Culture & History

Defining Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Poke is a staple food in Hawaii regional cuisine with the main ingredient being ahi (tuna)

You may have seen the phrase Hawaii regional cuisine, but have wondered what is it? Award-winning chef Alan Wong is one of several Hawaii restauranteurs credited with creating the concept of Hawaii regional cuisine. Here is his definition:

“A Contemporary style of cooking in Hawaii today that borrows from all the ethnic influences you find in Hawaii.” – Alan Wong

Those “ethnic influences” include Polynesian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Pilipino and Portuguese. Hawaii regional cuisine blends those cooking flavors and styles with   local ingredients. What a delicious combination!

Here’s a video with a nice explanation of Hawaii regional cuisine: 

We keep lists of our favorite Hawaii restaurants and resources for visitors to find even more restaurants for their vacations. All of our recommendations put an emphasis on restaurants that serve Hawaii regional cuisine. Here’s a list of our island-specific restaurant guides:

Have you tried Hawaii regional cuisine?

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