I had a huge list of potential eats for my recent Hawaiian holiday, but my vacation philosophy prioritizes having spontaneous fun over following a schedule, so I wasn’t able to get around to all of my planned noshes. Still, what I did have was absolutely beautiful. So, what to eat in Hawaii? Here are some highlights:

On the Big Island:

Kona coffee, as any coffee lover knows, is highly prized for its mild-yet-buttery qualities. I find that it has an earthiness to it that is perhaps reminiscent of caramel or malt. A cup of Kona is a rare pleasure (it’s so expensive), but having that cup on the outdoor patio of a café in charming Kahului Kona is exquisite (and also expensive, if it requires round-trip airfare from Chicago). I had a double espresso with a side of ginger ice cream at Kope Lani.

For a plate lunch, you’ll have to wander away from the touristy areas and find a place where locals go for their day-in, day out meals … a home-grown diner like Big Island Grill. On the menu, “plate lunch” may not be identified as such. It may be listed as a set of lunch specials that include entrées and a choice of two sides, one of which is commonly two scoops of rice – all on one plate. I had Hawaiian shredded pork with cabbage, pineapple slaw, and brown rice. I washed it down with POG (a mixture of passion fruit, orange, and guava juice that is quintessentially Hawaiian). It was FANTASTIC, regional, home cooking! Pulled pork is one of the few foods I don’t usually care for. This was different. It was lean and partially seared, yet tantalizingly juicy. (UPDATE: I eventually took a stab at making this. )

You’ll find shave ice pretty much everywhere – not just on The Big Island – but not all shave ice is the same. Some vendors make it like a snow cone, out of what seems to be finely crushed ice. The best establishments, though, do not: instead, the ice is shaved down to the consistency of frost or snow. The snow holds the flavored syrup, so it’s tasty from the top to the bottom. Even as it starts to melt, it won’t separate into liquid and ice, the way a Slurpee does.

You eat shave ice with a spoon, not a straw. You can also have your shave ice piled atop a foundation of ice cream. I strongly recommend this. If you find a place that makes it well, you’ll find it to be singularly delightful. The best I had was at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, in Kona. I had a combination of li hing mui, mango, and pineapple over macadamia nut ice cream, with a drizzle of toasted coconut cream over the top.

On Maui:

The Hali’imaile General Store is unbelievable. It’s in the Upcountry region, in what seemed to me to be the middle of nowhere, although if you’re on your way to Haleakala, it’d be a very short detour off your path – and absolutely worth it. The setting is casual and rustically gorgeous. The food is interesting – check out their menu – and beautifully prepared. The service is friendly and attentive. It’s a lot more “restaurant” than “store;” consider making a reservation … I think we were lucky to get in without one. Oh, and by the way, if you’re not on your way to Haleakala, you should be. It’s incredible.

On Oahu:

It’s iconic. It seems almost like it’d be a mistake to travel all the way to Hawaii and not attend a luau. We went to one on the grounds of the Waikiki Aquarium, at the foot of Diamond Head. I’d never attended a luau. My husband, who lived for many years on Oahu, considers it touristy with a double eye-roll. But still, I’d not been to one. The food was solidly disappointing. I did get a chance to try poi, though, which was on my list of Hawaiian foods to seek out. The trick to liking poi is, I think, to eat it in conjunction with something else: rake a forkful of Kalua pig through it, for instance. What a luau really is, is a show – and this one was delightful from the ukulele band to the hula to the fire dancing. Kitschy … but iconic.

Malasadas at Leonard’s Bakery on Oahu, near Diamond Head. A malasada is a Portuguese, (optionally filled) doughnut rolled in sugar. Made to order. Worth pursuing. It’s a pre-Lenten tradition along the lines of a Pączki, but at Leonard’s, you’ll find them every morning throughout the year. Get there early – the lines can become seriously long and the most interesting flavors sell out quickly.

On Kauai:

Duke’s on Kauai. The food at this restaurant is good, but the setting is outstandingly spectacular. Duke’s has its own parking, but I suggest you park next door, at the Marriott, and walk your way through the hotel’s breathtaking courtyard. Duke’s is a not quite indoors, not quite outdoors, multistory, tropical paradise overlooking a postcard-perfect beach. The food is less than haute cuisine, but respectable and better than what an average home cook could produce. I do have to say of the staff that, while they were altogether gorgeous and did and said everything they should, by the book, it was a thin veneer over a crystal clear “whatever.”  I enjoyed the meal and the ambiance, nonetheless. I don’t need to form a memorable connection with my server, so their “whatever” was neutralized by my “whatever.” Take that, Duke’s. (Plus, after only one Mai Tai, it completely didn’t matter at all.)

What a Guy Should Wear

If you’re going to a variety of places in search of everything from street food to haute cuisine, you’ll need to know what sort of clothes to bring. I was on Oahu, Maui, The Big Island, and Kauai for ten days in July and ate across the entire spectrum of establishments. This is all I needed:

The Essentials:

Shorts-style swim trunks. You could get by with wearing these and nothing but, 24/7. A single pair would work for your entire vacation. A backup pair, optionally, in case you should feel that you don’t have the time to air dry (although it happens rapidly under the searing Hawaiian sun). The only possible exception might be an elegant restaurant for an evening meal – where shorts might still be OK in some circumstances, but probably not something as casual as swim trunks. Lunch, breakfast … it’d be challenging to find yourself out of place in shorts-style swim trunks no matter where you went for these meals.

T-shirts. Maybe a few tank tops, but mostly T’s. I’d say you should expect to get two-days’-worth of wear – maybe more – out of each shirt, unless you plan to do something grimy. Just like the shorts, there are few places you’ll go where you’d feel out of place in a t-shirt. Hawaiian men commonly walk around shirtless – and go in and out of shops, grocery stores, hotels, and restaurants that way. So, that’s always an option.

Flip-flops or sandals. Everyone wears them everywhere, and this is one of the few places I’ve been where it seems like a good idea, since the entire state either is a beach, or is in close proximity to one. If you’re a real dyed-in-the-wool walker, though – like I am – you’ll want tennis shoes.

A wide-brimmed hat. Even though you’ll use sunscreen and sunglasses, you’re going to want to take extra steps to get the sun off your face and the back of your neck. Do not dismiss this!

Optional Wardrobe Upgrades:

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“Evening wear” in Hawaii amounts to nice shorts and an Aloha shirt. You could get by with just one or two of each. However – and this is extremely important – bring fewer shirts than you need, with the plan to buy more once you’re there. Hawaii has some absolutely exquisite shirt shops. Dressed like this, there’s almost nowhere you couldn’t go.

Long pants. Unless you’re a well-dressed schoolboy, you’ll need long pants for formal dining – but everything else you’ll need, you’ll already have. A pair of casual, cotton trousers with nice sneakers and an Aloha shirt, and now there is literally nowhere you cannot go – even to the most upscale restaurant. A single pair of long pants will definitely do, since you’ll only need them in the most formal settings and only after dark. If you don’t plan on formal dining, you won’t need them at all. You will never have occasion to wear jeans. I did not see a single pair in ten days on four islands. Do yourself a favor, and neither pack a pair nor wear them to the airport; they’re heavy and take up too much room in a suitcase. Neither will you need dress shoes, a sports jacket, a long-sleeved shirt, or a tie. Ever. For anything.

If you’re counting up the items I’ve been calling out, you’ll realize that they would fill a carry-on bag with room to spare. Armed with a “Tide to Go” pen, it’s definitely possible to pack this lightly. If you’re clever, everything you put in your suitcase will be mix-and-match: from the hat to the shoes, from the beach wear to the formal wear … it should all function as one, cohesive collection of clothing.

What to Eat in Hawaii

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