Homesickness Of The Belly Kind:

Where In Hawaii To Get The Best Plate Lunch!

          Anytime one travels away from the place they were raised they are bound to eventually miss and crave certain things from home. Sometimes these things are completely rational like the endless sunny days I knew as a child in Hawaii before I moved to the perpetually gray San Francisco. Other times these cravings go deep into your core and make you miss things you don’t even really crave that much at home. For me this would be a plate lunch.

          Nothing says you are in Hawaii like a good plate lunch. The local food of Hawaii is a true mixing pot of different cuisines. The flavors in Hawaii have been influenced by the Chinese, Japanese, Portugese immigrents that were brought to the islands to work on the sugar plantations. Hawaii is a true melting pot. Nothing symbolizes this as much as the typical food in Hawaii the plate lunch.

This is so true that someone out there made this quirky video telling the History of Hawaii using the Plate Lunch:

          Unlike most who grow up in Hawaii I wasn’t raised on Local Food. In fact I was vegetarian for most of my years in Hawaii. I didn’t eat red meat until I was 22. So I never ate a Spam Musubi until I was almost 30. Somehow though I do get an uncontrollable craving for a scoop of mac salad and either chicken katsu or teri beef often while I am away from Hawaii.

          My favorite spot to fulfill this craving is not on my home island of Maui but instead on Oahu. There is a little place called Diamond Head Market & Grill that in my opinion serves up one of the tastiest plate lunches in the state. What do I love so much about them? First, their teri beef meat is not full of gristle and it doesn’t leave you with a belly ache. Second, the plates come with a little green salad. I know, I know this is a major tweak from the traditional but it is something I can get down with. For that matter the third thing I really like about them is also unconventional they serve… dun dun dun… brown rice!

           I usually order a plate lunch from the grill with mac salad substituted for my rice and take it to the beach with me. The deli also has an assortment of sandwiches, dips, desserts and bentos that are perfect for a picnic as well! I often wander around here while waiting for my order to be ready and try to resist the haupia, coconut custard,  sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn’t

Diamond Head Market & Grill is located at

3575 Campbell Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.

They are open 7 days a week and their hours are;

Market/Bakery/Deli: 6:30am – 9pm,

Grill – Breakfast only: 7:00am – 10:30am closes,

Grill – Lunch & Dinner: re-opens 11:00am – 9pm.

The next time you are in Honolulu swing by order a plate to go and have a picnic under Diamond Head!

Do you have a favorite plate lunch spot in Hawaii? If so please share it with me! I am always willing to try somewhere new

Alexandra Pucherelli

Alexandra Pucherelli is a Maui native who is flirting with adventure and shenanigans one country at a time. She is an island Girl, hammock lover, travel writer, gin drinker, lover of cheese, travel photographer, and daydreamer. A full time nomad since April 03, 2011 and is sharing her musings, budget, and frolicking tips with you. She is bad with learning new languages but FLUENT IN FROLICKING