Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
#89 of 175 Restaurants in Hilo American

Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen

4.3(3 community reviews)
Budget ($)

About

Discover Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen, offering the best American experience in Hilo. Enjoy Budget ($) meals, explore their menu, and read reviews from the community on TasteHi.

A Taste of Big Island Agriculture

Stepping into the Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen feels like walking into the heartbeat of East Hawaii. Unlike the high-end tourist spots along the Kona coast, this open-air hub focuses on the raw, authentic produce that defines the island. You will find yourself surrounded by the hum of local vendors and the vibrant colors of tropical fruits freshly pulled from nearby volcanic soil.

Island-Style Dining Essentials

The culinary offerings here mirror the diversity of the Big Island. The kitchen serves up honest, straightforward dishes—think heavy portions of kalua pork, fresh-caught poke bowls, and locally sourced pineapple that tastes significantly sweeter than anything found in a mainland grocery store. The scent of wood-fired smoke and sweet ginger hangs in the air, creating a sensory experience that grounds you in Hilo's unique agricultural roots.

Navigating the Marketplace

This is a destination for those who prefer farm-to-table simplicity over white-tablecloth formality. It is the perfect stop after a morning spent trekking through the nearby rainforests. Be prepared for a bit of a scramble during peak morning hours; space can get tight, and the communal seating means you might end up sharing a wooden bench with a local farmer or a seasoned hiker. It is loud, it is lively, and it captures the unpretentious spirit of downtown Hilo perfectly. If you are looking for local crafts alongside your meal, the surrounding stalls offer everything from handmade jewelry to macadamia nuts, making it a functional, authentic slice of island life.

Photos

Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image
Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen - Hilo Restaurant Image

Amenities & Features

Location

57 Mamo St, Hilo, Hawaii, 96720-2952

Directions

Reviews

Showing 10 of 3 community reviews
A

Alvina KawaihaeGoogle Maps

Recently

A big warm brewed safe clasping cup to carry for hours. Lovely service personnel. Coffee is delightful. Beans of Arabia and Senegal crops. Beautiful morning caffeine!

M

Mai XCGoogle Maps

Recently

We frequent this place every time we are on the Big Island—twice this week even though we are staying on the Kona side. The poke is super fresh and tasty and my son always gets the loco moco with a pork patty and scrambled egg and says it’s the best he’s ever had! Service is super friendly, even when it’s busy. My favorite side is the cucumber kimchee. We went today (1/5) and it was pouring rain in Hilo but we were happy munching away. We sat under the covered patio area behind the restaurant and like an idiot, I FORGOT my purse back there. We were nearly an hour away from Hilo before I realized my purse was missing. I called the restaurant and a super kind employee/owner said they had my purse! Thank goodness. Even though they were closing for the day, they stayed around for an extra 45 minutes for me to come back to Hilo to retrieve it and I am eternally grateful. I would not have been able to fly back home and all my personal info as well as credit cards and cash was in it. Thank you so much for holding my purse and for being such a staple restaurant for our annual visits to the Big Island. Super great people and food is amazing!

S

Sarah GiomettiGoogle Maps

Recently

They can do several items gluten free with some modifications. I had the grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas, which were really good. The fish was fresh and cooked well. I definitely recommend for a good, quick GF lunch.

I

Isabel YanesGoogle Maps

Recently

We stopped in for a quick bite since it’s conveniently located across from the Hilo farmers market. It also has a shave ice restaurant in the front of the building. It looks deceptively busy, but we got our food relatively quickly and there was plenty of seating in the outdoor picnic tables available. Parking is kind of crazy in this area in general, so be prepared to circle for a spot. This is not a service restaurant, so you’ll go up to the counter to order and wait for your buzzer to sound to pick it up. For the sustainably conscious, be aware that all dishware is single-use here. We ordered the Big Mauna Breakfast Plate with sunny side up eggs and split it between the two of us. The portions are very large, so I recommend splitting and then getting a shave ice afterwards. The food was pretty good quality and their poke looked great as well. My favorite on the plate was the portuguese sausage, which was incredibly flavorful, though I appreciated how juicy the pork laulau came out. We added some hot sauce to the egg on top of the rice and let it run over the whole plate. I also enjoyed the combination of the macaroni salad with the salty spam.

M

Mosheh WolfGoogle Maps

Recently

Great food, the service was exemplary. Simple outside setup - a bunch of picnic tables. The poke was fresh and very tasty, as was the sushi rice. It was my first time trying aula salad so I don't know what it should taste like, but I liked it. The staff were very friendly and helpful. If you're visiting the farmers market, have lunch here.

J

Jeff RyanGoogle Maps

Recently

I ate twice at Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen during my stay at Hilo. First for breakfast and had an egg sandwich with ham on a croissant. It had pickles and thousand Island dressing and was amazing. I went back for lunch a few days later and had a poke bowl with kimchi cucumbers and purple sweet potatoes as sides. Again, unique and amazing. Highly recommend!

D

David BorgertGoogle Maps

Recently

For the authentic experience, this is the spot . Not expensive. Super good traditional Hawaiian food. Like Hawaiians eat here outside dining of course, the pokey was excellent, and the kimchee cucumbers were fresh and snappy. But I was really taken back by the macaroni salad. It was so perfect and simple completely complemented the other two dishes. A great spot for a quick bite.

A

Ali VGoogle Maps

Recently

Live Music! They sell beer! Fresh Poke! Love coming here. Get here early, gets pretty busy seasonal. We came around 1030 and there’s already a crowd. They have pagers for when your food is ready. Love the vibe. Country feel. It’s outdoors so there are flies, not too bad.

D

Danielle ReyesGoogle Maps

Recently

I really appreciated the entertainment, I didn't get his name but his voice kinda reminded me of Smokey Robinson. I ordered the buy 2 get 1 free poke bowls and shared with my partner...he loved the mac salad rice Hawaiian ahi poke combo and my poke on top of watercress salad was delicious. The onion rings were nice and crunchy, it hit the spot

M

Michael OpalinskiGoogle Maps

Recently

The Farmers Market Kitchen was a very pleasant surprise. They had a nice selection of local food, but ultimately I went for the breakfast sandwich. It was reasonably priced and a really good portion size. The bacon was perfectly crispy and the croissant was nicely toasted and buttery. I also tried the kalua pork loco moco which was very flavorful and not too salty. Finally, the matcha latte with oat milk was very refreshing and had a bold matcha flavor I really liked.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen

Common questions from diners about Hilo Farmers Market Kitchen in Hilo.

They serve American and Hawaiian food.

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