Restaurants near Pepeekeo

“The sourdough birria and pork tacos were delicious one of the best meals weve had on the island. Portions are generous. Just a short drive up from the botanical gardens”

“Stopped for a quick bite on my way back to my hotel. Building is on the side of the road with only a small sign. Recommend use GPS to help you navigate. Parking is very limited. Spaces were full when I arrived so I parked across the street in the lot for the park. Very casual place with small menu. There is a gift shop type area for local purchases and a fruit stand on site. I ordered a smoothie and pork tacos from the menu. Tacos were good. Smoothie was refreshing. Menu selection is small but with a decent amount of variety. I would recommend for a quick bite or a smoothie stop.”

“You gotta check this place out! Not just for the delicious food, but also the awesome experience! It's the kind of place where the staff lights up with smiles when they see you coming. We ordered the Ono Mama's Fish Wraps, and they were so onolicious, they 💯% broke da mouth! Big, fresh and filling, and I think I even detected beer batter. And, I have to rave about the coleslaw. I don't know what the secret ingredient is in that special sauce, but it was truly the best slaw we've ever had! I also have to mention how beautiful our plates looked, garnished with an orange slice and an exotic rambutan fruit. Service was super fast, we were lavished with aloha, the lanai was a lovely place to eat, and they even offer free self-serve water in large cups! And clean restrooms!”

“Awesome guys who are sharing some of the most delicious coconuts, ice cream beans, pineapples, and other local fruits in-season. We’ve all enjoyed the short stop after a stroll around Akaka falls State Park.”

“Wow! Loved this! Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service and really delicious food!”

“So yummy and realistic vegan Vietnamese food 🤤🤤🤤”

“We padded into The Hive on the Big Island like the regal Maine Coons we are—tails high, whiskers forward, senses alert. And let us tell you: this place is the cat’s meow.

The vibe? Vibrant, joyful, and humming (yes, humming) with just the right amount of buzz. Not too busy, not too slow—just a perfectly balanced purr. The kind of rhythm that lets you linger without feeling rushed, yet still keeps the energy sparkling like a sunbeam on a freshly groomed coat.

First, the goods. So many cute presents to buy, we nearly knocked something off a shelf out of pure excitement. Thoughtfully curated little treasures everywhere—gifts that make you want to paw through every corner. If we had thumbs, we’d be swiping half the shop into our tote. Claw-ver merchandising, truly.

Now let’s talk about the food—because we are not kitten around.

The sweet pesto sandwich? Absolutely hiss-terical (in the best way). Fresh, vibrant, layered with flavor that made our whiskers quiver. It was herbaceous and bright, yet grounded—like a well-balanced prowl through a garden.

The lovely “Common Latte”? Silky. Smooth. Froth so fine it could rival the fluff on our winter ruffs. Comforting but not basic—more lion-hearted than housecat.

The vanilla matcha? Earthy, softly sweet, and unexpectedly elegant. It felt like sipping a breeze under palm trees. We lapped it up with refined enthusiasm.

And the deluxe toast? Listen. This was no ordinary loaf lounging about. This was a stacked, textural masterpiece. Each bite had crunch, creaminess, depth. It deserved its own scratching post of honor.

What truly makes The Hive special, though, is the atmosphere. There’s a warmth here—not just temperature, but spirit. The staff radiate kindness. The space invites you to settle in, curl up, and stay awhile. It’s the kind of café where you could easily spend hours grooming your thoughts and watching the world wander by.

In summary: we arrived curious cats.
We left fat, happy, and fully feline fine.

Five paws up. We’ll absolutely be prowling back. 🐾”

“We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary and the dining experience was outstanding! The food was flavorful, delicious and looked like a piece of art. The live music added to the fine dining experience. To top off the evening the desserts were rich and yummy-but the "Wow" factor was the coffee we ordered served in a french press coffee maker! We will be back and bring our friends and family!”

“Best shaved ice so far that I have had on the island �. Creamy and smooth.”

“Worst Mexican food in town, Taco Bell may be better…. Sad to say”

“Visiting the big Island, stopped at this restaurant because the recommendations on line. I must say it was the absolute best dinner we have had in Honolulu and here in the big island. Food is superb, service fabulous. If you like well executed dishes, fresh, exquisite and plated beautifully, this is the place!!!”

“This place is so good and the people who work here are really friendly. I love that they have games to play while waiting for your ice cream too. Not ashamed to say that I've been here multiple days in a row. Best ice cream spot in Hilo in my opinion.”

“I’m the type of person who’s a bit hesitant to try new places, especially when they’re not well-known. But I’m so glad I took a chance on Kings Vietnamese Cuisine. It was a delightful surprise!”

“Hilo iced coffee was one of our favorites places to grab coffee when in Hilo. We drove all the way from pepeekeo every day so we could have all those amazing options. My hubby and I each got a coffee and a matcha to share. We made sure we tried something different every time, usually staff recommended, just to see what were a “go” or a “no.” Honestly, every thing we ordered exceeded our expectations. “Honey girl” was a clear winner for us, the mix of Mac nut milk and honey, chef’s kiss- 10/10. And if you’re not feeling something too sweet, their namesake “Hilo iced coffee” hit the spot- 9/10. We also tried their black sesame coffee and matcha, both were 10/10. We had the chance to also try the strawberry matcha and while I can see the hype for strawberry matches are real, the strawberry Puree was a wee too sweet for us, still very good- 8/10. We will be sure to stop by every time we go Hilo!”

“Poke cake Best ever Ever”

“Surprisingly legit Viet food served in a cozy cafe environment by a really kind and generous owner with very reasonable prices!
The papaya salad was so delicious- generous portion of shredded green papaya topped with lots of crunch peanuts and fried shallots. The entire table gobbled it up. I had a small chicken pho and it was super refreshing, light, and savory with lots of tender chicken pieces. It was plenty for my stomach! The owner was so kind towards our school aged child, he brought out a balloon and candies for her and it made her day. So sweet and kind!”

“Courteous service, clean and inviting decor. Extensive menu.”

“Delicious 🤤🤤 we're only on this side of the island for the day or I'd here daily. No insane toppings hiding the flavor of the tuna. Just great fish, kind service, and happy tummy. Must try place if you like poke!”

“Antics ROCKS! Artwork throughout. Scrumptious pizza. My favorites are the slices, which are perfect for solitary diners stopping in for lunch or dinner but unable to take a whole pizza home for later. But they also offer carryout and dine-in for whole pizzas. And birthday-party/graduation/ho'olaulea (celebrations) accommodations. Staff are superb, checking to make sure you're doing okay. And kids adore the games (free, with purchase). Amazing Antics opened DURING the pandemic & has succeeded so well! One of my favorite places to eat, especially because slices are quick & fit within my limited budget. Well-done, Antics ownership, staff, leaders and lenders! 💚”

“This place is AMAZING WITH AN AMAZING ATMOSPHERE!! A MUST!❤️❤️”

“Love all their smoothies !!”

“What a hidden gem on Banyan drive! The place looks very low key and unassuming, but serves great fruit ice cream bars of various flavors, all made with real fruits. The staff members are super friendly and even gave us fancy ice to keep our bars frozen. For anyone who visits there, make sure to order their malt milk shake, which for some reason isnt listed on the menu. If the fruit pops were 8/10, the malt milk shake would be 11/10. Yes it is that good!”

“Fresh and delicious poke, loaded with roe and flavor...friendly and welcoming...fast moving line even when busy...large poke bowl half spicy/half shoyu was perfect”

“Oh man did we luck out! Looking for a place to have a nice breakfast on a Thursday AM. We were extremely fortunate as a "walk-in" around 9:30. Word to the wise, don't do what we did, Paul has to constantly turn people away at the door. ONLY 3 tables for two. Paul is very engaging and has a good sense of humor but the food OMG. My wife had the perfect Belgian Waffles and I had THE best ever eggs Benedict with salmon. Brok dah mouth brah....You must make reservations probably two weeks in advance. This is the number one restaurant in Hilo in my book, serves breakfast & lunch. A total home run....thank you Paul for sharing your amazing talent!!”

“Best Kalua Nachos ~ Friendly customer service ~ Tasty food”

“Cute location! Love their dishes! Desserts are also ono! Would eat here as often as I can…”

“Matcha made in heaven! So enjoying the newly expanded beverage menu. Love love love.”

“This place is fantastic, from Wyoming mrt the owner Shar, she was great to talk to. Bartender 10 out of 10 we had a great conversation bith from big families, really enjoyed coming down here.”

“This food is 5 Stars ALL DAY. Very large portions, flour tortillas are incredibly flaky, sauces flavorful and the caramel tortillas chips with whipped cream is to die for!”

“Saw a review of this place on YouTube and thought it would be worth checking out and I was blown away with the quality of the food. The fish was some of the best mahi I have ever had and the spam masubi tasted fresh as if it were just pressed. The chicken was crispy and had an excellent flavor.

The staff here were filled with aloha and I felt very welcomed despite it clearly being my first time visiting.”