5 Ways to Taste Oahu

Share savory lau lau and delicate poi at a traditional, festive luau. Or on your own, discover other Hawaiian classics, such as lomi lomi salmon and squid luau at Highway Inn, Haile's or Ono Hawaiian Foods. Visit an okazuya, a traditional Japanese deli, for furikake chicken. And sample Oahu's other melting-pot cuisine such as saimin (Hawaii's Chinese noodle soup) and manapua (Chinese steamed bun) stuffed with kalua pork.

Oahu embraces contemporary trends as much as traditional dishes. The island is home to James Beard Foundation favorites including Chef Mavro restaurant and Alan Wong’s, and new-generation chefs are taking farm-to-table cooking to new levels. Sample outstanding seasonal menus at Town, Kaimuki Superette, The Pig & the Lady and Livestock Tavern. And don’t miss Koko Head Café, with fusion specialties such as Black Sesame Yuzu Muffins, or 12th Ave Grill for smoked ahi spread.

Oahu’s creative mixologists infuse the island’s bounty in unique cocktails. Sample the fusion of flavors with The Kitchen Cocktail at Mud Hen Water, created with ingredients from Oahu’s local farmers. Enjoy a classic with a twist such as the Lilikoi Mule at Manifest, featuring island grown passion fruit. At the Ko Olina resort area, unwind with Monkeypod Kitchen’s signature Mai Tai, crafted with house-made macadamia nut rosewater.

Every September, master chefs from around Hawaii, the U.S. and the Pacific Rim share their menus at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, a multi-day extravaganza that is Hawai‘i’s premier epicurean event. Enjoy the local food scene at events such as Eat the Street food truck festivals (held near-monthly), the Waikīkī Spam Jam in May, nearly two dozen year-round farmers markets and food tours including Aloha Plate Food Tours and Aloha Food Tours.

Need to refuel after sightseeing? Grab a quick bite at one of Oahu’s many snack shops or bakeries. You might choose:

• Malasada: a Portuguese-style doughnut
• Poke: fresh, raw fish cut into cubes and marinated in a variety of styles
• Loco Moco: plate lunch with rice, hamburger and eggs smothered with gravy
• Coco Puff: pastry puff filled with chocolate and topped with Chantilly
• Haupia: sweet coconut cream custard dessert