The most important aspect of traveling for me is the food. People always talk about the sightseeing, the architecture or the people and although those are all very important and wonderful aspects of traveling, food will always be my favorite.
For our honeymoon, Ryan and I went to Oahu and decided to try out as many places as we could. I narrowed this list to five places that I really enjoyed. Check them out and let me know if you’ve tried any of the places mentioned.
Monkeypod Kitchen – Kapolei, HI
This place was so good that we ate here twice! The reason why you appreciate this place so much is he fact that their menu changes based on the season. They always have fresh and local ingredients.
Our hotel was right across the way from Monkeypod Kitchen which made it really convenient to eat there the first night. We had Pete’s Fresh Fish & Chips and the Kalua Pork Pizza which was their Daily Pizza Special. The fish was the freshest fish I’ve eve had, so flaky and crispy. The pizza had so much flavor it was not too heavy, very light and airy.
We tried their drinks that many people who live on the island (or visit frequently) recommended. Ryan had the Monkeypod Mai Tai which was pretty incredible, it had old lahaina light and dark rums, lime, house-made macadamia nut orgeat, orange curacao, and honey-lilikoi foam which was to die for. I had their Omoikane which includes single barrel jack daniels, genmaicha, asian pear simple syrup, and it was garnished with mint.
Overall we loved it, we went back our last day on the island with my cousin and her husband, we drank some more and enjoyed another Kalua Pork Pizza.
Kono’s – Honolulu, HI
This place was recommended by our friends Jose and Lucy who frequent the island pretty regularly, so we definitely needed to check it out. When you drive down to the area it looks like a typical outdoor mall with different shops. When entering the restaurant it is decorated with light and trendy colors.
We placed our order for our burritos or Bombers as they call it and we waited for our food. I honestly was a little confused with the menu and ended up accidentally ordering a breakfast burrito which was a little bit of a bummer. The pork was great on both burritos, very sweet and tangy. They also had different BBQ sauces that you can try with your Bombers. The potatoes on mine were undercooked, which was disappointing. We were so hungry at that point that we didn’t really get a good picture, but here is one I took on Instagram.
My Cafe – Kapolei, HI
This place is a gem.
You walk in and are instantly greeted by the friendliest staff. We heard that this place gets pretty busy, so we made it a point to go there as soon as they opened and on a weekday morning. It worked! We were seated within 5 minutes and had coffee in our hand within 10.
I ordered the Blue Crab and Asparagus Benedict, Ryan ordered the Loco Moco, and I added the famous Pancake Flight which includes the Cookie Butta Luva, Lilikoi Cakes and my favorite Choco Taro Haupia Cakes.
Everything in the menu looked delectable. The breakfast potatoes had a nice crisp, the creaminess of the benny combined with the texture of the crab and asparagus made for an unfamiliar but well combined bite. The most surprising but exciting part of our breakfast were the Flight of Pancakes. I thought I knew pancakes but these three combinations introduced new flavors that I had never experienced. I would also like to note that we later found out the Loco Moco was one of the best on the Island. That should tell you how great it was.
Leonards Bakery – Honolulu, HI
I wont spend much time with this one because we all know that Leonards is a place you do not want to skip. The reason why this place continues to please their customers is because these Portuguese Doughnuts are made fresh as soon as you order them. When you receive these doughnuts, they are warm and crispy. They come in many different fillings such as coconut, chocolate, and custard. Yes we ordered a dozen, and yes both Ryan and I finished them within 3 days.
Fumi’s Kahuku Shrimp – Kahuku, HI
Whenever I think of the shrimp I had at Fumi’s, my mouth starts to water again. On the 
thursday before we left, Ryan and I took a guided tour around the island of Oahu. The tour included a lunch at Fumi’s. We had heard all about the shrimp trucks, even trying some out two days prior, but we had never even heard of Fumi’s. Our tour guide, born and raised in the island, said that Fumi’s was the best shrimp on the island. Not only the best, but the freshest due to the Fumi family owning their own shrimp farm.
I ordered the Butter Shrimp and Ryan ordered the Spicy Butter Shrimp, both came with rice, a side salad and fresh pineapple. The shrimp had such a tender texture and the marinade on the shrimp made you want to suck each piece of shell until it was all gone.
I want to re-create this recipe because I just miss it so much. Stay tuned for that!
So there you have it, my top 5 places to eat in Oahu, HI. I will throw in some honorable mentions below in case you are looking to check out more places on your next trip to the island.
North Shore Shrimp Truck – Sharks Cove, HI
Limon Rotisserie – Kapolei, HI
Dole Plantation – Wahiawa, HI
Marriott Ko’Olina Beach Club – Ko’Olina, HI
ok.. This was not a restaurant, this was our view from our hotel room. I bought these sammies at the gift shop for an arm and a leg, but I posted this because I miss this view.
Angie Dee 