Big Island Hawaii - Standouts
- Tex Drive in - Honoka'a - the best malasadas, and we tried a lot! Plain, not filled.
- Sushi Rock - Hawi - don't even think about missing this place. It's expanded and the bar is fantastic. Would give anything in SF a run for its money. Inventive, fresh, organic ingredients.
- Bamboo - Hawi - great lilikoi margaritas.
- Pahu I'a at 4 Seasons Resort - by far and away the best splurge dinner (beats out Thiebault, Merriman's, Roy's, etc). Doesn't have the glam aspect of celebrity chef Alan Wong (also on 4S property) but the space is MUCH nicer in my opinion. We had a table on the lanai, basically right on the beach. Mac-encrusted mahi in a tahitian vanilla butter sauce was the knockout but every single thing was beyond fantastic.
- Coffee Shack - Kaluakea/Captain Cook - awesome salads, sandwiches, breakfasts. Excellent deck overlooking miles of coastline. Closes at 3pm.
- Greenwell Farms - excellent kona coffee, friendly tours
Kohala Coffee Mill - the place in Hawi to get Tropical Dreams ice cream, breakfast and coffee. They also have sandwiches and lunch stuff if you're feeling like you've overspent (easy to do in Hawaii!)
