From vegan restaurants to ice cream shops and everything in between, here are our best foodie recommendations of 2021 in Hawaii.
Treat your inner child to a monster cookie at Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery.
Best Bakery
With a schedule of flavors that rotate each week, there is no room for bland pastries here. Our top pick? The cake bombs, miniature cakes made from scratch and glazed by hand, are absolutely superb. 3632 Waialae Ave., Ste. 102, O‘ahu, 808.738.8200, pipelinebakeshop.com
Best Place to Brunch
Grab a seat directly on the beach and enjoy delicious, relaxed island cuisine with an open-air ambience. You don’t want to miss the Sunday Bloody Mary Beach Brunch featuring an a la carte menu of loco moco, eggs Benedict and fully loaded breakfast burritos alongside a selection of complementary bloody marys. Your dining experience is complete with DJ-curated background jams. 69-1081 Ku‘uali‘i Place, Hawai‘i Island, lavalavabeachclub.com
Best Coffee
This rustic, family-owned coffee shop-turned-restaurant boasts some of the best beans in town. For the last four generations, coffee beans have been picked by hand, dried in the sun and roasted onsite, resulting in what locals say is the best-tasting cup on the island. Grab a seat among the old coffee plantation memorabilia and treat yourself to a cup or two, best served alongside a spread of cornbread waffles, cheesy sausage-stuffed omelettes or a slice of aptly-named pineapple-banana dream cake. 9232 Kula Highway, Maui, 808.878.2140, grandmascoffee.com
Best Ice Cream
Living up to its name, Black Sheep Cream Co. is the eccentric rebel of frozen eateries in Hawai'i. Founded by Tasi Reid, Black Sheep was an idea the entrepreneur brought fruition during her inventive pursuits as a young adult. With unique flavors like Mochi Mama and Berry Baked, Black Sheep is a staple for islanders with an insatiable sweet tooth. 43 S. Kamehameha Highway, Wahiawa
Best Italian
West O‘ahu’s culinary scene has reached transcendent levels with Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu’s premier eatery, thanks to the mastery of chef Ryo Takatsuka. The creative concept here is Hawai‘i meets Capri, so expect southern Italian dishes prepared with island seafood, handmade pastas and more. The setting impresses as well with most tables outside looking at the ocean and neighboring Lanikuhonua. 92-1001 Olani St., Ko Olina, 679.0079, fourseasons.com
Best Vegan
A’a roots has been serving Hawai'i’s vegan community since 2017 with its health-conscious and eco-friendly cuisine. From sweet, fruit-topped dragon bowls to hefty plates of vegan loaded nachos, A’a roots pulls out all the stops when it comes to its vibrant and innovative culinary creations. The eatery is currently revamping its menu to take its unique dishes to a whole new level for this upcoming season. 5095 Napilihau St. Ste. 103, Lahaina
Photography by: courtesy of Pipeline Bakeshop & Creamery
