Last Updated on April 29, 2024
Each of the Hawaiian Islands provides a unique experience for travelers. Hawaii’s Big Island is a captivating destination offering a blend of natural beauty, adventure, culture, and history unlike anywhere else in the world.
Hawaii’s active volcano, lush rainforests, black and green sand beaches, ancient fishponds, cascading waterfalls and dramatic cliffs offer fascinating adventures.
Dining on the Big Island is also a pleasure. With the abundance of treasures from land and sea, chefs create outstanding cuisine that always pleases the palate. However, the Big Island also provides one other treasure: its stunning sunsets. In my family’s opinion (and we visit the Hawaiian Islands often), sunsets on the Big Island are by far the best.
If you’re going to spend the money on a dining experience (and you will in Hawaii), why not dine with a magnificent view, whether it be oceanfront, rolling hills, or overlooking the caldera of one of the world’s most active volcanoes?
Brown’s Beach House
As a frequent traveler to the Hawaiian Islands, I’m often asked for a recommendation on the “best restaurant” on each of the islands.
Though it’s hard to choose, I would have to say that if you only had one meal to splurge on in Hawaii, head to Brown’s Beach House.
The elegant outdoor setting with breathtaking ocean vistas at the Fairmont Orchid is magical. Sunsets are awe-inspiring, lighting the sky in a rainbow of vibrant shades.
Dinner entrees from include creative entrees such as Ka`u coffee venison, five-spice duck breast and memorable seafood dishes. In addition, you’ll find service here to be impeccable.
Manta (Mauna Kea)
Established in 1964 by Louis S. Rockefeller, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is the oldest resort hotel on the island. Manta is Mauna Kea’s signature restaurant named for the manta rays that frequent the waters fronting the resort, especially during night snorkels.
Manta offers picture-perfect postcard views of Kauna’oa Bay from every table. Breakfast is also served daily.
The cuisine, presentation and execution are excellent. Although the restaurant leans heavily on the fish and seafood side, land lubbers can enjoy Manta’s selection of veal, chicken breast, lamb and beef dishes.
Meridia (Kohala)
This was our family’s newest dining experience on our recent Big Island vacation, and oh my, was it ever impressive.
Meridia is located at the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort providing gorgeous ocean views along with Mediterranean-inspired cuisine at dinner created with an abundance of locally sourced ingredients infused with spectacular island flavors.
Some of our favorites include the pan-seared foie gras and Puna chicken empanadas as starters and the magnificent seared scallops, grilled branzino and Pan seared rib eye.
CanoeHouse (Mauna Lani)
Long before it became a premier dining destination in the Hawaiian Islands, CanoeHouse was actually a canoe storage facility. The Kohala Coast location is sandwiched between thousands of years old petroglyphs in the Puakō Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve and the Kalāhuipua’a Fishponds, where the kings of Hawaii came to fish.
CanoeHouse, situated within the Mauna Lani Resort, is renowned for its stunning oceanfront location with breathtaking Pacific Ocean views and lots of flickering tiki torches. The diverse dinner menu here showcases fresh, locally sourced ingredients with a creative Japanese twist on seafood, meats and vegetables.
Kamuela Provision Company (Waikoloa)
Another amazing waterfront dining venue, Kamuela Provision Company is located at the Pacific edge of the Hilton Waikoloa Village offering a curated menu of locally sourced dishes from seafood and steaks to vegetarian options.
The restaurant celebrates the farms, fisheries and ranches of the Hawaiian Islands with locally-sourced ingredients and creative mouthwatering dishes. The views and food are amazing. Brick oven Huli Huli chicken is an island favorite and if you’re into scallops, the red curry Hokkaido scallops are amazing, crusted with coconut black rice.
Lava Lava Beach Club (Waikoloa)
You’ll smile the moment you walk through the door! This is another never-to-be-missed dining experience.
The ambiance is fun and casual and you won’t find a more quintessential island setting than Lava Lava Beach Club. Located on picturesque Anaeho’omalu Beach (called “A Beach,” even by the locals), the setting is stunning whether you’re here for breakfast, lunch or dinner. However, with the myriad of tiki torches and live music, dinner is one magical time to visit.
The restaurant does not take reservations so if you want to be here for the sunset, come a bit earlier and have a signature Mai Tai or other fun cocktail at the bar before being seated. The food here is superb, there are lots of good land and sea choices, and it’s not as pricey as many other oceanfront restaurants on the island.
Save room for dessert. Our favorites? Kona coffee cheesecake and Big Island Key lime pie. Ask for extra forks as these are addictive.
Merriman’s (Waimea)
Though not on the water, the setting is lush and bucolic in Big Island’s picturesque upcountry.
The Merriman Hawaiian Island restaurants were pioneered by award-winning chef Peter Merriman whose single vision is “Do the right thing— for local farmers, for the islands and you—our guest.” Merriman’s Waimea is Peter Merriman’s flagship restaurant.
Lunch and dinner guests can expect nothing less than top-quality entrees and excellent service. Lunch entrees are a bit more reasonably priced, but whether you dine here for lunch or dinner, you’ll say it was worth the splurge.
Menus change often due to the availability of fresh products from the island’s farms and purveyors. Get a salad at least to share as they are impressive here. Other top recommendations include Kalua pork sandwich, fish tacos, wok-charred ahi, and fresh catch of the day.
The Rim at Volcano House (Pahoa)
This is one restaurant you have to visit on your day trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. After all, when will you ever have the chance to enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner with the steam-venting Kilauea Caldera and the billowing Halema’uma’u Crater as your backdrop, plus live music by local musicians in the evening?
We have eaten at The Rim at Volcano House for both lunch and dinner on past visits. Burgers are top-notch due to the quality of local grass-fed beef as is the macadamia nut and coconut crusted fish and Hawaiian fish and chips.
Guests may also choose from salads, pasta, beef ribs, chicken, pork and gourmet pizzas.
With the Big Island’s mix of enticing flavors from the bounty of the land and sea, melting pot of cultures and creative chefs with a sprinkling of aloha, dining here is an incredible experience. Add in those stunning views and you’ll create special moments you won’t soon forget.
