4 Tasty Black Owned Restaurants on Big Island, Hawai’i
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The island of Hawai’i, affectionally nicknamed the Big Island, is my third Hawaiian island I’ve visited. Since my trip last year where I spent 4 days in Maui supporting Native Hawaiian owned businesses, my ethos for visiting Hawai’i has been highlighting Hawaiian first and keeping tourism dollars within the community.
At the same time, I’m a Black American traveler. Imma show up and show out for some Black owned businesses.
While my time on Hawai’i was focused and planned around Indigenous businesses, I also managed to find time for the few but mighty Black Owned restaurants on Big Island who have been serving up flavor from Kona to Hilo and everywhere in-between.
If you’re already up in arms about “well why does it matter if it’s Black owned? Lots of people are local! Affirmative Action for restaurants! That’s racist!! Good food is good food!!!!” then lemme be the first to personally tell you…
This is simply not the blog post for you hahhaa. I have neither the time nor the patience to sit here and explain to you like a 5 year old why supporting Black owned businesses, or any minority owned business for that matter, is important and the least we can do since American banks, property owners, local and overhead governments refuse to give every business a systemically equal opportunity for success.
Argue with ya momma.
For the rest of us with some common sense and developed taste buds, here are some delicious Black owned restaurants on Big Island that pack a punch when it comes to flavor and also are committed to their local communities.
Table of Contents
Black Owned Restaurants on Big Island
For those planning their first trip to the Big Island, just know that they call it Big for a reason. The two “main towns” are Kona and Hilo, on opposite sides of the island. It can take two hours to travel between them, and that’s not taking into account road traffic or extra-slow drivers on these one lane highways.
So while this list isn’t long, don’t bet on being able to visit all of them in one or two days. Remember, you’re on island time baby.
Rebel Kitchen
- address: 79-7399 Hawaiʻi Belt Rd, Kealakekua, HI 96750
- hours: daily 11am-8pm
Rebel Kitchen is a cornerstone when it comes to Black owned restaurants on Big Island. They’ve been operating for going on 14 years!!! The owners are a couple who wanted to break the mold, hence the name rebel, with a desire to make food that was from the people and for the people. They source their products from local farmers, fishermen, butchers, and suppliers from the island and always move with the ʻāina (land) in mind.
Their menu is seasonal and folds in touches of seasoning from both “mom” and “pop” of the business, though their signature dish are their Hawaiian Fire Wings and their array of specialty sauces. I also have to give a shoutout to their delicious Blackened Ahi! And don’t forget to order a side of those delicious pepperoni garlic fries – I’m still dreaming about them!
Kool Runnings Catering & Food Truck
- address: 75-5756 Hualalai Rd Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 (76 gas station)
- hours: closed Sundays, 7am-5:30pm
YOOOO, Jamaican food hits no matter what island you’re on. Plus, it’s located in Kona, so it’s one of the more convenient Black owned restaurants on Big Island if you’re staying on that side. I didn’t find much about the owner, but he was super kind and welcoming at the truck. And boy does he have some loyal customers that started to line up behind me – I’m glad I narrowly beat the lunch rush!
Kool Runnings perfectly blends Hawaiian staples cooked with signature Jamaican flare, so you really can’t go wrong with the menu. However, my humble suggestion is to go with seafood. I KNOW I KNOW, it’s hard to pass on oxtail, but the jerk ono is literally life changing. Sop it all up with some fried plantains and you’re good to go!
Jam Pot
- address: 65-1158 Mamalahoa Hwy, Waimea, HI 96743
- hours: closed Sundays, 7am-5pm (8am on Saturdays & Wednesdays)
And because you really can’t get enough Jamaican food, you can also get your fix up in Waimea! Jam Pot is a family owned spot livening up the shopping center offering Jamaican dishes and freshly pressed juices and smoothies. Emphasis on the fresh! Best of all, they also have tons of vegetarian and vegan options, so plant lovers can get some of the flavor too!
A must-order item is their Jamaican patties, which are tasty meat (or plant-protein) filled savory pastries. They also have wraps and salads, the perfect refreshing bite I was looking for to cool down after a day in the sun! Loved seeing Waimea representing some of the Black owned restaurants on Big Island because this area was absolutely stunning.
What’s Shakin’
- address: 27-999 Mamalahoa Hwy, Pepeekeo, HI 96783
- hours: closed Sunday & Monday, 10am-3pm
To round out this fantastic list of Black owned restaurants on Big Island, we have What’s Shakin’ just outside of Hilo! This family owned cafe and smoothie stand sources their produce (including honey!) from their 20 acre fruit farm and everything else from other local businesses.
Y’all know I love me a good hot dog, so I started there with the all beef dawg, but definitely check out their avocado wrap and garden burger too, and be sure to check their daily specials They have lots of vegetarian options, but I think things can also be made vegan, I just forgot to ask haha.
And grab a smoothie for the road!!
Catering
That may be all for the physical Black owned restaurants on Big Island, but you should always keep an eye out for pop-ups! I’ll drop some caterers below so you can stay up to date with their events, or maybe even book them yourselves. They’ve got a loyal following, so you know they can throw down!
Conclusion
Oh, lemme grab a napkin real quick. I didn’t even realize I was drooling lol. So what do you think? Are you adding any of these restaurants to your Big Island itinerary, or do you know of any others that need to be on this list? Let me know in the comments below! For more recommendations for your trip, check out my 5 days on Big Island Travel Guide!
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