We all know you should never judge a book by its cover - and the same rule applies when it comes to judging a restaurant’s food by simply looking at the building’s appearance. While you will certainly find upscale eateries across the Hawaiian Islands, sometimes it’s the unassuming eateries that you truly can’t miss. From food trucks and run-down buildings to strip mall restaurants and bowling alley eateries, some of Hawaii’s best eateries are found in less than ideal settings. This is easily the case with Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, a local favorite.
With two locations on Oahu’s north shore, Giovanni’s is by far the most famous food truck in the area - though it may not look like it.
At first glance, the outside of the trucks look as though they’ve been vandalized. Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that the trucks are, in fact, covered with signatures, drawings and messages left by customers in permanent marker.
Founded out of an old 1953 bread truck in more than 20 years ago, Giovanni’s would tour Oahu’s north shore, stopping along the side of the road for a few hours at each location.
Serving up just a few shrimp recipes, locals loved the food, and word began to spread. And thus, a movement was born. You see, Giovanni’s was the first shrimp truck on Oahu’s north shore.
Giovanni’s opened their second location in Haleiwa in 1997, and now, more than 23 years later, the unassuming eatery is an iconic fixture on the north shore - and a favorite among locals and tourists alike.
Let’s talk about the shrimp for a minute: for less than $15, you can purchase an iconic plate lunch consisting of a dozen jumbo shrimp and two scoops of rice. Choose between shrimp scampi, hot and spicy shrimp, and lemon butter shrimp. Is your mouth watering yet?
Oh, and Giovanni’s Hot & Spicy sauce, as well as their scampi marinade has won multiple national and international food awards. That’s pretty awesome for a roadside eatery.
This unassuming food truck is the perfect spot for a casual lunch while traveling between the north shore's most famous beaches - and with more than 4,000 combined reviews on Yelp with a four-star average, we think the customers agree.
Giovanni's Shrimp Truck has two north shore locations: 66-472 Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa and 56-505 Kamehameha Highway in Kahuku. The iconic eatery is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Love food trucks? Check out these 15 trucks in Hawaii that serve the most mouthwatering food!
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