**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you**
Okay, let’s get to the good stuff: FOOD. But not any food. Delicious bites found on the beautiful Hawaiian islands. Here we go!
Kona Coffee
We’re coffee drinkers and were thrilled to find out about the coffee Hawaii is known for. We were walking through a flea market and a coffee vendor was selling samples. Wow! So delicious but with a hefty price tag. It really made sense though. The quality of the coffee was amazing; smooth and bold. Yes, we bought a bunch of it. Just a tip we’d learned on our travels: if you do go to a café or anywhere serving Kona coffee, make sure it’s 100% Kona. We noticed a lot of coffee shops advertised using Kona coffee, but after reading the fine print, they’d often been offering coffee that’s only about 10% Kona. Also, if it’s super cheap, then it’s probably not Kona or at least 100% Kona. Get the pure stuff. Trust me.
Dole Whip
It was a sunny day at the Pearl Harbor Memorial and we were looking for a frosty treat. There was a little food vendor advertising Dole Whip. Basically, it’s a soft serve that’s made with pineapple juice. It’s absolutely divine and one of my favorite things about Hawaii. We had it again while visiting the Dole Plantation and couldn’t get enough of it. I’d say that this was a must have treat on the islands. You won’t regret it.
![](https://thewanderlustatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9535.jpeg)
![](https://thewanderlustatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IMG_1116.jpeg)
Honolulu Cookie Company
These were first introduced to us on Hawaiian Airlines, on our way to the islands. They were given out instead of peanuts and I didn’t hear anyone complaining. My husband was hooked on the little shortbread cookies shaped like pineapples. We didn’t realize that this was a popular delight in Hawaii until stumbling upon one of their store fronts. Yes, we left with a ton of cookies but we were planning to share with family at home. At the store front, there were a ton of different flavor combinations available.
Pineapple Smoothies in a Pineapple
They say you eat (or drink) with your eyes first, and this can’t be more true. We took a trip to Diamond Head and were pleasantly surprised to find food trucks, making smoothies. What was even better, was that they were served in pineapples. How fun! And of course, I was sold. Who doesn’t want to drink a smoothie out of a pineapple? Oh and the smoothie was really smooth and refreshing. There was a long line and for good reason.
![](https://thewanderlustatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9658.jpeg)
Macadamia Nuts
I know this seems odd. What’s so special about nuts? I can get those at home. Well… not quite. We went to a macadamia nut farm where we got to see the trees and tasted all kinds of macadamia nuts, in different flavors. So delicious. And they give samples. Score! I left with a bunch of bags for all of my nut lovers back home. It’s a good thing that they weren’t too heavy for our checked baggage.
Spam
Don’t knock it until you try it! Just kidding, I know it’s not for everyone but I like it. When my husband first tried spam, he was shocked to find out it wasn’t canned fish. Where did he get this idea? Who knows. But the locals love spam and have transformed it into many different dishes. They even have spam musubi, which looks like spam sushi. Wild right? I kept it low key and just had some regular, fried up spam.
![](https://thewanderlustatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/IMG_9494.jpeg)
Huli Huli Chicken
You may notice a local on the side of the road with a cart and a bunch of chickens cooking over a grill. Do not keep walking (or driving). This is a local favorite and should be an “everyone” favorite. We’d seen this on a show about Hawaii, prior to our visit and hoped we would find this delicacy. The chicken is cooked over mesquite wood chips and then basted with a sweet, but delicious sauce or glaze. You have to try chicken made this way. It’ll change the game for you.
All of the Fruit
This may sound ridiculous but literally every piece of fruit I ate was the best I’d ever eaten. I’d eat fruit from stands, fruit pulled right from a tree, fruit garnishes on plates and more! The fruit was so much sweeter than I’m used to and just tasted better. I wish I could have packed a bag full of fruit to take home. I also wish I had a fruit tree in my back yard like plenty of the locals did.
![](https://thewanderlustatlas.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Desi-4-1024x1024.jpg)