Local Favorites

Past the resort dining rooms, the coast runs on a set of dependable, well-priced kitchens that locals keep to themselves. These are the ones worth knowing.

• Kuleana Rum Shack

  Island plates and rum cocktails · $$$ · Queens' MarketPlace · 7 min drive

  Island plates and house rum cocktails at Queens' MarketPlace, a lively local hang where the poke and the mai tais both deliver.

• Pueo's Osteria

  Italian, house pasta and local seafood · $$$ · Waikoloa Village · 10 min drive

  The village's real neighborhood Italian, house pasta and local seafood a few minutes up the hill, open late and beloved by people who live here.

• Hawaiian Style Cafe

  Local plates, loco moco and breakfast · $ · Waimea · 25 min drive

  A Waimea institution for loco moco and plates the size of two meals, the upcountry breakfast worth the drive.

• Big Island Brewhaus

  Brewpub, local plates and tacos · $$ · Waimea · 25 min drive

  House-brewed beer and honest local plates in Waimea, green-chili anything and fish tacos where the locals actually sit.

• Cipriano's Kitchen

  Homemade Italian and Peruvian · $$$ · Kawaihae · 15 min drive north

  Gino Cipriano's homemade Italian with a Peruvian streak in Kawaihae, egg-free pastas and dishes like lobster ravioli with octopus.

• Moa Kitchen

  Japanese izakaya and ramen · $$ · Waimea · 25 min drive

  A cult Waimea izakaya for ramen, yakitori, and chirashi, fusion-leaning Japanese cooking the locals line up for.

• Merriman's

  Farm-to-table Hawaiian regional · $$$$ · Waimea · 25 min drive

  Peter Merriman's original upcountry room in Waimea, the farm-to-table restaurant that helped define Hawai'i regional cuisine.

• Ippy's Hawaiian Barbecue

  Elevated plate lunch, local barbecue · $$ · Waimea · 25 min drive

  Chef Ippy's plate lunch in his Waimea hometown, kalua pork, katsu, and loco moco made with fresh, local ingredients.

• L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

  Plate lunch · $ · Kailua-Kona · 30 min drive south

  Hawai'i's plate-lunch institution, two scoops rice, a scoop of mac salad, and your protein, the dependable local staple down in Kona.