Category: Restaurants

Praises for the quality of the food and service at Umeke’s have been sung by many for quite a long time – and rightly so. Their Kailua-Kona location does not have a view, which is really the only drawback we can think of to a great dinner out at this restaurant. We love their Poke Flight for a starter (the simple Sweetie poke usually takes the cake) and then fill our bellies with their Mixed Plates, with a side of hō’i’o (fiddlehead fern) salad.

Any vegetarian members of your party will have a more limited choice, of course (this being a fish restaurant), but the options of stir fry, fries loaded with nuts and herbs, veggies with rice, or salad, mostly sound rather enticing to us.

The Coffee Shack is situated along Mamalahoa Highway at Captain Cook, around 25 minutes south of Kona (10 minutes driving time from Keauhou Bay). From their lanai, you can enjoy spectacular views over Captain Cook, Mokuakae Bay and even some parts of Kealakekua Bay.

Food is only served for breakfast and lunch. For breakfast you can choose from a variety of coffee drinks, of course, as well as Benedicts and Omelets. Their delicious sandwiches, pizzas and salads are offered all day until closing at 3:30pm. The menu includes lots of great vegetarian options as well. Note that they are usually closed on Wednesdays.

It is sometimes difficult to find parking, but we have always been able to land a spot after a short wait. However, there is usually a wait for a table anyway, so make sure to get your name on their list while you wait for a parking spot to open up. The wait is well worth it here!

Island Lava Java has had our heart from the get-go. Their Kona location is located right on Ali’i Drive and has spectacular views of the bay. They offer a nice variety of breakfast dishes including papaya with yogurt and great granola, or breakfast croissants that you can “drag through the garden” if you want to start your day with a healthy dose of tasty veggies. What we also love about them is their selection of creative coffee drinks, including Frappés. We have also tried lunch and dinner here, but in our opinion, breakfast is what they do best.

For this reason (and also because they must have had a bad day when we had breakfast there last) we’re only giving them four stars, but will definitely be back next time.

Magics Beach Grill is named for the beach next to the restaurant, also known as Disappearing Sands Beach. From their outdoor ocean front seating area, sunset views are amazing. You can also spot bodyboarders off Magics Beach from most of their outdoor tables, and marvel at the white sandy beach that turns into a rocky shore in winter. We have been to Magics many times and have never been disappointed. They have a fairly constant, delicious base menu, padded with scrumptious seasonal specials that change on a regular basis. Service is usually very attentive and fun, and they will happily recommend the perfect drink to accompany your mood or choice of meal. According to their website, they try to source locally and their specials are based on seasonally available produce.

Magics is perfect for a romantic/chill/boozy and always tasty dinner with your partner or friends.

Only one vegetarian entrée and a few pupus/sides, though – veggie lovers may go hungry.