There are many reasons we love living on the Kohala Coast. Beautiful beaches, warm weather, spectacular sunsets, and an outdoor lifestyle are certainly high on the list. But there is something else that makes life here especially enjoyable: really good food.
The dining scene along the Kohala Coast and North Kona has become wonderfully diverse. You can dress up for dinner overlooking the sunset, grab fresh poke for lunch, have a leisurely weekend brunch, or discover a small family-run restaurant you will want to visit again and again.
Some places have been local favorites for years. Others are relatively new and already finding loyal followings. Here are a few Kohala Coast restaurants and nearby spots worth knowing.
Cipriano’s Kitchen: A Kohala Hidden Gem
We have to start with one of our personal favorites, in Kawaihae.
Calling Cipriano’s a hidden gem almost feels like giving away a local secret. This small, family-run Italian restaurant is known for handmade pasta, freshly baked breads and pastries, seafood, and ingredients sourced locally whenever possible.
But descriptions only go so far.
This is simply some of the best food we have eaten. It is the kind of restaurant where every meal feels personal rather than mass-produced, and you can taste the care that goes into the food.
If you are planning to go, make a reservation. Cipriano’s is intimate and popular, and this is not a place where we would count on simply walking in and finding a table.
Tommy Bahama: Island Dining Done Right
For an easy lunch, dinner, happy hour, or sunset cocktail, Tommy Bahama remains one of our dependable favorites.
The location at The Shops at Mauna Lani offers the complete sit-down restaurant experience, with a large lanai, sunset views, seafood, island-inspired dishes, tropical cocktails, and live music. The restaurant currently offers daily happy hour and evening live music.
Another Tommy Bahama option is now at Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa Beach Resort. It is a more casual concept where you can have a cocktail, share a few dishes, enjoy a meal, and do a little shopping at the adjoining store.
Both fit the Kohala Coast lifestyle flawlessly: relaxed, polished, tropical, and never excessively formal.
Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas Bistro: Dinner and a Movie
One of Waikoloa Beach Resort’s more unusual dining options is The Bistro.
Yes, it is part of a movie theater, but do not let that fool you.
The open-air Bistro at Queen’s Marketplace operates as a restaurant in its own right, with a covered lanai, full bar, and casual American menu. You can eat at the Bistro before your movie or make food and drinks part of the theater experience.
It makes an especially fun choice when you want an easy night out without making elaborate plans.
Fireart Cuisine: A Casual Local Favorite
Sometimes you simply want good food, generous portions, and an informal atmosphere.
Fireart Cuisine in Kona offers Chinese dishes alongside barbecue plates and other casual favorites. It also has a location in Waikoloa Village, making it especially convenient for Waikoloa residents and people staying along the Kohala Coast.
It is the kind of place that works especially well when everyone is hungry, and nobody feels like dressing up for dinner.
Newer Kohala Coast Restaurants Worth Trying
One thing we love about the area is that the restaurant scene keeps changing. A few newer spots are giving us even more reasons to explore Waikoloa.
Kona Biscuit Company opened at Queen’s Marketplace in 2025 and has quickly added something different to the breakfast and brunch scene. The specialty here is scratch-made biscuits with a distinctly Hawaiian twist. Think breakfast biscuit creations, local ingredients, Kona coffee, pancakes, tropical flavors, and brunch cocktails.
Interestingly, the same space takes on a completely different personality in the evening. The Roost delivers a more intimate dinner experience with chef-driven dishes and locally sourced ingredients.
In Waikoloa Village, Morningwood brings a fun-loving nature to breakfast and brunch. This family-run restaurant features creative comfort food, specialty coffee drinks, and a lively brunch atmosphere.
And when you want something casual and truly local, don’t overlook Pono Hawaiian Style Deli. This small Waikoloa Village spot specializes in Hawaiian-style food and poke, making it an easy choice for lunch or takeout after a beach day.
Kohala Coast Restaurants Are Part of the Lifestyle
Good restaurants may not be the first thing you think about when choosing to visit Hawaiʻi, but they become surprisingly important once you are here.
Staying on the Kohala Coast means being able to spend the afternoon at the beach and stop for dinner on the way home. It means meeting friends for brunch on a Sunday morning, finding a great little deli minutes away, or sitting outside with a glass of wine while the sky turns pink over the ocean.
Those small experiences become part of everyday island life.
And that is something we love about the Kohala Coast. There are luxurious resorts and beautiful restaurants, but there are also family-run kitchens, casual neighborhood favorites, creative new concepts, and those special little places you discover almost by accident.
If you are staying on the Kohala Coast, in Waikoloa, Mauna Lani, Puako, or the surrounding area, we would love to help you discover more.