Food & Groceries
1. Farmers Markets
Days/Hours: Saturdays 8:00am–12:00pm
Location: Keauhou Shopping Center Kailua-Kona
What you’ll find: 100% Hawaiʻi Island grown/caught/raised vendors (produce, eggs, meats, honey, coffee, mac nuts, baked goods, etc.)
Ho’oulu Community Farmers & Artisans Market
Days/Hours: Wednesdays & Fridays 9:00am–2:00pm
Location: OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa Keauhou Bay
What you’ll find: Farmers + makers, 100% Big Island made/grown/created vibe, good mid-week stop
Days/Hours: Check the market calendar (schedule can shift by season/events)
Location: Captain Cook (South Kona)
What you’ll find: Strong local market energy: produce + prepared foods + local makers
Days/Hours: Saturdays 7:30am–12:00pm
Location: Waimea [Kamuela]
What you’ll find: Big, legit North Hawaiʻi market with great produce + food + crafts (easy to make a morning of it)
Days/Hours: Daily 7:00am–3:00pm (big market days are typically Wednesday & Saturday)
Location: Downtown Hilo
What you’ll find: The biggest market on the island for variety and volume (fruit, flowers, foods, local vendors)
Days/Hours: Sundays (check current hours before you go)
Location: Puna District (near Pāhoa)
What you’ll find: One of the biggest, most local-feeling markets on the island. Tons of tropical produce, plants, prepared foods, and a wide mix of small vendors and makers. It’s a fun one if you’re already doing an east-side day trip. We love the lumpia here. ;)
2. Coffee and Breakfast
Why we like it: Organic Kona coffee, smoothies, and a lot of gluten-free and vegan options.
Why we like it: High-quality Hawaiʻi-grown coffee, great for a quick coffee run or a simple breakfast bite.
Why we like it: Legendary views over Kealakekua Bay and a classic Kona breakfast stop.
3. Grocery Stores
Why we like it: Great all-around grocery run (produce, poke, staples).
Why we like it: Convenient, good local selection.
Why we like it: Natural/organic leaning options.
Why we like it: Smaller local stop for produce directly from local farmers.
4. Restaurants
Kaya’s (Kailua-Kona)
A bright, healthy-leaning café stop people love for coffee, smoothies, and lighter breakfast and lunch options.
The Theatery (Kainaliu / South Kona)
A more “night-out” option: New American cooking with local ingredients, attached to Aloha Theatre, with a sunset-facing lanai.
Rebel Kitchen (Kailua-Kona)
Consistently positioned as a fresh, bowl-and-plate kind of place (think straightforward, health-forward meals without being precious about it).
Royal Thai Cafe (Kailua-Kona)
Classic, dependable Thai spot when you want something flavorful and easy.
Ultimate Burger (Kailua-Kona)
Simple comfort food option for when the crew wants burgers and you just want it to be easy.
Black Rock Pizza (Kailua-Kona)
A low-effort, everybody’s-happy kind of pizza stop.
Kaʻaloa’s Super J’s (Hōnaunau)
Perfect “on the way” meal after Hōnaunau or Two Step: local plate lunch energy, fast and satisfying.
Hōnaunau Poke Shop (Hōnaunau)
Grab-and-go poke near the snorkeling zone, ideal for beach food that actually feels like Hawaiʻi.
Hōlualoa Garden and Kitchen (Hōlualoa)
More of a sit-down meal, with people consistently calling out the setting and service.
CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani (South Kohala)
A destination meal when you’re up that way. It’s one of the more iconic “special dinner” settings.
Journey Cafe (Kailua-Kona, vegan)
If you want plant-based that still feels fun and filling, this one gets unusually strong praise across review platforms.
Moana (Kona Village, Rosewood)
An oceanfront, ingredient-forward restaurant that leans Pacific Rim and Big Island seasonal. It’s the kind of place that feels elevated without feeling stiff, and it works well when you want a “real dinner” night on the Kona side.
Kahuwai Cookhouse & Market (Kona Village, Rosewood)
More casual and flexible than a formal dining room, with an open-kitchen feel plus a market component that’s great when you want something easy, quick, and still high quality.
ʻULU (Four Seasons Resort Hualālai)
A top-tier oceanfront restaurant at Four Seasons Hualālai that’s known for a seafood-forward menu and a polished, special-night setting. If you’re choosing one “Four Seasons dinner,” this is the one most people mean.