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Home » Food

Top 5 Tastiest Hawaiian Fusion Foods

Modified: Feb 10, 2025 · Published: May 14, 2012 by Mark Wiens |

I have long considered Hawaii to be one of the ultimate eating destinations in the world. Plopped in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, between the mainland American continent and Asia, it is a heaven for foodies.

Influenced by so many different countries, each bringing its cuisine, Hawaii has developed and perfected flavors that are the signature of the islands.

Although traditional Hawaiian food (similar to Polynesian food) is still plentiful, fusion Asian-inspired dishes are the most popular. Here are five incredible fusion dishes in Hawaii that you shouldn't miss!

Table of Contents

  • Hawaiian Foods
    • 1. Plate Lunch
    • 2. Spam Musubi
    • 3. Loco Moco
    • 4. Manapua
    • 5. Shave Ice

Hawaiian Foods

1. Plate Lunch

Hawaiian plate lunch
Hawaiian plate lunch

Nothing goes better with the beach and a day of surfing than a plate lunch. A plate lunch combines two scoops of steamed white rice, one scoop of creamy macaroni salad, and a meat of your choice; all piled into a takeaway foam container. The most popular options include teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu, or fried mahi-mahi.

The meats are often Asian Japanese influenced while adding macaroni salad, and the giant portion sizes are Hawaiian-inspired. Many plate lunch restaurants will also offer a mini, which includes less rice and less meat.

2. Spam Musubi

SPAM musubi is one of the tastiest Hawaiian fusion foods
SPAM musubi

SPAM is not the most beloved thing to eat on the mainland of the United States. I've met many who aren't overly fond of the tasty block of pink preserved meat, but things are different in Hawaii. SPAM is treasured. One of the ultimate marriages of Hawaii and Japan is the SPAM musubi, a seaweed roll filled with a thick slab of fried SPAM luncheon meat.

Beginning with a piece of seaweed, rice is added, then a bit of SPAM, and finally, the treat is wrapped up and smashed into a rectangular package of goodness. If it wasn't so unhealthy, I could probably eat a SPAM musubi every day for the rest of my life!

Related: 10 Popular Hawaiian Foods

3. Loco Moco

Loco Moco
Loco Moco

The hamburger is arguably the most famous of all American foods. While it's between two buns, you can eat a burger in a loco moco in Hawaii.

Take a foam container, fill the entire bottom with freshly steamed rice, pile on a few giant-sized fried hamburger patties mixed with onions and seasonings, and pour an abundance of beefy brown gravy. You've got a comforting Hawaiian fusion loco moco.

4. Manapua

Manapua
Manapua

Chinese steamed buns, also known as baozi. While authentic Chinese steamed buns can be easily found in Hawaii, some of the tastiest ones have been slightly modified to a local Hawaiian flavor.

Take a ball of dough, stuff the insides with a porky or meaty or even veggie filling, steam or bake it, and you've got manapua. In Hawaii, you can get all sorts of delicious fillings like the common char siu (Chinese red barbecued pork), kalua pig (a Hawaiian food), or even chicken curry!

Related: Itinerary for an Oahu Scenic Drive

5. Shave Ice

Shave Ice, a classic Hawaiian fusion food
Shave Ice

Hawaiian shave ice is not as wild as a Filipino halo-halo or as plain as an American snow cone; it's a masterpiece in between. Hawaiian shave ice is made of finely shaved ice molded into a cone, bowl, or cup and drenched in sweet, fruity-flavored syrup.

You can also choose from various other toppings or condiments, such as sweet red azuki beans, sweetened condensed milk, or even ice cream on the bottom. One of my favorite shave ice combinations is the duo of passion fruit (lilikoi) and coconut cream (haupia) topped with sweetened condensed milk.

Hawaii is a confluence of cuisines combined into a unique set of highly appetizing dishes. During a day of enjoying the beauty of the islands, there's no greater pleasure than sitting back and relaxing with a takeaway container of Hawaiian fusion food!

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About Mark Wiens

Mark was raised in central Africa before migrating back to the U.S. for university. After graduating, he decided to continue traveling the world. On Migrationology, he shares the cultural side of travel from a slow-paced local perspective that often revolves around his love for eating all forms of food. Join him on Facebook and follow him on YouTube.

Comments

  1. Robert Richardson says

    May 14, 2012 at 10:12 am

    Very interesting to see, as I hadn't heard of this. But... well, while it looks filling, with the exception of the manapua and the shave ice it honestly doesn't look like particularly good eating. Maybe I'm just being a foodie snob, but surely there's something with more fruit, more color?

    • Mark Wiens says

      May 14, 2012 at 11:17 pm

      Hey Robert,
      Hawaii does have a lot of fruit and other dishes as well, these are just 5 famous dishes that are a fusion of different cuisines and are particularly known as comforting dishes in Hawaii. Other Hawaiian dishes like laulau or poke or seaweed salad are other things I really enjoy eating!

  2. Christine says

    May 14, 2012 at 11:48 am

    mmmm shave ice over ice cream--my favorite!

    • Mark Wiens says

      May 14, 2012 at 11:12 pm

      It's a great thing!

  3. Tawny of Captain and Clark says

    May 23, 2012 at 8:01 pm

    Rude rude rude! You have me pining for all of my favorite local foods! I adore spam musubi and I make myself loco moco every chance that I get. Matsumoto's shave ice is the absolute best on the islands (okay, I'm biased) and come in a variety of different flavors.

  4. Jill says

    May 23, 2012 at 11:16 pm

    One word: YUM!

Dave at Ahu Ko Te Riku on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.

Hi, I'm Dave

Editor in Chief

I've been writing about adventure travel on Go Backpacking since 2007. I've visited 68 countries.

Read more about Dave.

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