As the most isolated population center on earth — located more than 2,000 miles from the closest continent — the Hawaiian Islands are unique. Everything from our culture to the food we eat is a bit different than the mainland. From traditional Hawaiian meals to those inspired by other cultures, there are certain dishes abundant throughout the islands that might inspire someone to say, “Man, that’s some weird Hawaiian food.” However, these food combinations are as delicious as they are unique.

1. Mango Slices & Li Hing Mui
chotda/Flickr
Made by pickling plum skins in licorice, salt and sugar, and then grinding the mixture into a fine powder, li hing mui was originally made in China, but has since made its way to the Hawaiian Islands. While it is often thought to be an acquired taste, people from Hawaii simply can’t get enough of the salty, sweet and sour taste, and it tastes the best with mango slices.
2. Meat & Steamed Bun
Albert Lynn/Flickr
Manapua translates to "delicious pork thing" in Hawaiian, and that is exactly what it is: diced pork filling inside a steamed white bun. You can substitute other meats, or even bean paste if you would like.
3. Spam, Seaweed & Rice
Like_The_Grand_Canyon/Flickr
Hawaiians eat more Spam per capita than any other American state; there is even an annual festival dedicated to the canned meat. The most popular Spam product in Hawaii is Spam Musubi, and it is pretty delicious.
4. Hamburger Steak, Egg, Rice & Gravy
Danny Luong/Flickr
The loco moco: A beef patty nestled into a bed of rice with a fried over-easy egg balanced on top, with a smothering of brown gravy bringing everything together. It’s a shame the rest of the country knows nothing of this mouthwatering comfort food.
5. Shave Ice, Sweetened Condensed Milk & Ice Cream
bionicgrrl/Flickr
Shave Ice is absolutely divine, but it’s even better with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom and sweetened condensed milk drizzled over the top. The sweet treat is the perfect complement to an afternoon on the water. You can also add azuki beans for a unique twist.
6. Pork & Taro Leaf
bionicgrrl/Flickr
Laulau is a traditional Hawaiian dish that is made with pork wrapped in taro leaves, and steamed on the stove. Native Hawaiians prepared the dish in an underground oven.

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7. Japanese Sticky Rice & Ice Cream
Janine/Flickr
Combine Japanese sticky rice and an ice cream filling and you’ve got ice cream mochi. I was introduced to mochi shortly after moving to Hawaii, and fell in love. Yes, you can find mochi in other states, but everyone knows that the best mochi comes from Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert.
8. Chicken Katsu, Rice & Macaroni Salad
Jasperdo/Flickr
A plate lunch is a specific meal consisting of two scoops of rice, an entrée, macaroni salad, and sometimes a generous helping of gravy. While the entree options are seemingly endless, one of our favorites is chicken katsu.
9. Acai Berries, Fresh Fruit & Granola
@rsseattle/Flickr
Ah, the acai bowl. There is nothing quite like an acai bowl after a sunrise hike. This is such a healthy and satisfying breakfast, and I’m still trying to perfect the sweet meal at home.
10. Kalua Pork & Cabbage
Kirk K/Flickr
This traditional dish is usually cooked in an underground oven, called a Imu, and served at most Hawaiian luaus and traditional eateries. Unfortunately, all you’ll find elsewhere is plain, old, boring pork. Many locals add cabbage and onion to the pork to add a nice sweetness, boost the dish’s nutritional value, and also stretch the amount of servings available.
11. Fluffy Donut Holes & Unique Flavored Fillings
Joy/Flickr
Malasadas — Portuguese donuts without a hole — are wildly popular in Hawaii, and nowhere does them better than Leonard’s Bakery. A crispy golden brown exterior gives way to a soft and chewy inside in flavors like cinnamon sugar — some malasadas are even filled with custard or haupia, and there is a malasada flavor of the month. You can guarantee we dream about these delicious treats when we leave Hawaii.
12. Pineapple & Anything
www.bluewaikiki,com
It’s hard to think about Hawaiian food without talking about pineapple. Hawaii is famous for its pineapple production, though the sweet fruit was not introduced to the islands until the 1500s. While you can buy pineapple anywhere, it’s never as good as it is in Hawaii — and it goes with everything, including both sweet and savory dishes.

Want to know where to get the best food Hawaiian is famous for? Check out our previous article, “11 Hawaiian Foods Everyone Loves… And Where To Find The Best.” Happy eating!

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Weird Hawaiian Food

Bill Hall | August 05, 2022

What is the history behind some unusual Hawaiian food?

It might be good to clarify how "unusual" is meant in the context of the article. When it comes to food, people seem more comfortable eating and seeing what they are used to. For example, many Americans enjoy hot dogs. Yet lots are surprised when they see a regional variation. Some think a Sonoran hot dog is strange, while they happily chomp on a Chicago Dog filled with all sorts of pickled things. Thankfully, something being new or “unusual” doesn’t mean it isn’t wonderful. Labeling food as weird is not a negative thing at all. In fact, we encourage eating as many strange things as possible. 

As the article suggests, Hawaii has a unique menu. According to historians, when Polynesian settlers first arrived on the Islands there were few eatable plants. So, new settlers introduced stuff they wanted to eat. Among the earliest and most important was taro, called kalo in Hawaiian. This is a starchy root vegetable served in a variety of ways. It’s also an important component of a luau. The sweet nutty flavor of kalo may seem strange if you’ve never tried it before, but most people like it. Have you tried a taro pancake? Yum. 

Many cultures have come together in Hawaii, and this always leads to a fusion of flavors. You will find variations of Vietnamese, Cantonese, Japanese, Samoan, Korean, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Filipino, as well as American foods all coexisting and mingling. It’s inspiring to see everything mix so well.

You have probably heard that Spam is very popular in Hawaii, while it’s much less so in the rest of the States. The article 9 Reasons Why Spam Became Hawaii’s Most Beloved Food does a nice job of sharing this. 

Is there Hawaiian food that is also popular Stateside? 

A dish that is clearly becoming more popular on the mainland is Poke. Poke means “to cut crossways into pieces” and is a raw fish dish. It’s most often marinated tuna. You probably have a place not far from where you live that specializes in Poke with a line out the door. It’s still going to be better in Hawaii. These 15 Restaurants Serve The Best Poke In Hawaii will get your trek started!

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