I love trying new places, going back to favorites, and finding good spots that are convenient if you’re out and about in certain places of the island and want to stop for lunch/breakfast/sunset drinks, etc.
Merriman has restaurants throughout the Hawaiian Islands (the Monkeypod on Maui is my favorite but the Beach House on Kauai is a close second), but Merriman’s in Waimea was the first.
I often stay at one of the resorts on the Kohala Coast and this spot in Waimea is the perfect place to grab coffee and breakfast when I’m heading out for an adventure for the day.
If you’re going to Hilo for a day trip, stop by Two Ladies as soon as you get to town and place your order. The line to order doesn’t usually take too long, but the wait to pick it up is…longer.
Lava Lava is one of my favorite places in ALL OF HAWAII. It’s everything you want a tropical, beachfront restaurant to be. Open air, good drinks, fresh seafood, live music, feet in the sand, and a perfect view for sunset.
You could potentially eat all of your meals at this oceanfront eatery and honestly…that would be okay! It’s a casual kind of place, with good food and even better views.
Kona Brewing Co is one of the most popular craft beer brands in the world and I think that means that you practically must visit their headquarters. It’s close to downtown Kona (walkable from the King Kamehameha Hotel) and it’s in a more revitalized area.