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We've compiled the best of the best in Hilo - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Overlooking Hilo Bay from its towering perch on the waterfront, this popular, upscale restaurant with great water views has a sophisticated second-floor dining room that looks like it's straight out of Manhattan. A sushi bar complements the excellent selection of fresh fish, pork, beef, and vegan options. Premium wines and sake are available.
Owned and operated by the Nakagawi family since the early 1920s, this landmark restaurant features three separate dining rooms that overlook a 30-acre natural brackish fishpond, making this one of the most interesting places to eat in Hilo. Some highlights are paniolo (cowboy) prime rib, New York steak, and shrimp scampi. Arrive before sunset and request a table by the window for a view of egrets roosting around the fishpond.
There's a reason why locals flock to this hideaway for the best Thai cuisine in Hilo. Proprietor Sombat Saenguthai's menu highlights fresh local ingredients (many of the herbs come from her own garden) in authentic and tasty Thai treats like coconut curries, fresh basil rolls, eggplant stir-fry, and green papaya salad. Most dishes can be prepared with your choice of tofu, pork, beef, chicken, squid, or fish.
Located in a beautiful high-ceiling venue in the historic S. Hata Building, Café Pesto offers artisan pizzas with ingredients such as fresh Hamakua mushrooms, artichokes, and rosemary Gorgonzola sauce. You can also make a full meal of the Asian-inspired pastas and saffron risottos, specialty seafood, locally sourced salads, and appetizers. Products from local farmers feature heavily on the menu—Island beef, Kawamata Farms tomatoes, and Kaunamano pork sausage.
Perched on the waterfront overlooking a scenic pond at Reeds Bay Beach Park, this restaurant has the look and vibe of an old-fashioned, harborside steak house and bar. The menu features a good range of burgers and salads, steak, and seafood. Every Thursday is lobster night, with eight-ounce lobster tails served a variety of ways. Live music happens most evenings.
