3 Best Restaurants in Honokaa, Big Island

Unquestionably the fanciest spot in Honokaa, this cozy Italian bistro known for its pizza and other options feels like you've taken a step into Florence. Wood details, a full bar, travertine finishes, warm woods, antique furnishings, pendant lighting, and a fantastic stone pizza oven combine to create a thoroughly welcoming atmosphere. On the menu, pizzas and calzones dominate, but there is a full selection of pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Prices are surprisingly affordable. Local entertainers play on weekends.

A local institution and icon, this casual place is famous for its malasadas, the puffy, doughy, deep-fried Portuguese doughnuts without a hole, best eaten hot; there are also vanilla, chocolate, and coconut cream-filled versions. For more than a snack, go for the Hawaiian burger, with a fat, juicy slice of sweet pineapple on top; the overstuffed burrito; or some decent house-made pizza. If you visit Honokaa without stopping by, you may regret it.  

The signature plate here is the pastrami on rye, and it's no ordinary sandwich. This one, possibly rivaling those in New York City, boasts locally raised, grass-fed sirloin that is brined for 13 days, then slow smoked, sliced razor thin, and served with handcrafted dressing and Swiss cheese. Housed in the vintage First Bank of Hilo building, they also offer chili, burgers, pizza, dogs, and other delights, and of course, a full selection of bottles and taps as well as specialty cocktails.