There’s one thing that I do everywhere we go… Eat! I wouldn’t call myself a foodie, and I’m definitely not a food snob, but I do like to try and eat local wherever we go. My one rule is to try and avoid chain restaurants that I can get back home. You know what’s great about Lana’i? They have no chain stores of any kind! Here are the best places to eat on Hawaii’s Pineapple Island.
Word to the wise: Options are limited! COVID has further limited those options, as well as the hours that restaurants are open. In our experience from November 2021, many restaurants closed at 2:00pm. The hours we found online did not reflect reality, so it’s best to look for hours posted somewhere on the building itself, or ask the locals. All the restaurants are easy to find, as they’re located on or just one block off of the main square, which is Dole Park.
Note: Hours below are current as of November 2021 and are subject to change without alerting me first!
Richard’s Market
Thank goodness for Richard! Richard’s Market is open daily from 6:00am-9:00pm, so if you find yourself hungry with no restaurant options, Richard’s is your best bet!
They have different options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, and they’re famous for their poke (pronounced po-kay), which is Hawaiian-style sushi. They have pretty delicious pastries, too, so be sure to stop in for dessert! Things were pretty picked-over by dinner time, but there were always a few options to choose from. We ate here at least four times during our five days on Lana’i!
More here: Where to Eat on Every Hawaiian Island
Coffee Works
You know I love a local coffee shop. This one was voted “Best Coffee Shop in Hawaii” for 2021! They have breakfast and lunch options, as well as smoothies, tea, and, of course, coffee! You can even buy coffee beans by the bag and take some home with you. We did! We would have gone back a few more times if they had been open on Sunday and Monday. Be sure you visit Tuesday-Saturday; they are open from 7:00am-2:00pm!
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Cafe 565
This is a great place for pizza! They also have calzones, salads, sandwiches, and more, so there’s something for everyone. We chose the Pineapple Isle Pizza (how could we not?!), and it was definitely enough to fuel us in our island adventures. They were open from 11:00am-2:00pm, then again from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Those are general times! Be flexible, as with all businesses in Hawaii.
Keep reading: What to Know Before You Visit the Hawaiian Islands
Blue Ginger
This place is open for breakfast and lunch, and we tried both! They have great Loco Moco, which is a popular Hawaiian breakfast, and Steve tried the Mahi Stir Fry for lunch. Servings are big enough to share, so remember that when ordering! They were open daily from 7:00am-2:00pm. You will have to show proof of vaccination to eat indoors, and wear a mask until you are seated. But if you prefer to get it to go or eat outside, the kind people working here will bring your order out for you!
More here: The Best Foods to Try in Hawaii
Lana’i Plantation Market
There is exactly one gas station on Lana’i, and they serve great breakfast and lunch! The food counter is open daily from 6:00am-2:00pm, but the gas station and market are open longer. We ate here twice, and got extra food to have for dinner one night as well. For breakfast, I got the Breakfast Bento (rice, bacon, sausage, eggs) and a Spam Musubi (cooked Spam sandwiched between patties of rice and wrapped in seaweed paper). For lunch and supper, we got a Chicken Club Sandwich, Meatball Sub, and a Chicken Cobb Salad.
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Chengdu Taste
Because we knew it would be open on Sunday night, we made a reservation for that evening at Chengdu Taste, the restaurant at our accommodation, Hotel Lana’i. It was delicious! It’s Chinese cuisine, and the service was both fast and friendly. We did have to make a reservation, show our vaccination card, and have our temperature taken to eat here, but once we were in, we had a great time. It’s open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am-2:00pm, and dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 5:00pm-9:00pm.
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Note: As of November 2021, everyone wishing to dine indoors (at the two restaurants where that was an option) must show their vaccination card. At Chengdu Table, we also had our temperature taken.
Note: The only restaurants in Lana’i City that we missed were Pele’s Other Garden Deli, which seemed to be closed (possibly for the owner’s vacation) and No Ka ‘Oi Grindz, for which we never had good timing (open 9:00am-1:00pm). Please also support these restaurants when you visit!
Note: There are several restaurants at both Four Seasons Lana’i and Sensei by Four Seasons. However, when we visited, they were not allowing non-guests to dine there or get takeout. Hopefully that will change when COVID restrictions loosen, though that may not be any time soon.
Want more? Take a look at What to Know Before You Visit Lana’i! And keep eating on my World Foods Page!
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