Hawai’i is the secret food kingdom—I still don’t know the breadth of all the fantastic food we have here, from virtually every culture. It’s truly a “mix plate” when it comes to food (and people) and you can’t go wrong~

if you need some of that bomb food to join you to the beach, the park, or some other noteworthy viewpoint, here are my personal top five restaurants for takeaway!

jump to:

shaloha
the daley
cooke street
rainbow drive-in
pioneer saloon

Shaloha Pita in Kaimukī

Shaloha Pita has enormous servings and I am a sucker for Mediterranean! this will solve all of your hunger and probably lunch tomorrow as well. my favourite is the falafel but the shaloha pita plate will give you a little taste of everything.

what to eat: shaloha pita plate, order extra pita and hummus | where to eat it: wa’ahila ridge park/kanewai community park | map to shaloha

The Daley in Downtown/Chinatown

The Daley serves up their incredible smash burgers with no frills and absolutely all the flavour. their menu makes it real simple: burgers and fries. they do it damn well. warning: you may not make it to your destination before you inhale everything. it’s that good.

what to eat: the whole menu | where to eat it: aloha tower/kaka’ako waterfront | map to the daley

Cooke Street Market in Kakaʻako

one thing you need to try at least once is poke! (pronounced poh-kay) it’s raw ahi seasoned with some maaaaagic. and if you are thinking to yourself, “I’ve tried poke here on the mainland”… sorry to break it to you, but that’s not poke. if you have had incredible poke before and love it, cooke street market does it a little different, with more of a japanese spin! the crunchy garlic!!! I’m in love.

what to eat: garlic lover’s spicy mayo, extra garlic chips | where to eat it: kaka’ako waterfront/ala moana beach park | map to cooke street market

Rainbow Drive-In in Diamond Head (Leʻahi)

alright, rounding up our list are two plate lunch joints. what is plate lunch? it’s a super common local fare based on Japanese bento. basically, you get a plate or box with rice or salad, mac salad, and some meats.

it’s quite the tradition over here to grab a plate lunch from rainbow’s and go watch the sunset over at Waikīkī. this is a pretty traditional plate lunch, and it never fails to satisfy! I’d say go for a mix plate if you want to experience everything, otherwise loco mocos (beef patty on rice with over-easy eggs on top) are a must-have but shoyu (soy sauce) chicken is also a go-to!

what to eat: loco moco or shoyu chicken and try the mac salad! | where to eat it: waikiki beach/kapiolani park/diamond head lookout

Pioneer Saloon in Leʻahi/Kakaʻako

last but not least! Pioneer Saloon offers the plate lunch experience with a more Hapanese influence that I must say, I truly love. their pasta salad is insane and every kind of fried chicken they make is my soul food. (map to pioneer kaka’ako | pioneer diamond head)

what to eat: garlic or mochiko chicken or katsu! | where to eat it: outdoor tables available at SALT/Kakaʻako Beach Park | Kapiʻolani park/Diamond Head lookout

If you want more tips on places to eat, check out this Local’s Guide.