Gluten-Free Hawaii: Restaurant Reviews from the 4 Islands

Hawaii is a bucket-list destination for so many people, and rightly so… it’s beautiful! It’s also a destination that is relatively easy to navigate if you’re Celiac or Gluten Intolerant. Gluten-free Hawaii certainly didn’t disappoint! Do your research before you head out on the trip. In this post, you’ll find a list of my favorite restaurants to get you started.

This is a list of restaurants I loved on my trip to Hawaii in December 2021 and January 2022.

Just remember, my celiac isn’t your celiac or gluten-free journey (or anyone else’s). Some of the things I’m comfortable with, you may not be, and you may have a different experience with the restaurants than I did. I hope you do because I had a great experience! But, you do you, no judgment and no pressure. I hope to shed some insight to make your planning easier.

Kauai

Kauai is the most undeveloped of the Islands. There are still options to eat at restaurants, but you could consider renting a place with a kitchen while you’re on this island. We rented a campervan to have a kitchen on this island. It was not worth it… we ended up finding enough safe places that we didn’t need to use the kitchen. It was nice to have a fridge for breakfasts and lunches.

Chicken in A Barrel

4-1586 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaʻa, HI 96746

5-5190 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714

Chicken in a Barrel is a unique BBQ joint. The meat is slow-cooked in a barrel, and many sides are gluten-free. The fries aren’t gluten-free because the fryer isn’t totally gluten-free. I went for the chicken and rice. It was filling, very good, and convenient to where we were. It was nice to have an option that felt really safe on two sides of the island.

Tiki Tacos

4-971 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaʻa, HI 96746

Tiki Tacos is a must-eat when visiting Kauai. This taco shop is fully gluten-free and was a favorite during our stay on Kauai. The tacos are massive, and you will only need to order one. Try the Al Pastor taco if you can. My mouth still waters when I think about this taco’s grilled pineapple and juicy meat. So delicious.

Avalon Gastropub

356 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa, HI 96746

Avalon Gastropub is a gem of a place on Kauai. There are many options clearly marked on the menu. They also have a dedicated fryer and have a great understanding of celiac. The fried brussels sprouts and grilled caesar were incredible. The brussels sprouts were the highlight of the meal. The truffle fries also get great reviews. The restaurant gets busy for dinner, so make a reservation, and if you’re ordering take out be prepared to wait a bit if they are busy.

Ally’s Cocina Venezuelan Cuisine

5-2723 Kuhio Hwy
Kilauea, HI 96754

Ally’s Cocina is on a mini-golf course at a community center. You don’t have to pay to play golf to eat here. Be sure to check the hours the center is open to know when the restaurant will be available. Ally is welcoming and will chat with you about Kauai and the other islands. I love arepas and look for them when I travel. Ally puts a Hawaiian twist on her native cuisine. The shrimp arepa was a solid pick.

Hanalei Bread Company

5-5161 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714

This restaurant is definitely not a safe option. They have gluten-free baked goods if you’re not Celiac/if cross-contamination is okay. 

They have a second ordering window on the left side of the building where you can order acai bowls and smoothies. It could be better, but I had luck with the acai bowl. 

Java Kai

4-1384 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa, HI 96746

Java Kai is on the main drag in Kapaa. It is not a place I have great confidence in as far as gluten-free goes. But, if you’re interested in coffee or smoothies, it seemed safe enough. They have gluten-free tortillas. It may be fine if you’re intolerant, or cross-contamination isn’t a big deal. I really enjoyed my black lava smoothie. It was the perfect light breakfast on our first morning; I never eat anything heavy on the first day of a trip.

Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company

2-2560 Kaumualii Hwy
Kalaheo, HI 96741

Kalaheo Cafe is an oasis on the road between Kapa’a and Waimea Canyon. They get busy! If you can order to go, you should be prepared to spend a bit of your day at the restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner but are probably the most famous for breakfast/brunch. I ordered a couple of muffins and a coffee. I snacked on one the day of and had the other for breakfast later. I should’ve gotten more!

Maui

Maui is an island with luxurious resorts and incredible experiences in the outdoors. The Road to Hana and Haleakala are two of my favorite experiences from our trip to the islands. It really gave me a perfect combination of everything I love. The weather was also much better for us than on Kauai, which helped!

We stayed at the Grand Wailea on Maui. The hotel was incredible. The beach was beautiful, and the whole experience was so relaxing. I rarely want to return to specific hotels, but this one is on the shortlist to return to. If you need the ultimate calming experience, consider the splurge on the Grand Wailea. Full disclosure: we used points to stay here. Paying cash would be a struggle.

Grand Wailea

The Grand Wailea dining options were much more gluten-free friendly than I expected them to be. There are definitely places I couldn’t eat, but the staff was pretty knowledgeable. A staff member at one restaurant helped me figure out the best options at the resort. It’s nice when people steer me in the right direction. I was able to eat an acai bowl each morning for breakfast. The Caesar salad was the perfect lunch on warm beach days.

Cinnamon Roll Place

2463 S Kihei Rd
Kihei, HI 96753

The Cinnamon Roll Place has gluten-free cinnamon rolls that are packaged separately. They’ll warm them for you if you’d like. I had one warmed and another for breakfast the following day. The cinnamon roll was outstanding and worth stopping during your trip to Maui.

Fork & Salad

120 Ho’okele St
Kahului, HI 96732

Fork & Salad has so many options to pick from! Salads are delicious, or you can have a salad made into a wrap on a gluten-free wrap. They have a gluten-free cookie and kombucha on tap. It was definitely my kind of place! It was also refreshing to get some fresh veggies on a trip.

Nutcharee’s Authentic Thai Food

1280 S Kihei Rd #124
Kihei, HI 96753

Nutcharee’s has a location in Hana (where the picture is from). But the food truck also has a sit-down Thai restaurant in Kihei. The menu is more extensive at the restaurant, but the food is fantastic either way. There are several gluten-free dishes, and they take great care of you.

Coconut’s Fish House

1279 S Kihei Rd
Kihei, HI 96753

Coconut’s Fish House has multiple locations in Kauai and Maui. The food was good; they were open on New Year’s Day, and that’s what we needed! I had fish tacos. Be sure to tell the staff that you’re celiac when you order, and they’ll help you figure out what to order, and then the kitchen can know to take care of you.

808 Deli

2511 S Kihei Rd
Kihei, HI 96753

808 Deli got great reviews online, so we decided to try it. They use foil to toast gluten-free sandwiches to prevent cross-contamination. I had a chicken pesto sandwich, and we sat at a park overlooking the ocean. The restaurant is down on the beach in Kihei, so parking/traffic can be a problem. The sandwich was delicious, so it was worth it!

I didn’t get a chance to try Mama’s Fish House (make a reservation early if you’re interested in trying it ) or Maui Ono Donuts. You should definitely check out the donut truck if you can. It just didn’t work out when we were on the island.

Oahu

Oahu is the most populated island in the Hawaiian chain. There are so many things to do on Oahu, and there are certainly some food options on Oahu that you won’t find elsewhere.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Resort

The resort was good, but it wasn’t my favorite of the trip. Honestly, there is just so much packed into such a small area. That’s just Waikiki, though. The Tropics Bar and Grill on the property was very knowledgeable about Celiac disease. They even had house-made gluten-free macadamia nut crumble I could order on top of my acai bowl. The acai bowl here was sweet, but it was a solid option for breakfast. There are several restaurants within walking distance from Waikiki for dinner and dessert.

Pu’uwai Aloha Bakery

1670 Lusitana St
Honolulu, HI 96813

Pu’uwai Aloha Bakery is a dedicated gluten-free bakery and is an oasis in Hawaii. I tried so many things and loved all of them. Find them at the address above or look for them at farmer’s markets in Honolulu. The passionfruit loaf and passionfruit thumbprint cookie were my favorite things, but I love anything passionfruit, so I’m partial.

Maui Mikes Fire-Roasted Chicken

Enchanted Lake Center Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

96 S. Kamehameha Hwy Wahiawa, Oahu, Hawaii

Maui Mike’s may have been my favorite restaurant of the whole trip. Almost the entire menu is gluten-free, including the sides. They have buns. I don’t understand why you’d eat this chicken on a bun even if you could. I had a half-chicken and fries. The first time I made the mistake of getting sweet potato fries. The regular fries were incredible and definitely the best option. Thin and crispy fries go perfectly with the roasted chicken. Make sure to eat here while traveling to Oahu; you won’t regret it!

Noi Thai Cuisine

2301 Kalakaua Ave C308
Honolulu, HI 96815

Noi Thai is on the upstairs level of a mall on the main stretch in Honolulu. It was a close walk to our hotel, and the pad thai was perfect. The food here was more upscale than in the other Thai places we ate at. It wasn’t necessarily better, but just a different environment. I often need a nice safe pad thai, so this place came through for me.

La Birria Taco Truck

501-555 Cooke St
Honolulu, HI 96813

La Birria is one of many restaurants in Honolulu that aren’t dedicated gluten-free, but they are super close to it! These tacos are incredible! The tacos and consommé are all gluten-free. Your order 3 tacos at a time. The hellfire tacos are super spicy, but I didn’t find the regular tacos to be too bad. They are crunchy, and the consommé is a great addition. The taco truck is in a parking lot of a mall. Don’t be scared off by that, though. These are some of the best tacos you will ever eat!

Banán

2301 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815

Banán is an ice cream dessert made out of bananas. It is unique to Oahu and is dedicated gluten-free, so order away! There are lots of toppings to pick from, which can be overwhelming! Plan some time to look over the menu if you struggle to decide. The company has a great mission, too. Try to go and support a business that supports their island and the gluten-free community!

Poke Bar

226 Lewers St # L106
Honolulu, HI 96815

It’s had to find a Poke Bowl that is reliably gluten-free where I live, but Poke Bar came through for me! Poke Bar is a build-your-own style place. The staff was very knowledgeable. They helped me decide what to have and kept me from picking anything that would make me sick (I was even able to avoid sesame!) As a bonus, some cute shops are nearby for before or after your meal. My favorite was a sustainable shop called Keep It Simple Honolulu.

Hike Hawaii

1956 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96815

Hike Hawaii is a little cafe inside the Double Tree in Waikiki. There are some mixed reviews about their gluten-free sandwiches and wraps. I ordered an acai bowl; if you aren’t noticing the pattern here… I really love an acai bowl. I enjoyed my acai bowl, the Mauna Loa Bowl, and kombucha for brunch one day.

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

This food truck has a few different locations. We went to a site with other food trucks near the north shore.

The menu isn’t dedicated gluten-free, but it’s close. The garlic shrimp is something Oahu is known for. The white food truck may not inspire confidence, and there may be a line but push on! I got shrimp with two scoops of rice. It’s delicious and messy and one of the few “must try” foods celiacs can actually try. Go nuts!

There is also a California Pizza Kitchen on the main mall strip in Waikiki. This is a chain, so I struggle to recommend it outright, but in a pinch, it can work. I ended up with a pizza one night when my husband wanted something I couldn’t eat that was nearby. We both ordered take-out and ate in one of the parks.

The Big Island

The Big Island may have been my favorite island overall. It is the youngest island, and the landscape is still very volcanic. I enjoyed the wonderful restaurants in both Hilo and Kailua-Kona.

Hilton Waikoloa Village

This is a big hotel north of Kailua-Kona but in a popular resort location. There were only a few gluten-free options on-site, but I got a Ceaser salad for dinner a couple of nights. The staff working at the restaurant took great care of me!

Foster’s Kitchen

75-5805 Ali’i Dr Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

250 Waikoloa Beach Dr Waikoloa Village, HI 96738

There are two locations of Foster’s Kitchen; One is on the water in Kailua-Kona, and the other is in a shopping center near the resorts. The restaurant takes great care of celiac customers. Plus, they had fried fish! Sometimes fried fish is too heavy for me, but theirs was perfect. It was a good meal on a hot day.

Racha Thai

68-1845 Waikoloa Rd
Waikoloa Village, HI 96738

This little Thai place is outside of Waikoloa and is definitely a place locals come to pick up take-out. It’s in a food market with a few different places, so if your travel partners are sick of Thai food, they can get something else. We almost didn’t make it out to Racha Thai, which would have been a mistake. It was one of our favorite meals on the trip.

The Fish and the Hog

64-957 Mamalahoa Hwy
Waimea, HI 96743

The Fish and The Hog is a BBQ place on the way from Waikoloa to the northern part of the island. The menu is limited, but if you’re traveling to/from the Waipio’o Valley, it is one of your only options unless you’ve packed a lunch.

Scandinavian Shave Ice

75-5699 Alii Dr
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

There are several shave ice joints on the island, and most (probably all) have some gluten-free options. On a hot day, the Scandinavian Shave Ice was the perfect treat! My husband was able to get Dole Whip while I tried something new!

The Booch Bar- Hilo

110 Keawe St
Hilo, HI 96720

The Booch Bar is a unique little place in Hilo. They are a kombucha brewery and cafe. I’m a big fan of kombucha and was excited to try a kombucha acai bowl. I had two different meals here and enjoyed both of them. This is a great restaurant to check out if you’re in Hilo.

Naung Mai Thai Kitchen- Hilo

86 Kilauea Ave
Hilo, HI 96720

I ate a lot of Thai Food in Hawaii, and Naung Mai did not disappoint. The restaurant is a small one in the city of Hilo. It was the perfect dinner to grab before heading to the part to see the lava lake glowing at night.

Hilo Bay Cafe- Hilo

123 Lihiwai St
Hilo, HI 96720

Hilo Bay Cafe is an excellent waterfront restaurant in Hilo. I met a local friend there. It’s not necessarily a local favorite, but it’s a local favorite to bring visitors to when they come. The view was incredible, and the food was good too. I ordered sushi and a gluten-free cookie for dessert.

There are so many great options for your gluten-free Hawaii vacation! Do your research, and then let me know where I have to go the next time I make it to Hawaii!

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