Top 10 Things to Try and Eat When in Hawaii

Jul 24

Written By Travels OnCall

*We love to travel and with that comes our desire to try all the foods the place is known for!*
*One of us is vegetarian and the other a meatatarian, so we will always offer you a nice blend of things to taste!*

**Here is our list of Top 10 Things to Taste when in Hawaii (No particular order)**

**10 Shave Ice**

We had to share our love of shave ice known as kakigōri in native Hawaiian. It was first sold by Japanese immigrants to plantation workers in the early 1900s. Often this decorated with syrup. A must try in Hawaii, and make sure you get the scoop of ice cream underneath!

**9 Tropical Fruits**
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
What most people consider exotic or tropical fruits that are colorful in appearance, you will find plenty of here! Be sure to check out the fruit stands on your drives and the local farmer markets for a taste of deliciousness!
Depending on the season be sure to try: lychee, sugarcane, pineapples, coconuts, dragonfruit, guava, strawberry guava, taro, breadfruit, mountain apples, papayas, longans, starfruits, and bananas. Better yet, try all the fruits -chances are they will taste different in Hawaii! Plus they are good for you!!

8 Poke

Traditional version is raw fish that has been seasoned. However the modern version includes more influences from Japanese and Asian cultures with soy sauce and other ingredients. Nowadays you can also find vegetarian poke.

**7 Haupia**

This is a traditional Hawaiian dessert made from coconut milk served in small blocks. You will find the flavor everywhere including ice cream and pancakes!

**6 Mai Tai**
While actually not invented in Hawaii, it is a classic tourist cocktail! It was first introduced in 1953 in Hawaii as part of a new cocktail menu at a hotel. The drink usually has dark rum, orange, and pineapple juice with all sort of variations. The drink is based on the Tahitian word Maita’i which translates as good or excellent! You will come across many places that claim to have the best Mai Tai on the island. The only way to know, is to try them all!

**5 Acai Bowls**

This is a classic “Hawaii in a bowl” consisting of acai berry smoothie-like consistency base topped with nuts and tropical fruits. You will have a wide variety of variations and flavors!

**4 Island grown coffee**
Kona Coffee is a term that refers to coffee grown in the specific region of Kona, making it one of the rarest coffee beans in the world. However, the coffee is not native. In 1828 by Samuel Reverend Ruggles brought arabica cuttings from Brazil and that combined with the perfect Kona weather (sunshine, volcanic rich soil, and region) it soon became an established crop in Hawaii by the end of the 1800s. Be sure to try a cup at the local stores and when in Kona be sure to visit the coffee belt for tours!

3 Spam

Spam is a canned ham product that is very ingrained into the island culture due to its introduction during WWII when that was the lunch meat served to the GIs. You will find many variations of it in Hawaii!

2 Kalua pig

Kalua in Hawaiian translates to “baked in an earth oven.” The meat is cooked in hot rocks and banana leaves surrounding it allowing it to retain moisture. This is commonly the popular dish you will see in luaus.

1 Macadamia nuts

Hawaii is home to one of the largest macadamia nut industries. They are tasty -rich in flavor and sweet, and come in many modern day seasonings and flavors. You can even take tours at some places! Did you know it can take 10-15 years for a tree to produce a harvestable amount!