10 Local Hawaiian Foods to Try Before You Leave

Local Hawaiian foods are comfort food for islanders. In the Hawaiian language, a local is called a kamaʻāina — a child of the land. It’s someone who was born and raised in Hawai‘i. When you’re living on a volcano in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with some of the highest housing and food prices in the nation, comfort food is one of life’s simple joys. It’s not always the healthiest, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a multicultural extravaganza.

Unlike other states, like California, where residents are called Californians, or Texans from Texas, you are not considered Hawaiian just because you live in Hawai‘i. Native Hawaiians are a race of people who are descendants of the indigenous people who lived there when Captain Cook landed in 1778 on the Big Island. Non-Hawaiians who live in the Islands — even if they were born here — are referred to as “Hawai‘i residents.” Over the generations, immigrant groups of sugar plantation workers came to Hawai‘i from far-off places like China, Japan, Portugal, and the Philippines. They became ‘ohana — family. And families share food.

Local food is a mix of traditional Hawaiian cuisine and the many cultures that make up Hawai‘i today. It’s so deeply embedded in daily life that many people think “local food” is Hawaiian food. In fact, it can be even more popular among residents and visitors than traditional Hawaiian fare. So if you want a real taste of the islands, these are the dishes to seek out.

10 Local Hawaiian Foods to Try

You can find these dishes all over the islands. If we highlight a specific restaurant, it’s because they’re known for serving an exceptional version. Want to try the best one for yourself? Ask your hotel — or better yet, ask a local. Chances are, they’ll know the best spot in town.

1. Spam Musubi: An Iconic Hawaiian Food

Hawaiians eat around 7 million cans of SPAM a year, making Hawai‘i the state with the highest SPAM consumption in the U.S. During World War II, SPAM was shipped to the islands to feed the military — and quickly became popular with the locals.

It’s relatively inexpensive, versatile, nonperishable, and has become an essential part of Hawaiian food culture. Locals stock up on SPAM and watch for sales. They use it in everything from the ubiquitous spam musubi to fried rice, breakfast burritos, omelets, instant noodles, pizza, breakfast sandwiches, and more.

Spam musubi is one of Hawai‘i’s favorite comfort foods. It’s a slice of SPAM nestled between two layers of white rice, wrapped in a sheet of nori (Japanese seaweed), sometimes topped scrambled eggs. You’ll find it everywhere, from grocery stores to 7-Elevens and gas stations.

2. Cone Sushi

This is a nickname for what the Japanese call Inari sushi. It’s a favorite in Hawai’i and sought after at potlucks or local gatherings. Sushi rice is stuffed into seasoned deep-fried tofu pockets or “cones.”

Cone sushi is a little harder to find than Spam musubi. They’re sold in grocery stores near the ready-made sandwiches, but those aren’t the ones you want to buy. Once cone sushi is refrigerated, it loses its flavor and the rice hardens.

The best cone sushi can be found at Japanese lunch shops called “okazuya” or ordered as takeout from a Japanese restaurant. In Hilo on the Big Island, Hilo Lunch Shop has the best cone sushi. Hands down.

3. Loco Moco

The loco moco story dates back to the 1940s, when a group of teenage surfers in Hilo wanted something cheap, filling, and loaded with carbs. They went into a local diner and ordered a hamburger on rice, covered with gravy.

Today, a classic loco moco includes two scoops of rice topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and smothered in brown gravy. It’s unclear when the egg was added or how it got its name, but we’re not mad about it.

Cafe 100 in Hilo claims to be the home of the loco moco and has over 30 variations on its menu.

4. Lumpia

Lumpia is a type of spring roll filled with a savory mixture of pork, cabbage, and other veggies. They’re a deliciously crispy appetizer from the Philippines.

Some of the best come from roadside vendors. I had one the other day filled with mashed, sweet ripe bananas. Superb.

5. Chili and Rice 

A classic bowl of chili — made with ground beef, beans, and spices — served over a mound of white rice is a beloved favorite in Hawai‘i. Many locals take it up a notch by adding spoonfuls of mayonnaise on the side. Sometimes, in addition to hamburger meat, the cook will also toss in slices of fried Portuguese sausage for extra flavor. Green onions and shredded cheese are classic toppings.

Zippy’s Restaurants sells a popular plate of chili and rice, which is also available in the grocery store frozen aisle.

6. Malasadas

A malasada is a Portuguese donut without a hole, made from lemon zest–flavored yeast dough, coated in granulated sugar and cinnamon, and fried to golden perfection. Plantation workers from the islands of Madeira and the Azores brought malasadas to Hawai‘i.

Today, you’ll find all kinds of flavors — some filled with cream or pudding, others made from taro or sweet potato dough. Each version is a unique take on the beloved treat.

Leonard’s Bakery in Honolulu has great malasadas.

7. Manapua

Manapua is the local term for char siu bao — a big, fluffy bun filled with char siu, Cantonese-style barbecued pork that’s been steamed or baked with a signature red glaze. When Hawaiians first tasted the Chinese delicacy, they called it “mea ʻono puaʻa,” meaning “delicious pork cake.” Over time, the phrase evolved into the beloved local term: Manapua.

In the early 20th century — long before lunch plates and food trucks — neighborhoods had a “Manapua Man” who would walk the streets shouting “Manapua!” while carrying a pole across his back with buckets of freshly baked buns dangling from each side.

Chun Wah Kam Noodle Factory is the #1 place to get Manapua.

8. Kalua Pork and Cabbage

Kalua pork is a traditional Hawaiian dish that’s essential to the local food culture. It’s slow-cooked in an underground oven called an imu. Somewhere along the line, someone tossed a head of cabbage into the pot and boiled it with the pork until the cabbage was falling apart — soft, tender, and full of smoky, meaty flavor.

Season it with a little ground rock salt — known locally as Hawaiian salt — serve it with a scoop of white rice, and you’ve got dinner. Today, you can even buy kalua pork by the pound at most grocery stores.

9. Li Hing Mui

Chinese immigrants from Guangdong Province brought li hing mui to the islands. Meaning “traveling plum,” these dried, preserved fruits were ideal for long journeys — like the trek across the Pacific Ocean that brought many settlers to Hawai‘i.

Today, li hing mui is a popular snack known for its lip-puckering, distinctive flavor — a blend of sweet, salty, and tangy. You’ll find it at most grocery stores and drugstores across the islands. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

10. Saimin

Ask any local, and most will pick saimin over ramen as their favorite noodle dish. The story goes that when Japanese immigrants came to Hawai‘i to work on the plantations, they tried to recreate the ramen they missed from home. They came up with noodles made from eggs and wheat flour, served in a hot dashi broth. Traditional Japanese ramen doesn’t use eggs, and the broth is typically made from chicken or fish, mushrooms, and dried seaweed. As a result, saimin noodles are thicker and chewier than ramen.

Saimin is often garnished with sliced hard-boiled eggs, bok choy, sesame oil, soy sauce, dried seaweed, Portuguese sausage, dried onions, fishcake, SPAM, and green onions. While ramen can be found all over the world, saimin noodles are mostly unique to Hawai‘i.

Hamura Saimin Stand in Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i has been serving its beloved saimin since 1952. It’s nothing fancy — just seriously good saimin. Look for the little blue house. Inside, it feels like a retro diner with communal counter seating. Order saimin, and if you want the perfect side dish, try the fried won tons. Just don’t leave without getting the lilikoi chiffon pie — a light passion fruit–flavored dessert topped with meringue. It’s outrageously delicious.

Now that you know what locals love to eat, you’ve got the perfect foodie bucket list to check off before leaving the islands.

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