19 Best Cafes in Hilo

“Owners are super friendly and they gave me water even though I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t even realize I was thirsty until I drank the cold, refreshing water on a hot, sunny day. Excellent customer service and I love that they’re a family owned business. My favorite place to eat.“

“Wonderful idea to have this cafe working with Arc of Hilo !!
Will definitely come back
We have different specials every day!
Had taco Tuesday, and soft serve Dole icecream.

The taco plate was good!“

“I texted ahead a couple of weeks before our visit to Hilo and got reservation for breakfast for two mornings at 8 AM. Loved everything about Paul’s place. Food, coffee, atmosphere, friendly conversation, great location, easy free parking, all was very good. If you’re visiting Hilo, text ahead, and make eating at Paul’s place a top priority.“

“I’m a lover of hamburger steak and have tried the hamburger steak at every restaurant and drive-in in Hilo. The Liko Lehua hamburger steak is absolutely the best tasting. The secret to a good hamburger steak is the gravy and their gravy is rich, tasty and homemade. No instant or canned gravy here. It also helps that their hamburger patties are hand made. Kudos to the chef and staff at Liko Lehua.“

“My favorite is All Hawaiian. I’m happy as soon as I open the box and see the beautiful colors of the food. It’s like opening a jewelry box. And the food is very tasty! So Juicy never disappoints.“

“Ngon-hợp vệ sinh& tiếp đón khách nhiệt tình!“

“Such a great place, Loved the Kava there and staff was very friendly!“

“O'Lelo for Learning O'Lelo Hawaiian!“

“The staff is incredible. Sebastian’s tikka masala soup was soooo delicious. We definitely made the right choice.“

“soft serve is a huge serve… so good! love to get a dole whip and eat it to refresh during a warm Saturday morning in Hilo. i used to really love their açaí bowls with PB, too! prices have gotten out of hand for their smoothie bowls so i haven’t had one in years. pineapple bowl for the açaí is so fun to try, and big enough to share“

“I love all there different goodies and a good selection as well. They just opened at their new location and it’s now very easy and convenient to satisfy your sweet tooth😉“

“If you are looking for a nice quiet atmosphere where the Barista and owner polite light hearted and down to earth KilaueaCoffee is place you want to be.....Not to mention the music selection sets the ambiance in a way that makes you never wanna leave“

“They only have a few vegan options. I got the veggie sandwich and substituted vegan mayo. It is pretty simple, but it is done very well. I thought it was delicious. The staff is incredibly friendly and are happy to give recommendations for other places to visit.“

“Love all their smoothies !!“

“Yummmy! My partner and I are so excited Nicky’s is here and to have a new great place to stop on the way to work that meets both our needs. We had the donuts, breakfast sandwich, and espresso. All were fantastic! As a barista myself and a bit picky over my coffee I was happily surprised with the quality. We will be back!! ✨🌸“

“Fresh, friendly, tasty sweets and the pop over a breakfast sandwich was savory and yummy. Popovers are a part of my past and this was a great return to the glory days of my youth! I would recommend and come back again.“

“This place is a must visit in Hilo. Every last detail is perfectly curated and the coffee is delicious. There’s several photo opportunities in the little shop so bring your camera and your appetite!“

“Had lunch here 2/3 days that we were in Hilo, everything was amazing. The Misoyaki Butterfish Salad was fresh and extremely flavorful without being heavy, and the fish melts like butter in your mouth. We also had a cold water scallop special, an eggplant /marinara/pesto/ricotta appetizer (forgot what it's called, oops!) and crab cakes. Everything was great, honestly one of the best places I've eaten at on the entire island. I like to sit at the bar, as I'm a former long time bartender. Sascha is one of the best around, cocktails were, again, among the best that I found on the island, including Kona. Service was top notch, no matter how busy he got, and he took extra time to modify one of the house cocktails so that an elderly gal with sensitive teeth sitting nearby could enjoy it. I would honestly make the drive from Waikoloa just for this, but Hilo has plenty of outdoor activities to offer as well.“

“I had an amazing Iced Caramel Macchiato there! It was delicious & the vibe in the café was super chill. Nice art a well. 💜“