Hawaiian Airlines mobile app “Hawai‘i Here,” or visitevent website, where you can also book flights and head straight to Hawaii.