The BREAKDOWN: The Top 5 Places to Eat on the North Shore of Oahu
Hello from Bri Steel, Broker/Realtor® & Owner of Cocolani Realty!
If you recently moved to or are visiting Oahu, Hawaii, you've probably noticed all the places to eat on the water on the North Shore. Truth is, it's hard to get it wrong with all the restaurant options available everywhere. But, unfortunately, not all places are doing it right.
We've narrowed down the best spots to eat that are also committed to their communities and environment and want to give back as a thank-you for their continual support.
Some of these places have been in business for years because their communities keep supporting them; in exchange, they create a space for their community to thrive.
So if you are looking for a place to eat fantastic food that supports great causes, keep reading because we've narrowed down the most delicious eating spots within the 7-mile stretch of the coastline!
Source: Pupukea Grill Facebook Page
Look for the cute light blue food truck parked on the side of the road with a fantastic view of the water, parking space, and communal picnic tables in a shaded area.
This little gem is all about fresh fish and comfy plate meals, and it's one of the places where you can eat by the shore!
Pupukea grill is one of the favorite spots for "Vans Triple Crown" surfers and has been featured in their magazine as a favorite spot for athletes to fuel after a long day chasing waves. They've also partnered with Friends of Sunset Beach, a non-profit organization that supports the Keiki art program on the North Shore, where students showcase their art on their food bowls.
If you want to eat in a place that cares about its community, customers, and local sports heroes, here is the right place to eat. It's also one of the favorite food trucks on the North Shore.
Our favorites - Spicy Tuna Rolls and the Spicy Tuna Handrolls.
Most popular - BBQ Pork Quesadillas, Spicy Tuna Bowl, and Shoyu Chicken.
Specialty diet: Vegan and vegetarian.
2. Farm to Barn Cafe & Juicery
Fresh ingredients are harvested from their garden and returned to the cute red barn to be made into tasty dishes and juices.
They have a parking area, a garden with chickens running around, set up with long picnic tables with shade from trees and umbrellas, and in the corner, there's a stage for live music!
Source: Farm to Barn Facebook Page
Source: Farm to Barn Facebook Page
In addition, this establishment is community-oriented and committed to locally sourcing its ingredients to support local farmers like them. They've also done local pop-up markets for local businesses and hosted events for Vans, such as "Women of Pipeline Discussion Panels," host Friday worship nights, and feature local artists in their shops. They've also teamed up with clean-up and construction crews in times of flooding to gather volunteers and pour back into the communities. There is always something going on in the garden, like movie nights, yoga workshops, or live music for customers. To top it off, they are recognized as an "Ocean Friendly Restaurant" by the Surfrider Foundation; they are committed to conserving water usage and using only reusable silverware and serveware.
This cafe is for you if you care about eating locally sourced-foods, having community gatherings to celebrate special events, and supporting local artists.
Our favorites - Pure Green Cold-Pressed Juice.
Most popular - Burritos, Budha Bowl, and Cold-Press Juices.
Specialty diet: Vegan and Vegetarian.
Source: Poke for the People Facebook Page
Located right on Kamehameha Highway, this small shop lets you build your own sushi or salad bowls. With fresh ingredients like salmon, marlin, sushi rice, pickled ginger, sprouts, kimchi, pickled cucumbers, shoyu furikake, surimi crab, shrimp tempura, shoyu ahi, sesame onion ahi, limu ahi, wasabi masago ahi, spicy tuna, spicy shrimp, avocado and more!
Source: Poke for the People Facebook Page
There is a small counter where you can eat, but you'll have to order to-go. Fortunately, there are plenty of beaches nearby where you can sit and enjoy your meal.
When their community needed them, they served meals to volunteers and families during flooding and helped spread the voice to find blood drive volunteers in their community.
Find them on the North Shore if you want to support a restaurant that likes to give back to its community and "spread 'Culinary Aloha' to the "People" of Hawaii and visitors.
Our favorites - Special 2 Poke Rice Bowl with Limu Ahi Poke.
Most popular - Classic Shrimp Tempura Salad Bowl with Creamy Sesame Dressing and Poke Rice Bowls with Ahi
Specialty diet - Vegan and vegetarian
Source: Beet Box Cafe Facebook Page
4. The Beet Box Cafe - Haleiwa location.
A place with nurturing food, a chill environment, and reasonable prices, locals and tourists agree this is a gem on the north shore of Oahu.
With a gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian menu that keeps people coming back for more, and even though they have award-winning dishes, customers like to order from all over the menu.
Source: Beet Box Cafe Facebook Page
The BeetBox cafe has been a leader in the plant-based community for more than 10 years since it opened its doors. You can also find them at farmer's markets or festivals, providing vegan and vegetarian options for the community. They also host Ayurvedic workshops to teach their community about the benefits of plant-based meals, host pop-up shops, and feature locally made products in their shop. In addition, they host events like Seed to Source and open their doors to a local artist to perform live music for their customers.
This cafe is for you if you want to see what the leaders of the plant-based restaurant business are doing and how they support local artists and businesses.
Our favorite - Half a Local Papaya, Banana Oat Pancakes, and Acai Bowls.
Most popular - Mayan Bowl, Rainbow Country Burrito, the Mc Jegger Muffin, the VBQ, flagpoles, and Award-Winning Hello Burger.
Specialty diet - Gluten-free, Vegan, and Vegetarian.
Source: Banzai Sushi Facebook Page
One of the most popular sushi restaurants on the North Shore. You can make reservations or wait to be seated but be ready to wait from 10 to 30 minutes. There is a Chabudai dining area (Japanese seating style of low tables and floor cushions), regular tables, and indoor and outdoor seating. Also, if you are visiting during the weekend, check out their Sake Sunday specials!
Source: Banzai Sushi Facebook Page
Banzai sushi far features new performances every Saturday for their live music events. In addition, Banzin is recognized by the Surfrider Foundation as an "Ocean Friendly Restaurant, committed to integrating sustainable practices to keep our ocean cleans.
If you care about supporting local artists, visit them on Saturday nights to discover new talent and enjoy a delicious meal.
Our favorites - Specialty Sashimi Trio, Crispy Ahi, and Lemondrop.
Most popular - Kobe Beef Gyoza
Specialty diet - Gluten-free, Vegan, and Vegetarian.
To wrap things up...
We encourage people to support restaurants that care for their communities and environment and genuinely want to build strong relationships with their customers. If this resonates with you, these top 5 spots to eat on the North Shore are a must-try.
Check them out on social media and see what is going on. Maybe you can catch an event to fill your day with live music, workshops, discussion panels, volunteering opportunities, or more.
At Cocolani Realty we bring a fresh and innovative “boutique” approach to real estate in the Hawaiian Islands. In the process, we make dreams come true.
Looking to sell? We will make your home SHINE. Listings like ours that are beautifully presented and professionally inspected sell faster and for more money.
Looking to buy? We help our clients write offers that WIN. We are competitors at heart and negotiators at work. We get results.
Call or email us to set up an appointment with our broker and owner, Bri Steel.
Bri Steel
Broker/Realtor® + Owner
Cocolani Realty
831.200.6338
bri@cocolanirealty.com
Bri Steel at the Cocolani Realty office with her two mini Aussies Kiwi and Fiji.
