E komo mai —
Da Plate Lunch Index
ranked by locals — not Yelp tourists
Four islands · Mom & pop only · Photos required
Annual Editorial · Volume I · 2026
Pae‘āina 50
Fifty mom-and-pop joints, hand-picked across all four islands. No paid placement. No algorithm. One editor with a working jaw and a long memory.
if you cannot find ‘em on this page, dey not on da list
- 01808 Deli
Kihei · plate lunch
- 02Aloha Aina Juice Cafe
Kapaa · plate lunch
- 03Aloha Mixed Plate
Lahaina · plate lunch · kalua pork · loco moco
- 04Cafe 100
Hilo · loco moco · plate lunch
- 05Da Crack Mexican Grinds
Koloa · plate lunch
- 06Da Kitchen
Kahului · plate lunch · kalua pork · lau lau
- 07Da Poke Shack
Kailua-Kona · poke
- 08Diamond Head Market & Grill
Kapahulu · plate lunch
- 09Ethel's Grill
Kalihi · plate lunch · loco moco
- 10Fumi's Kahuku Shrimp Truck
Kahuku · garlic shrimp
- 11Geste Shrimp Truck
Kahului · garlic shrimp
- 12Giovanni's Shrimp Truck
Kahuku · garlic shrimp
- 13Hamura Saimin
Lihue · saimin
- 14Hanalei Bread Company
Hanalei · plate lunch · malasada
- 15Hawaiian Style Cafe
Waimea · loco moco · plate lunch
- 16Helena's Hawaiian Food
Kalihi · plate lunch · kalua pork · lau lau
- 17Highway Inn
Kakaako · plate lunch · kalua pork · lau lau
- 18Hukilau Cafe
Laie · plate lunch · loco moco
- 19JoJo's Shave Ice
Waimea · shave ice
- 20Kahuku Superette
Kahuku · poke
- 21Ken's House of Pancakes
Hilo · loco moco
- 22Koloa Fish Market
Koloa · poke · plate lunch
- 23Komoda Store and Bakery
Makawao · malasada
- 24Kono's Northshore
Haleiwa · kalua pork
- 25L&L Drive-Inn Hilo (mom-and-pop pre-chain)
Hilo · plate lunch
- 26Leonard's Bakery
Kapahulu · malasada
- 27Liliha Bakery
Liliha · malasada
- 28Macky's Sweet Shrimp Truck
Haleiwa · garlic shrimp
- 29Maguro Brothers
Chinatown · poke
- 30Mark's Place
Lihue · plate lunch · loco moco
- 31Mitsu-Ken Okazu-Ya
Kalihi · plate lunch · musubi
- 32Musubi Cafe Iyasume
Waikiki · musubi
- 33Ono Hawaiian Foods
Kapahulu · plate lunch · kalua pork · lau lau
- 34Paia Fish Market
Paia · poke · plate lunch
- 35Pono Market
Kapaa · poke · plate lunch · musubi
- 36Punaluʻu Bake Shop
Naalehu · malasada
- 37Rainbow Drive-In
Kapahulu · plate lunch · loco moco · teri
- 38Romy's Kahuku Prawns & Shrimp
Kahuku · garlic shrimp
- 39Sam Sato's
Wailuku · saimin · manapua
- 40Shrimp Station
Waimea · garlic shrimp
- 41Side Street Inn
Kapahulu · plate lunch
- 42Star Noodle
Lahaina · saimin
- 43Suisan Fish Market
Hilo · poke
- 44Sweet Home Cafe
Kapahulu · plate lunch
- 45Tamashiro Market
Kalihi · poke
- 46Tamura's Fine Wines & Liquors
Waianae · poke
- 47Tasty Crust
Wailuku · plate lunch · loco moco
- 48Ted's Bakery
Sunset Beach · plate lunch · haupia
- 49Tex Drive In
Honokaa · malasada · plate lunch
- 50Tin Roof Maui
Kahului · plate lunch
- 51Tip Top Cafe
Lihue · loco moco · plate lunch
- 52Tropical Dreams Ice Cream
Hilo · shave ice
- 53Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill
Kailua-Kona · poke · plate lunch
- 54Waiahole Poi Factory
Waiahole · kalua pork · lau lau · haupia
- 55Yajima-Ya
Kalihi · musubi