The Big Island is a dream. Volcanos, fern forests, cobalt blue vista views, and more. But did you know it was rated one of the most vegan-friendly states in the United States? This was comforting news as we were preparing our travel arrangements for a February trip. As a plant-forward chef and a full-on vegan husband, it’s a conundrum of where and what to eat when traveling. But, good news, Hawaii had a lot to offer the plant-based traveler! So let’s chat about how to eat plant-based on the Big Island with some off-the-beaten trail options.
As I did my research, I found many restaurants and cafes that offered plant-based options. From tofu to jackfruit to complete vegan cafes, I felt confident that if we wanted to go out to eat, we would have no problems at all. Rarely did I find a non-chain restaurant that didn’t have at least one vegetarian or vegan option – and it wasn’t spaghetti marinara.
Yes, Hawaii prizes its ahi tuna, homegrown beef, and pork, but there is an uptick in the interest in plant-based or vegan lifestyles possibly because they are ocean-bound and self-sufficient, or catering to many visitors. Although Oahu is the most vegan-friendly Hawaiian island, (bigger metro areas, more visitors, I get that) I give my hats off to the Big Island and its interesting options if you know where to look.
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Produce Stands
Let’s start with easy ones first. When you go to TBI (The Big Island), you aren’t going for Macaroni Grill or KFC because you can get that on the mainland, right? In the tropics, you want tropical fruits and there are plenty of fruit stands on the side of the road to stop and enjoy. Seems like anyone who has any property and ubiquitous fruit or nut trees, has a stand. Of course, it varies on the season. In February it was all about papayas and we were warned, if we saw pineapples, they were from Costco. Papayas, taro, coconuts, cacao, bananas, plantains, sapote, backyard butter avocados, Meyer lemons, and more were for purchase, or if they looked a little over-ripe, were free.
One of my favorite discoveries was sapotes, a soft green fruit that looked like a tomato on the outside and chocolate pudding on the inside. The consistency was like pudding. A little honey helped the sweetness but it pared well with dried banana chips.
Most of the personal produce stands are on an honor basis. They post how much the product is and you leave cash. So be sure and bring small cash with you to Hawaii! You will need it and will regret not having it when you see vegan banana bread, butter avocados, dark chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, and sapote!
Farmers Markets
Our trip started and ended in Kona. We had not planned a total circumvention of the island, but, since the unexpected 20 inches of rain the island received the week before we arrived hampered some hiking options, we had more time to explore.
The Kona area offers up several farmers’ markets including “pop-ups” and more permanent stall options. We were heading out of Kona down to Volcano and happened up the Alli Gardens Marketplace. Along with coffee, crafters, chocolate, and macadamia nut offerings, there was a fun food truck where we picked up a superbly amazing vegan wrap with tofu, quinoa, and other yummy goodnesses at CultivateGoodFood. The storefront is in Kealekekua, just north of Captain Cook. Their motto is “We believe that good food can give you superpowers” – a perfect theme for anyone wanting to eat more plants! The wrap was perfect for a quiet seaside picnic near The Place of Refuge.
There are so many farmers’ markets on TBI, it’s almost impossible to get to all of them but if you get a chance, definitely visit the Farmers Market in downtown Hilo. It is open every day with big market days on Wednesday and Saturday. There are three covered, open-air pavilions with fresh produce, mushrooms, honey, coffee, nuts, taro, breadfruit, aromatics, purple sweet potatoes, food crafters, and more.
Our holiday week was a bit rainy, so dodging rain storms put us a bit behind and late arriving at this market. The tofu spring rolls were sold out but the avocado rolls were outstanding. A friend of
mine mentioned that Hawaiian avocados were nothing like the avocados on the mainland, and she was correct. The butter avocados were amazing – super creamy, just sublime. We bought them at many, roadside stands.
On the east side of the Northwest area of TBI, on your way north from Hilo to the Waipoi Valley, is the wonderful Hamakua Harvest Farmers Market. On a grassy cliff overlooking the ocean, this is one special community space. I’m not sure what I loved most – the many vegan and plant-based options or the view of the Pacific. From vegan Ukrainian Gourmet Pirojkis made with shiitake mushrooms and taro, to breadfruit sourdough bread, this market has something for everyone, including teas, lamb, smoked fish, beef, honey, crafted garments, and much, much more. There was truly something for everyone.
Love Big Island has a nice list of other farmer’s markets, so keep those handy and keep your eyes peeled for a super local market or community stand that may not be on the list.
Restaurants and Food Trucks
Since we are primarily plant-based, we have found it easier to stay in a vacation home rental for access to a kitchen. In my research, I discovered how multicultural The Big Island is, particularly as expressed in dining options. Indian, Asian, Thai, Filipino, Korean, Egyptian, Ukrainian, Japanese, and more. I did have a few places in mind to eat at but we had such a great time bringing home the treats from the farmers and grocery stores we did not hit them all. Gosh, we will have to back. 😊
Kona
Swamis Dosa Grill. We love Indian food and I love making dosas and honestly, they are hard to find on the mainland. I was super excited to find an Indian restaurant that specialized in dosas. Our days just got away from us and we did not make it Swamis, but please put it on your list if you are in Kona!
Kanaka Kava Bar. When I asked friends who have lived in Hawaii about real Hawaiian food, I kept getting referred to nice restaurants with fish, pork, and a view. That’s fine, but I was on a quest to discover the real indigenous foodstuffs of the Hawaiian people. Kanaka Kava is not a high-profile café – it was a bit hard to find on an internet search. But somehow the café finally popped up on my phone at the last minute, and off we were to experience awa, (a medicinal drink), uala (steamed purple yam), ulu (breadfruit steamed in coconut milk, honey and lemon), and shoyu sesame tofu for dinner. It was different and delicious. The menu offers vegan, vegetarian, and regular options of traditional indigenous food as well.
Kanaka Kava is a local, organic Hawaiian family farm that serves traditional Hawaiian foods and ‘awa straight from the farm in Hāma to the bar in Kona, which is located in the shoreline business area of Kona. The small, open-air but covered café has limited seating, but we found patrons kind and moving about to allow for more guests, as well as not lingering on the tables but moving to the green space around the café. Kanaka Kava offers live music as well and adds to the nightlife vibe of the area.
Journey to Good Health – We did not make it to this one either, but I want to give them a shout-out as a vegan café that integrates traditional Hawaiian produce into their dishes.
Volcano
Tuk Tuk Thai- This food truck wa
s featured on several Big Island Youtube travel videos and we were shocked when we drove out of Volcanos National Park towards Hilo and there it was on the left. The tofu pad thai and green curry were as good as recommended. The truck is parked off the highway without access from the highway, so drive into the town of Volcano, take the first left, then drive all the way to the dead end where the truck is. Or, just track him on GPS.
Hilo
Tina’s Garden Cafe – This café sits right on the main commerce area of Hilo facing the bay. We were there in February and the weather was wetter and colder than usual (not my opinion – several visitors who stayed in Hawaii in February noted the chillier weather 😊).
Yes, we ate Thai again but we had eaten up all our food at the Airbnb and needed to go out for dinner. Several of the touristy-type restaurants in Hilo offer vegetarian, plant-based, or vegan options but Thai was the choice and Tina’s didn’t disappoint. The portions were huge and, in the end, I gave our leftovers to some very nice Oregonians who were staying for another week. The Tom Khai soup and red curry were excellent as was the green papaya salad. Slivered green papaya is an interesting flavor – bland but not tasteless, maybe jicama with a texture of carrot, and the shreds pick up the sauce flavors.
Pineapples restaurant in Hilo was on my radar but reservations were required. Looked like a super fun space with open-air walls and groovin’ music. I was particularly intrigued, though, by the entirely separate page of vegan options. I don’t believe I have seen that at a restaurant and I appreciated the effort.
Vibe – This fun, plant-forward vibe-y cafe is open from 8-5, so we didn’t make it in time. Their website and Facebook page offer up visually gorgeous vegetarian and vegan options. Give yourself time to get enjoy breakfast, brunch, or a late lunch.
Waimea
Our time was short so we didn’t fully explore this area above the resort region, but we did enjoy a great beer and food at Big Island Brewhaus. My husband is a homebrewer so we hit all the tap rooms and breweries on TBI. BIB offers falafel and vegan cheeses on their menu – there is something for everyone, including a nice Czech-style Pilsner.
Super Markets
There are several options to choose from including the super-giant Costco. When I travel, I like to browse the local grocery stores and see what they have that we don’t. Yes, groceries are more expensive in Hawaii, but if you look at the beans, grains, and International aisle, you will find groceries that are cheaper than in the US, I’m guessing because they do not have to travel so far. Although TBI is not as populated as Oahu, there are great local options, takeaways, and more.
Island Naturals – This small, local chain is the Hawaiian version of Whole Foods or Natural Grocers. FYI, there is not a Whole Foods on TBI. This store is FUN! We enjoyed the Kona store as our first grocery store shop. There were many local growers featured – microgreens, greens, mushrooms, bread, spreads, cheeses, and more.
KTA – This supermarket chain started in 1916 and now serves all the islands. Browse the deli section for fun vegan options – the purple sweet potato tapioca was divine. I want to try and make that back home.
The produce section was great – I had no idea there were so many different kinds of papaya! These stores are sort of like Aldi – everywhere on the island.
Plant-based Foods – We did not make it to this store in Kona, but it looks great. So much to do, so little time.
Food Crafters
Above and beyond beer, coffee, chocolate, macadamia nuts, and tropical fruits, there is a growing industry of food crafters and specialty growers.
Edible Peace – We enjoyed the Hot Hawaiian, vegan macadamia nut cream cheese spread we bought at Island Naturals. There are several varieties. In addition, many restaurants are using the Edible Peace macadamia nut cheeses which are absolutely out of this world!
Kona Chips and more – wow. It’s not just about a great potato chip. This store on the way to Captain Cook, has a full shop of food-crafted delights. They are not all vegan but I’m sure you can find something. From furikake (one of my favorite food elevations) to Lithuanian Lavosh, (not vegan), mixes, nuts, coffee, and more, this shop is worth a stop. The best part is that shipping to the US is affordable and arrives in 2to 3 days, just as if you are purchasing something across the mainland. Fascinating!
Hawaiian Sweet Potato, Taro or Breadfruit Chips – There is a whole section in the KTA stores with all sorts of chips. (whole food plant-based, no salt, no sugar, no fat folks can stop reading). But these chips are beautiful and have interesting textures and for me, quite fun to see what other cultures are creating. Grab some butter avocado, mash it up, and have a feast.
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