Oahu] The BEST 10 Recommended Lunches on Oahu

Oahu, Hawaii's most popular resort island

Have you ever heard of Oahu, the most popular tourist island in Hawaii? Oahu is home to Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, and plays many roles as the center of the 130 islands of the Hawaiian archipelago.

In this issue, we will provide information on popular lunch spots that you should definitely try during your visit to Oahu, in a ranking format, so let's check them out together!

 

What is Oahu like?

The island of Oahu is slightly larger than the main island of Okinawa and has a population of approximately 980,000, slightly less than a government-designated city in Japan. The island is characterized by a number of popular neighborhoods and towns in addition to Honolulu.

There are numerous attractions to keep tourists busy, including the beautiful oceanfront scenery of the North Shore to the north, the upscale residential area of Kailua to the east, and the emerging resort area known as Ko Olina to the west.

Hawaii and Oahu have a rich history dating back to the time of the Hawaiian Kingdom, before Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States. There are many historic sites throughout the island that provide a glimpse into this history, making it an island that is not only glamorous, but also profound.

 

How to get to Oahu

To get to Oahu, you must fly.

Honolulu Airport is accessible by direct flights from Narita, Haneda, Chubu International, Kansai International, Fukuoka, and Shin-Chitose, and there are numerous flights from major airlines such as JAL and ANA to LCCs, so there are many options and it is quite easy to go abroad.

It takes approximately 7 hours from Japan to Honolulu Airport. Incidentally, it is important to know that the return trip takes about 9 hours, which is extra time due to the jet stream.

There is also a large time difference of 19 hours, so you will want to adjust your schedule upon arrival accordingly.

 

Attractions of Oahu

There are many factors that contribute to Oahu's appeal, but the underlying factor that supports many of them is its mild climate. The average annual temperature on Oahu is 24°C (72°F), and no matter what time of year you visit, you will be greeted by warm, mild air.

Even in midwinter (January), the temperature often rises above 25°C, and it is warm enough to wear short sleeves all year round, which is sure to lift your spirits.

Since many people visit Oahu to avoid the cold, its warmth is notable among its many factors.

 

Beautiful beaches and vast wilderness

One aspect of Oahu that is largely responsible for its mild climate is the island's beautiful natural scenery.

The warm ocean water temperature nurtures coral, and the coral's photosynthesis in the ocean purifies the water, creating a virtuous cycle that makes Oahu's waters even more beautiful. Tropical fish can also be seen in abundance, and the seaside location, combined with the white sand beaches, is extremely attractive.

Another wonderful aspect of Oahu is the chance to see sea turtles, whales, and other rare creatures.

Oahu is also unique in that there are many beautiful sights not only on the ocean, but also on land. The large size of the island allows for a wide variety of landforms, and the many scenic spots, such as mountains, hills, and forests, as well as beaches, are an attractive feature of the island.

Diamond Head, with its spectacular views, and Manoa Canyon, known as the Rainbow Canyon, are among the most beautiful natural spots in the world.

 

One of the world's leading resorts

In a typical year, more than 10 million people visit Oahu to enjoy such a perfect environment.

As one of the largest resort areas in the world, the tourism-related service industry has also been growing rapidly in response to the number of visitors.

Numerous attractive accommodations as well as various tourist facilities such as tours, activities, museums, and theme parks will offer sophisticated services. The premier resort environment is based on the spirit of Aloha, which has been passed down from generation to generation since the days of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

Not only the environment, but also the upbeat local spirit is one of the factors that make Oahu one of the best resort destinations.

 

Shopping and restaurants are also recommended

And shopping and dining are two of the major contents of Oahu tourism.

Oahu features several very large shopping centers, and the shopping environment is extremely well developed, including Ala Moana Center and the International Marketplace.

Not only are there a large number of stores, but each facility boasts a unique location, such as an atrium structure or a seaside mall, making it possible to enjoy sightseeing just by visiting the commercial facilities.

Furthermore, gourmet restaurants, from restaurants to cafes and sweet stores, are all well-known. You can find something delicious for any kind of meal.

 

Enjoy Lunch on Oahu!

Traveling abroad tends to cost a lot of money. Especially, meals tend to be more expensive than in Japan, and it is not always possible to have a very expensive dinner at every meal.

This is where we would like to turn our attention to lunch. Oahu is no different from Japan in that you can enjoy a meal at a more reasonable price than at dinner even at popular restaurants, and restaurants are more accessible during lunch time.

 

Oahu's BEST 10 recommended lunches

So here is a countdown of the best lunches on Oahu, starting with No. 10. All of the restaurants on the list are as good as the best, so please take your time and look at them carefully!

 

No. 10: Pipeline

No. 10 is Pipeline, famous for its exquisite malasadas. Malasada is a local Hawaiian sweet, a round, fried bread-like, doughnut-like pastry.

The food is sold all over the island, but the pipeline malasadas are exceptional among such foods!

 

Recommendations

Donuts for lunch? However, the malasadas at Pipeline are large enough and tasty enough to be considered a lunch. Malasadas are often filled with cream, but Pipeline's malasadas are made with only the dough.

You can enjoy the exquisite sweetness of the dough and the umami of the dough, and if you eat it with a drink such as coffee, you can enjoy it as a simple and tasty lunch.

 

Store Information

The pipeline is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

 

Access

The pipeline is located in Kaimuki, just east of Waikiki. 15 minutes on the H1 freeway will get you to Kaimuki. The store is located at the intersection of Waialae Avenue and 12th Street. If you are accessing by bus, take the number 13.

On the way, you can get off at the Kapiolani Avenue + Wai'alae Avenue bus stop once and then transfer to the No. 1 or No. 9 bus there, which will take you directly to Wai'alae Avenue.

 

No. 9: Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu

Some of you may be familiar with the ninth-ranked Hard Rock Café, as it has also expanded into Japan. As the name "Hard Rock" suggests, the concept here is a fusion of rock culture and American-style bold dining.

The menu is full of hearty dishes, so even if you visit with a hungry stomach, you will definitely be able to fill up!

 

Recommendations

The Hard Rock Cafe's signature item is the most popular Original Legendary Burger. The burger is a half pound (227 grams) thick with a generous amount of patty, bacon, cheddar cheese, fried onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and a host of other ingredients.

Other menu items include an onion ring tower piled high with onion rings and a Hawaii-specific menu item available only at the Honolulu branch, which will leave you deeply satisfied with your meal!

 

Store Information

Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The restaurant is open from 8:00 to 23:00, but only on Fridays and Saturdays until 24:00.

 

Access

Hard Rock Cafe is located on the corner of Kalakaua Avenue, the main street in Waikiki. The location is highly visible and accessible, making it easy to visit by any mode of transportation from Waikiki.

 

No. 8: Cono's Breakfast & Lunch

Cono's Breakfast & Lunch, ranked No. 9, is one of the most popular lunch spots in the North, located in the popular North Shore area! As the name suggests, the restaurant is unique in that it is open only for breakfast and lunch.

The fact that many of the restaurants are open only in the morning or afternoon is an interesting element of Oahu.

 

Recommendations

Popular menu items at Cono's include burritos filled with cheese, bacon, and potatoes, and waffles filled with cream, bananas, and macadamia nuts.

The highlight of the meal is the Kalua Pig Lunch Plate, a traditional Hawaiian dish of kalua pig, or roasted whole pig.

Even though the pork is roasted whole, it is not served in the shape of a pig, but rather in the style of an exquisite piece of meat that has been loosened for easy consumption and placed on a plate, so you can enjoy the delicious taste with peace of mind.

 

Store Information

Cono's Breakfast & Lunch is open daily without holidays, from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm.

 

Access

This store is located in the North Shore Marketplace, a commercial center in Haleiwa. If you are going there by rent-a-car, you can reach it by taking the H1 freeway via H2 and Kamehameha Highway.

If you are going by bus, you can take the 52 bus from Ala Moana Center, which will take you directly to the front of the North Shore Marketplace.

 

No. 7: The Veranda

There are a number of popular hotels in Waikiki, but one of the most prestigious and well-established is the Moana Surfrider hotel.

The restaurant at the Moana Surfrider changes its business type at different times of the day, and the name of the lunchtime restaurant is The Veranda, which we will introduce at No. 8.

During dinner hours, it is difficult to go there casually, but at lunch time, you can enjoy the location of a high-end restaurant at a relatively reasonable price.

 

Recommendations

The Moana Surfrider is so elegant and graceful that it is often referred to as the "Lady of Hawaii. The Verandah offers an elegant and refined lunch experience that is worthy of a meal served at the Moana Surfrider.

Tasting the wonderful menu of acai bowls, seasonal fruit platters, and eggs Benedict, you are guaranteed to feel like a Hawaiian noblewoman!

 

Store Information

The Moana Surfrider hotel itself is open long hours throughout the day, but you can only visit The Veranda at noon. It is open from 11:30am to 2:30pm.

 

Access

The Moana Surfrider is a well-established and popular hotel, and is perfectly located on Kalakaua Avenue, the main street of Waikiki, facing Waikiki Beach.

From Waikiki, it is easily accessible by simply walking in the direction of Kalakaua Avenue and the beach.

 

No. 6: Lulu's Waikiki

Following lunch at a prestigious hotel, let us introduce you to a restaurant where you can enjoy a casual style. No. 6 Lulu's Waikiki is a popular spot for a delicious meal in an open-air atmosphere.

Its centerpiece menu item is loco moco, one of the most well-known Hawaiian dishes!

 

Recommendations

Lulu's Waikiki officially claims to have the "best loco moco in Hawaii," and the delicious taste is sure to satisfy such a strong claim.

While many loco moco with demi sauce can be found in Japan, the gravy sauce that makes the most of the flavor of the meat juices is the main feature here. The volume is generous, and you can enjoy the golden ratio of rice, hamburger steak, and egg that many Japanese people would love!

 

Store Information

Lulu's Waikiki is closed three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Hours of operation are from 12:00 to 20:00 on the other days of the week.

 

Access

Lulu's Waikiki is located on Kuhio Street in the heart of Waikiki. Lulu's Waikiki is also easily accessible on foot from within Waikiki, and can be reached from Kapahulu Avenue and Nahua Street.

 

No. 5: Howe Tree

Next in fifth place is Hau Tree, a popular restaurant known for its excellent eggs benedict! This popular restaurant was originally named Hau Tree Lanai, but under the production of popular chef Chris Cascioca, it underwent a further upgrade in 2021.

Eggs Benedict, which has traditionally been a popular menu item, is still going strong and offers a top-notch taste.

 

Recommendations

The symbol of the restaurant is the 200-year-old Hau Tree that gives the restaurant its name. Located in front of Kainama Beach near Diamond Head, the Hau Tree is in a great location, and the eggs benedict tastes even better when eaten under the tree.

An English muffin with a delicious ham and poached egg and baked potato with béarnaise sauce will melt your cheeks.

 

Store Information

Hau Tree is not closed on regular holidays. The brunch menu is available from 10:00 to 14:00, but a little longer on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8:00 to 14:00.

 

Access

This restaurant is located on the first floor of the Kaimana Beach Hotel, a short distance east of Waikiki Beach. If you are traveling by car, you can easily reach the restaurant by simply traveling along the ocean.

If you are taking a bus, you can take bus No. 19, 20, 22, etc.

 

No. 4: Teddy's Bigger Burgers

Next in fourth place is Teddy's Bigger Burgers, which offers some of the best burgers in Hawaii! The fact that this restaurant is enthusiastically supported by local residents as well as tourists speaks volumes about the appeal of this restaurant.

In the "HAWAII'S BEST" hamburger category ranking, which is selected by readers' votes of local newspapers, the restaurant has won the Best Burger award for 20 consecutive years since 2001.

 

Recommendations

Because it is extremely popular, it actually has several stores in Japan, including one in Omotesando.

However, even if you can eat it in Japan, it is only available at a limited number of restaurants, and the true power of local food can be seen only when you eat it while experiencing the local air and location.

It is a basic looking hamburger with plenty of patties, cheese, and vegetables, but it is a highly recommended restaurant where you can enjoy a direct and unrestrained taste!

 

Store Information

This store is not closed on regular holidays. Business hours are from 10:00 to 21:00.

 

Access

There are several locations on Oahu, but the one most easily visited from Waikiki is the one on Kuhio Street. Access is the same as in the section on Lulu's Waikiki, also on Kuhio Avenue.

 

No. 3: Noi Thai Cuisine

Finally, we have reached the top three in the ranking.

While many of the restaurants introduced so far include Hawaiian and American cuisine, Noi Thai Cuisine, listed in third place, is a famous Thai cuisine restaurant with a different lineage. The name of the restaurant is "Noi Thai Cuisine.

Check out the exquisite and fascinating Thai cuisine.

 

Recommendations

First of all, let me say that this is by nature a very upscale restaurant. If you visit at night, you may flinch at the price of a dinner course.

However, during lunch time, you can indulge in gastronomic delights at a very reasonably priced and controlled price. Menu items such as pad thai (Thai-style fried noodles) and green curry all have a deep flavor, and are recommended even for those who are not usually interested in ethnic cuisine!

 

Store Information

Noi Thai Cuisine is open all year round. It is open from 11:00 to 22:00, with lunch hours from 10:30 to 15:00.

 

Access

This restaurant is located on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Access is the same as Hard Rock Cafe and Moana Surfrider.

 

2nd : Mariposa

The second place in the ranking is Mariposa, a rich lunch spot that is perfect for the resort area of Oahu! Mariposa is a restaurant located in Neiman Marcus, an upscale department store in the Ala Moana Center, one of Oahu's most popular commercial facilities.

It is one of Oahu's most popular gastronomic spots, where you can experience an exquisite lunchtime experience.

 

Recommendations

Although you may feel defensive when you hear the word "fine dining restaurant," you will be glad to know that you can enter such a restaurant at lunch time. Using carefully selected Hawaiian ingredients, you can enjoy first-class taste sensations in everything from meats, vegetables, and seafood.

Inherently familiar menu items such as loco moco and hamburgers are also gorgeously presented, giving diners the bourgeois feeling that only a fine dining restaurant can provide.

The restaurant also focuses on sweets, and you can enjoy glittering and exquisite cakes and other delicacies!

 

Store Information

Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with different hours on Sundays only, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

 

Access

The Ala Moana Center, which houses Mariposa, is located west of Waikiki Beach. If you are traveling by rental car, you can easily get there by simply following the oceanfront.

If traveling by bus, take bus #8, #19, #20, #23, #24, #42, or Route E.

 

1st : Giovanni

We have been reporting our ranking from the 10th place, and now it is time to announce the first place winner. The winner is Giovanni's, a famous garlic shrimp restaurant located in Haleiwa on the North Shore!

A change from the upscale restaurants that came in third and second place, this restaurant has an intimate outdoor style.

The take-out is served in a truck-shaped store called a shrimp truck, and the standard style is to enjoy it while enjoying Haleiwa's perfect location.

 

Recommendations

There are many restaurants on Oahu that serve garlic shrimp, a classic local delicacy, but Giovanni's is the birthplace of the venerable garlic shrimp.

Shrimp scampi, a menu item, is fresh Kahuku shrimp cooked in a garlic-infused butter sauce, which is perfectly paired with the rice served with it.

There are several other flavors available, including lemon butter sauce, all of which make the shrimp enjoyable at its best. The city of Haleiwa has a beautiful beach just a short walk away, so if you take out a lunch plate, we recommend walking there to eat it.

You can enjoy a wonderful lunch time while feeling the ocean breeze of Oahu!

 

Store Information

Giovanni is open all year round. Hours of operation are from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

 

Access

Giovanni's is located in the city of Haleiwa, and access to the city is similar to that of Kono's Breakfast & Lunch. You will find Giovanni's on the other side of the lane, marked by a McDonald's in the middle of Kamehameha Highway.

 

After enjoying lunch
Take part in an activity experience!

After filling up on lunch, why not join one of the various activity tours for which Oahu is famous?

The abundance of activities will surely take your mind back to your childhood. You may say that you are a connoisseur of Oahu only if you enjoy the activities.

 

Three recommended tours

However, there are so many activity tours on Oahu that many people say they have a hard time deciding which one to join.

We have selected three tours that we highly recommend. We have included links to detailed information along with brief introductions, so please take a look!

 

Sea Turtle Snorkeling Cruise

One of the major attractions of Oahu's waters is the chance to see the adorable sea turtles.

In this tour, you can enjoy snorkeling and encounter sea turtles in Ala Moana Bay near Waikiki. A Japanese-speaking guide is also included, so you can immerse yourself in the activity without having to worry about language barriers!

 

Horseback Riding Experience

On this tour, you will visit Kualoa Ranch, one of Oahu's most scenic natural power spots, and enjoy activities.

The main attraction is that you can try horseback riding in a vast area that is 450 times the size of the Tokyo Dome, while enjoying the best location in the world. The horses are well accustomed to their surroundings, and of course they will be assisted by staff members, so you will be able to experience the feeling of being one with your horse and rider to the fullest.

 

zipline

If you want to enjoy the wonderful nature of Oahu, try ziplining!

Zip-lining is an activity that requires no physical strength or skill at all, and anyone can experience the feeling of being in the wind in the trees! It does not require any physical strength or skill at all, and anyone can experience the feeling of being in the wind in the trees!

 

summary

In this issue, we have presented a ranking of the most popular lunch restaurants on Oahu.

For the sake of convenience, we have ranked the restaurants in order of their excellence, but of course, they all offer a wide range of gastronomic delights that are hard to rank. No matter where you go, you will be sure to taste the best and most delicious food worth the trouble of visiting overseas.

And the popular restaurants introduced in this article are really just the tip of the iceberg.

We hope you will visit Oahu and discover your own favorite restaurant in this island that offers an endless variety of tempting gastronomical delights.