Day-by-day eating plans for Honolulu: weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.
Day-by-day plans
Honolulu weekend: the classics, done right
- ★ 4.7
- 2 days
- First-time visitor, two days
A weekend built around Hawaii's defining plate lunch, the canonical malasada, Chinatown's modern tasting menus and one North Shore food day trip.
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Day 1Saturday: KCC market morning, Chinatown lunch, Senia dinner
- Morning
- KCC Farmers Market at 08:00 on the Kapiolani Community College grounds. Buy Hawaiian apple bananas, a Ho Farms Ali'i tomato, and a butter mochi from a vendor table.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown in Kekaulike Market, 1120 Maunakea Street; order shoyu onion ahi poke over rice. Walk the Maunakea Marketplace lei stalls afterwards.
- Evening
- Dinner at Senia, 75 North King Street, Chinatown. Eight-to-ten-course tasting from chef Anthony Rush. Walk to The Tchin Tchin Bar's rooftop for a natural wine nightcap.
StopsKCC Farmers MarketMaguro Brothers Hawaii ChinatownSeniaThe Tchin Tchin Bar
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Day 2Sunday: Leonard's morning, Rainbow Drive-In lunch, Waikiki dinner
- Morning
- Leonard's Bakery in Kapahulu at 933 Kapahulu Avenue. Order three sugar malasadas plus a custard; eat them warm sitting on the bench out front.
- Afternoon
- Drive to Rainbow Drive-In at 3308 Kanaina Avenue for the canonical Hawaiian plate lunch. Mix plate (loco moco, BBQ beef, boneless chicken). Eat at the parking-lot picnic tables.
- Evening
- Dinner at Sushi Sho Hawaii, 383 Kalaimoku Street, inside The Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach. Chef Keiji Nakazawa's 16-seat edomae omakase counter, 30-plus courses, the master sushi chef's first counter outside Tokyo. Cocktails after at House Without a Key under the kiawe tree at the Halekulani.
StopsLeonard's BakeryRainbow Drive-InSushi Sho HawaiiHouse Without a Key
Honolulu on a budget: three days under thirty a meal
- ★ 4.5
- 3 days
- Budget traveller, three days
Three days of plate-lunch and poke counters, Leonard's malasadas and a North Shore day trip for garlic shrimp under $20 a plate.
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Day 1Day 1: Ala Moana market, Kapahulu plate lunch
- Morning
- Foodland Farms Ala Moana opens at 06:00; grab a $12 two-scoop ahi poke bowl from the Mauka Makai counter for breakfast on the lanai.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Rainbow Drive-In, 3308 Kanaina Avenue; loco moco plate, $9, with mac salad.
- Evening
- Dinner at Marukame Udon Waikiki, 2310 Kuhio Avenue; niku udon with a tempura side. About $12 a person.
StopsFoodland Farms Ala MoanaRainbow Drive-InMarukame Udon Waikiki
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Day 2Day 2: Chinatown morning, Kalihi lunch, Kapahulu evening
- Morning
- Maguro Brothers Hawaii Chinatown at 1120 Maunakea Street; shoyu onion ahi poke bowl, $13. Walk Chinatown after; visit the Hawaii Heritage Center if the day is Wednesday or Friday.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Palace Saimin, 1256 North King Street, Kalihi. Saimin bowl plus BBQ stick, around $10. The cheapest sit-down hot noodle bowl in the city.
- Evening
- Late afternoon malasadas at Leonard's Bakery, 933 Kapahulu Avenue. Stop at Waiola Shave Ice in Kapahulu for strawberry condensed milk over vanilla ice cream. Total around $12.
StopsMaguro Brothers Hawaii ChinatownPalace SaiminLeonard's BakeryWaiola Shave Ice
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Day 3Day 3: North Shore food truck loop
- Morning
- Drive Kamehameha Highway north past Haleiwa to Kahuku. Giovanni's Shrimp Truck at 56-505 Kamehameha Highway for the canonical 12-shrimp garlic butter plate, around $16.
- Afternoon
- Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa, 66-111 Kamehameha Highway. Rainbow shave ice with vanilla ice cream and azuki beans, around $8.
- Evening
- Drive back through Sunset Beach. Ted's Bakery at 59-024 Kamehameha Highway for a slice of chocolate haupia cream pie ($6) and a fried rice plate to take home.
StopsMatsumoto Shave Ice
Honolulu foodie deep-dive: tasting menus and chef-led tours
- ★ 4.6
- 3 days
- Serious eater, three days
Three days of Hawaii's best tasting menus (Senia, Mugen), a chef-led Chinatown crawl and a Kailua steakhouse lunch.
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Day 1Day 1: Chinatown food tour, dinner at Senia
- Morning
- Hawaii Food Tours Hole in the Wall crawl starts 09:30 from a Waikiki hotel pickup. Six to seven tastings across Chinatown and Kalihi family kitchens.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Fete Hawaii, 2 North Hotel Street, Chinatown; chef Robynne Maii's James Beard winning room runs lunch Tuesday through Saturday.
- Evening
- Dinner at Senia, 75 North King Street. Eight-to-ten-course tasting menu from chef Anthony Rush. Walk to Bar Leather Apron in TOPA Financial Center for a nightcap; the 2023 James Beard Outstanding Bar.
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Day 2Day 2: Kakaako morning, Kaimuki dinner
- Morning
- Arvo Cafe in SALT at Our Kakaako for a flat white and avocado toast. Walk to Lonohana Estate Chocolate next door for the 10:00 tree-to-bar tour and tasting flight.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Highway Inn Kakaako, 680 Ala Moana Boulevard, in the SALT block. Kalua pig combination plate with poi, lomi salmon and squid luau, around $15.
- Evening
- Dinner at Mud Hen Water, 3452 Waialae Avenue, Kaimuki. Ed Kenney's aina-based small plates change weekly with farm deliveries. Drinks at The Tchin Tchin Bar after.
StopsArvoLonohana Estate ChocolateHighway Inn KakaakoMud Hen WaterThe Tchin Tchin Bar
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Day 3Day 3: Kona coffee morning, Kailua lunch, Waikiki tasting menu
- Morning
- Kona Coffee Purveyors at the International Marketplace for a single-estate Kona pour over and a kouign-amann from b. patisserie.
- Afternoon
- Drive to Kailua for lunch at Buzz's Original Steak House, 413 Kawailoa Road. Teriyaki sirloin off the kiawe grill, plus a turn through the salad bar.
- Evening
- Dinner at Mugen Waikiki, 2452 Kalakaua Avenue. Five-course tasting from chef Colin Sato, designed with Alan Wong. Forbes Five-Star room, 34 seats.
StopsKona Coffee PurveyorsBuzz's Original Steak HouseMugen Waikiki
Honolulu coffee and shave ice crawl
- 1 day
- Coffee and dessert lover, one day
A single-day Honolulu crawl threading Kona Coffee Purveyors and Arvo with the city's shave ice anchors and a Pig and the Lady lunch.
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Day 1Day 1: Kona coffee, shave ice, dinner
- Morning
- Open at Kona Coffee Purveyors at the International Marketplace for a single-estate pour-over.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at The Pig and the Lady in Chinatown with Vietnamese-Hawaiian small plates. Coffee at Arvo Kakaako.
- Evening
- Dinner at Senia in Chinatown with the chef's tasting menu and a glass of natural wine.
Honolulu on a budget: plate lunch and poke under 35 dollars a day
- 2 days
- Budget traveller, two days
A weekend of Hawaiian classics held under 35 dollars a day across Helena's Hawaiian Food, Zippy's, Rainbow Drive-In and Ono Seafood poke.
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Day 1Saturday: plate lunch, poke counter, late-night
- Morning
- Breakfast at Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu with the loco moco under 14 dollars.
- Afternoon
- Lunch poke at Ono Seafood on Kapahulu under 15 dollars.
- Evening
- Dinner at Helena's Hawaiian Food on North School with the kalua pig and lomi salmon under 25 dollars. Late at Zippy's for the chili plate.
StopsRainbow Drive-InOno SeafoodHelena's Hawaiian FoodZippy's Kapahulu
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Day 2Sunday: market breakfast, udon lunch, brewery dinner
- Morning
- Breakfast at Highway Inn Kakaako with poi and laulau under 18 dollars.
- Afternoon
- Lunch at Marukame Udon Waikiki with udon and tempura under 14 dollars.
- Evening
- Dinner at Side Street Inn Ala Moana with shareable Hawaiian plates and beer under 30 dollars.
StopsHighway Inn KakaakoMarukame Udon WaikikiSide Street Inn Ala Moana
Book food experiences in Honolulu
Plan the trip
Making a trip of these plans? Where to stay in Honolulu, what to book ahead, and a car for the day trips. Prices and availability open on each partner's site.
- HoliduPlaces to stay in Honolulu · from USD 171 a nightSee stays
- LateRoomsPlaces to stay in Honolulu · from 124 a nightSee stays
- ExpediaPlaces to stay in HonoluluSee stays
- GoWithGuideTickets and tours to book aheadSee tickets
- TiqetsTickets and tours to book aheadSee tickets
- VIP CarsCar hire for the day trips · from USD 24.31 a daySee cars