The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants on Oahu, Hawaii

Are you curious about the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Oahu, Hawaii? Luckily for you, there are loads of fantastic options to choose from!

For a long time, the selection of vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Oahu was rather limited. Many people with plant-based diets had to stick to cooking their own meals at home or ordering the single vegan item on the menu (if one existed at all).

But within the past couple of years, more and more plant-based eateries have been opening their doors! From farm-to-table dishes to artfully crafted sushi, there is no shortage of fabulous vegan and vegetarian restaurants on Oahu for you to enjoy.

Thanks to Hawaii local, Sarah from Borders and Bucketlists for this insider guide to the best vegetarian restaurants and food on Oahu, Hawaii. Make sure you pin this for some mouthwatering inspiration. [no_toc]

• Make sure this is part of your sustainable itinerary to explore the Hawaiian islands responsibly.

• The vegan and vegetarian scene has exploded in Oahu making it easier than ever to find fresh local vegetarian restaurants.
• Find vegan sushi, island-inspired bowls, and even a vegan take on traditional lau lau.
• Reducing your meat intake is one of the best actions to take to conserve forests, and reduce global emissions.
• Going vegan or vegetarian in Hawaii is a great way to try some island flavors with a new twist.

Tane Vegan Izakaya

No list of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Oahu would be complete without Tane Vegan Izakaya. This Honolulu restaurant opened in early 2019 and quickly made itself known throughout Hawaii’s vegan community. After all, who wouldn’t want to try picture-perfect plant-based sushi?

There are so many fantastic sushi rolls to try at Tane Vegan Izakaya. The Manila dune roll, the shiitake roll, the Point Reyes roll, and the Pacifica roll are just a few crowd favorites. And while Tane Vegan Izakaya is known for its sushi, you can also order many other vegan Japanese dishes, including gyoza, wakame sunomono salad, and spicy garlic miso ramen.

 

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Water Drop Vegetarian House

Many of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Oahu, Hawaii serve up modern farm-to-table plates. But Water Drop Vegetarian House offers something a little bit different with traditional Chinese dishes.

Owned by Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, Water Drop Vegetarian House rotates its menu of tasty vegan Chinese dishes. Lo han jai, turnip cakes, bean curd rolls, and ma po tofu are just a handful of plates that often secure a spot on the menu.

Koki’s

Koki’s is one of the newest additions to Oahu’s vegetarian and vegan food scene. In 2020, this little Indian joint only popped up at farmers’ markets. But by 2021, Koki and her team were able to open up a tiny gem of a restaurant in Honolulu.

The most popular dish from Koki’s is the karma sandwich, which is made with potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and the all-important cilantro chutney sauce. But the veggie samosas, Bombay grill sandwich, chickpea masala, and potato vindaloo are all worth a try. After taking just one bite, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported all the way to India!

 

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Peace Café

Peace Café is one of the longest-lasting vegan restaurants on Oahu – and for good reason! It has turned loads of crowd-favorite Asian dishes and turned them into flavorful vegan versions. The heart and soul bibimbap, the Popeye sandwich, and the Hanoi sandwich are just the start of the mouthwatering bites on the menu.

But the most popular plate is the katsu plate. Traditionally, katsu is a Japanese dish made with breaded pork or chicken. But Peace Café makes a vegan tofu katsu that’s packed with just as much flavor as the original dish!

 

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Banan

The concept behind Banan is quite unique. This sweet, frozen treat is sort of like frozen yogurt, but instead of being dairy-based, it’s banana-based! And to make things even better, all of the bananas are grown in Hawaii! Order the Riss Moore (named after Olympic surfer, Carissa Moore), the Amazon, or the Stairway to Heaven. 

Since Banan started its journey in 2014 at its North Shore food truck, it has opened up a few more locations, including two spots in Waikiki and one in Kailua.

Blondie’s Vegan Kitchen

This food truck has managed to make all of your favorite foods – including breakfast sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and BBQ chicken sandwiches – and create mouthwatering vegan versions.

Most people are (justifiably) skeptical of this claim, but Blondie’s Vegan Kitchen actually has its own successful line of vegan foods that they use to make their dishes. There’s everything from vegan eggs to vegan cheese to vegan beef.

To find Blondie’s Vegan Kitchen food truck, you’ll want to head to Lowe’s Iwilei. And be sure to order ahead, because they usually sell out quickly!

 

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Ai Love Nalo

Ai Love Nalo has a lot going for it. First of all, it’s just a short walk away from the famous Kailua and Lanikai beaches. So if you’re hoping for a tasty vegan lunch on the beach, Ai Love Nalo can certainly deliver!

But the prime location isn’t the only perk of Ai Love Nalo. This fantastic restaurant is most well-known for its bowls, including its Buddha bowl and medi bowl. That said, Ai Love Nalo’s vegan lau lau deserves a little more attention. Lau lau is a traditional Hawaiian dish made of pork wrapped and cooked in ti leaves. To make this dish completely vegan, Ai Love Nalo uses sweet potatoes, breadfruit, and a handful of other secret ingredients.

 

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Le’ahi Health

Le’ahi Health is committed to giving their customers the best food possible. In addition to having a completely vegan menu, they also provide gluten-free options, use organic products, and locally source all of their ingredients. Try the kale avocado tacos, the surfer bowl, or the starburst smoothie.

But the one item that keeps drawing Le’ahi Health customers back over and over is their in-house-made kombucha! In other words, you’ll definitely want to try some when you visit.

After opening its original location in Kaimuki, Le’ahi Health has opened two more locations on Oahu and one on Kauai.

 

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The Beet Box Café

Whether you’re hoping to grab a great breakfast or lunch, The Beetbox Café is there to help! For breakfast, this restaurant’s most popular dishes include the Rio bowl, the avocado toast, and the Beet Box burrito. And if you pop by for lunch, there’s a whole different set off dishes for you to enjoy. Savor the Thai tacos, take a bite of the three little birds sandwich, or opt for the award-winning hello burger.

The Beet Box Café is so popular that it opened a second location on the North Shore of Oahu.

 

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Kahuku Farms

Kahuku Farms is definitely one of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants on Oahu, Hawaii. As a matter of fact, it’s my go-to place to eat on the North Shore!

You really can’t go wrong with any of the options at Kahuku Farms, but my two favorites are the acai bowl and the farm pizza. Kahuku Farms is actually the only place on Oahu that uses locally grown acai berries to make their acai bowls! And when paired with the graham cracker granola and tart lilikoi (passion fruit) butter, it’s perfection.

Then, there’s the farm pizza. Loaded with a fabulous pesto and locally grown veggies like tomatoes and eggplant, the farm pizza is absolutely delicious.

And you certainly can’t forget to pair your Kahuku Farms meal with a drink! After all, all of their drinks feature fresh fruit grown right there on the farm! The haupia pineapple smoothie, lilikoi (passion fruit) farm cooler, and the banana bang smoothie are worth a try.

 

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Raised by the Waves

Raised by the Waves is the cutest little spot. Nestled in the Old Kahuku Sugar Mill, this North Shore eatery serves up organic, healthy, and locally sourced dishes that are just incredible. Try the vitamin sea acai bowl, the single fin salad, the chuns bahn mi sandwich, or the sunrise waffle.

To add to the appeal of Raised by the Waves, this North Shore restaurant applies many sustainable practices. As a matter of fact, Raised by the Waves is 100% plastic-free!

 

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The Cosmic Kitchen

The Cosmic Kitchen is a hidden gem. Tucked inside of Celestial Grocery Store in Haleiwa, most people have no idea that this lovely little vegan eatery exists! But if you’re lucky enough to find The Cosmic Kitchen, you won’t be disappointed.

While The Cosmic Kitchen serves up loads of vegan soups, smoothies, and sweet treats, their sandwiches are by far their most popular offerings. Order the Cosmic egg-less salad sandwich, the tuna-less melt, or the kalua jack sandwich.

 

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Discuss and Share

That’s a wrap on the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Oahu, Hawaii! I hope you get to visit all of these amazing recommendations. If you do, let us know in the comments below!

• If you are planning a trip to Hawaii make sure you read our sustainable guide to visiting the islands.
• Looking for more vegetarian food guides? Don’t miss our vegetarian and vegan travel guides
• Curious about sustainability from the perspective of a Pacific Islander? Don’t miss our guide to sustainable principles from the Pacific Islands.