What is the most popular Hawaiian dish?

Loco moco is Hawaii's popular comfort food, most often consisting of sticky rice at the bottom, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and the thick gravy that is poured on top of the whole combination, although there are numerous variations using bacon, ham, chicken, oysters, and shrimp.

What are some unique foods you can eat in Hawaii?

Here are the best Hawaiian foods to try during your time on the Hawaiian islands. Hawaiian plate. Enjoy a delicious and filling meal. ... All-natural shave ice. The must-try Hawaiian snow cone. ... See also. Ala Wai Boulevard in Honolulu. ... Poke. A bowl of diced delights. ... Luau stew. ... Croissada. ... Chocolate haupia cream pie. ... Manapua. More items...

What is Hawaii staple food?

For centuries taro, and the poi made from it , was the main staple of their diet, and it is still much loved today. In addition to taro the Polynesians brought sweet potatoes. These are believed to have come from Polynesian contact with the New World.

What is classic Hawaiian food?

Feasts of poi, kalua pig, lomi salmon and haupia are the culinary soul of Hawaii, as much a part of island life as shaka signs, surf sessions and windward and mauka showers.

What is a Hawaii bowl food?

In the Hawaiian language, "poke" means to cut something, and that's precisely what it's all about. Poke bowls are a delicious blend of marinated, typically uncooked seafood, paired with various veggies and drizzled with savory umami or soybean paste-based sauces .

What does the average Hawaiian eat?

While kalua pig was certainly eaten at special feasts, the daily food of the typical Hawaiian was taro, sweet potatoes, or breadfruit seasoned with some fish and augmented by vegetables from the land or sea .

What is Hawaiian luau food?

Lū'au— young taro leaves cooked with coconut milk and often squid or chicken —was a dish commonly served at festive events long ago. Other traditional lū'au staples include poi, fish, kālua pig, laulau, 'opihi, limu, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, fresh fruits and haupia.

What is the most popular drink in Hawaii?

Probably the most well known of all Hawaii drinks is the Mai Tai , a combination of rum, lime, orgeat, and curacao or triple sec. It was purportedly invented in 1944 at the Trader Vic's restaurant in Oakland, Calif. The original concoction is vastly different from the imitations served in many restaurants and bars.

What is the main meat in Hawaii?

More than any other meat, pork has a big place on Hawaiian tables. Pua'a (pigs) were part of the original bounty that voyagers brought to Hawaii more than 800 years ago. Kalua pork is one of the biggest, most time-consuming and most important parts of a traditional luau.

What is the official snack of Hawaii?

HONOLULU (KHON2) — A survey reveals that Hawaii residents voted shave ice as the official state sweet snack.

What is the purple food in Hawaii?

Hawaiian poi is a purple pudding like dish that you'll find everywhere from our grocery stores to food trucks. Poi falls in to one of three categories; “one-finger”, “two-finger”, or three-finger, which refers to its consistency and how many fingers you'll need to scoop and eat it.

7 Popular Hawaiian Dishes | Holland America Line (2024)

Go to Hawaii for the surfing and scenery, stay for the amazing cuisine. Hawaiian food is packed with flavor and has a unique mix of influences and ingredients. Most eateries have a laid-back, casual ambiance with no dress codes. Taste your way across the islands on yourHawaii cruisewith this list of seven popular Hawaiian dishes.

1. Poke

Poke, a raw-fish salad, is finally having its long-overdue moment on the mainland, but it has been a staple in Hawaii forever. There are many variations. Find poke everywhere from gas stations to fine-dining restaurants. Traditional Hawaiian poke comprises cubes of raw tuna, salmon, or even octopus served over warm rice and topped with veggies and seasonings. It is a customizable dish and a great lunch option.

2. Shave Ice

Shave ice is more than your run-of-the-mill snow-cone. This refreshing treat has origins in Japan, brought over from immigrants working sugar and pineapple plantations in the 1800s. Often garnished with coconut and mochi, shave ice features real fruit syrup. To sweeten your shave ice, get it topped with Waialua chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Note: don’t call it shaved ice.

3. Saimin

Saimin, Hawaii’s national dish, is a soup with thin wheat noodles and a dashi broth with shrimp, pork and eggs. Japanese, Chinese and Filipino cultural influences come together in a flavorful blend served hot and eaten with chopsticks. If you need a comfort food, you can buy saimin as a pre-mix in stores.

4. Poi

5. Musubi

Musubi is a ubiquitous Hawaiian dish. It is a neat presentation of packed rice topped with meat or fish and then wrapped with seaweed. Spam musubi is the most popular version, but there are varieties with Portuguese sausage, katsu and even a thin omelet. Try musubi when you’re on-the-go, no utensils needed.

6. Kalua Pig

Kalua is a method of cooking that involves an underground oven called an imu. Kalua pig is a common featured Hawaiian dish at luaus in Honolulu and on other islands. The pig is covered in sea salt and cooks in the ground for about 8 hours. The result is succulent, tender meat.

7. Hawaiian Cake

Follow a savory Hawaiian dish with a slice of cake. Chantilly cake is a moist chocolate cake with a creamy frosting and a crunchy layer of macadamia nuts on top. Haupia (how-pee-a) is a dessert made from coconut milk cut into squares. Guava cake, a pink cake made from guava is another crowd-pleaser.

The aloha spirit continues on board with our cooking classes and tastings. BookHawaii and Tahiti cruisesto get a taste of the islands.