North Kohala is the finger of lava that points northwest off the top of the Big Island. The main towns are Hawi (population 900) and Kapaau (population 1,200). The road ends at Pololu Valley. Most visitors skip it entirely, which means the restaurants here serve locals almost exclusively — and they are, as a result, genuinely good.
Bamboo Restaurant
Bamboo Restaurant And Gallery in Hawi is the reason to eat in North Kohala. The building is a restored 1907 hotel. The kitchen does Pacific Rim-inflected food — fresh local fish, Asian-influenced sauces, coconut desserts — in a dining room with hardwood floors and art on the walls. It is the best restaurant in a 50-mile radius and has been for 30 years. Open Tuesday–Sunday for lunch and dinner. If you are driving the Kohala coast, stop here for lunch.
Kohala Coffee Mill
Kohala Coffee Mill in Hawi is where North Kohala residents get their morning. A small outdoor café under the covered walkway on the main street. Single-origin Kona and Ka'u coffee, good espresso drinks, pastries from local bakeries. The upstairs location — Kohala Coffee Mill - "Upstairs At The Mill" — has additional seating and gallery space. This is the correct start to a North Kohala day.
Sushi Rock
Sushi Rock Bar, Llc Dba Sushi Rock in Hawi is a sushi bar that has no business being this good for a town this size. Small menu, local fish, creative rolls with Big Island produce. It has been a North Kohala fixture for over 20 years. The bar seats fill up fast on weekend evenings.
Everything Else
Da Deli in Hawi does sandwiches and plate lunches for the working crowd — the fastest lunch in town. Luke'S Place And The Tiki Lounge is the North Kohala bar with food, the place where ranchers and retirees drink at 4pm on a Tuesday. Lighthouse Delicatessen in Hawi has deli-style food and local coffee.
The town of Kapaau has Holy'S Bakery, Inc. — one of the oldest Filipino bakeries on the Big Island, known for pan de sal and ensaimada. It opens early and sells out of the good stuff by 9am.
The drive from Waimea to Hawi takes about 20 minutes and goes through some of the most beautiful ranch country on the island. The road back down the coast to Kawaihae (Akoni Pule Highway) passes the historic Lapakahi State Park and several ancient fishpond sites. Eat at Bamboo. Drink coffee at the Mill. Drive the coast road back.