While on a mission to discover vegetarianism and introduce clean eating to my family especially when eating out, I found the best restaurants in Oahu that cater to a vegetarian or vegan diet. In this guide to vegetarian restaurants on Oahu, you’ll discover delicious vegetarian and vegan places to eat on Oahu – discover new restaurants in Honolulu and the rest of the island. Read this post for our favorite kid-friendly vegetarian restaurants on Oahu.
So this year is the year I introduce “clean eating” to my family.
What that means exactly, I am yet to discover!
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But I do know one thing, the people in my life who are healthy and active are hardcore vegan and vegetarians who promote a plant-based diet.
So, while on a mission to discover what vegetarianism was all about I learned that
1) they don’t starve themselves, and
2) they don’t eat veggie burgers and falafels all day long.
Meatless Mondays
If you’re anything like us Hawaiians, meat and seafood play a major part in our diets, and is a part of every meal. For us to effectively change what we eat it’s important to think of it as an overall lifestyle change rather than a diet and something we implement gradually.
Which is where Meatless Monday comes in – it’s a simple way of reducing your meat intake when you’re just starting out and so you don’t quit cold turkey (pardon the pun). So every Monday everything we eat is meat-free and plant-based. It’s also a great way for the kid-foodies to discover new vegetarian dishes from around the world and learn to make vegetarian versions of some of our favorite Hawaiian foods such as tofu poke. Thanks, Damon for the inspiration!
Here are a few Vegetarian Recipe Books we’re currently reading/have on our wishlist:
But what about when we’re out and about on the island? How do we find vegetarian or vegan options?
Thanks to my foodie friends on Facebook, I learned that vegetarian places to eat in Honolulu are not hard to find. They already frequent the city’s best vegan and vegetarian restaurants. You just need to know where to look, or have us do the ground work for you!
8 Best Family-Friendly Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants on Oahu
Here’s our list of the best meat-free restaurants on the island of Oahu, along with recommendations for our kid-foodie favorites.
Vegan Hills
The menu offers a small but diverse range of food options. The portions are large, colorful and well presented. We started with the “Why Not Chos” which are now my kid’s favorite item on the menu. They open quite early, 8:00am and close early, by 3:00pm. It’s a great place for lunch with friends (or kids) or breakfast by yourself.
Kid-Foodie Favorites: “Why Not Chos” Nachos and Viva Green Juice ( made of Organic Kale, Organic Banana, Organic Orange Juice)
HiBlend Health Bar & Cafe
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The kids love the açai bowls at HiBlend while I always used to order their smoked turkey sandwich which comes with a side salad, now I opt for the Steamer, no bacon. It’s perfect for a quick lunch. The açai bowls are sweet and tart, well-balanced and best of all, all ingredients are farm fresh local, organic, all natural and non GMO. It’s why people keep coming back here.
Kid-Food Favorites: Organic Peanut Butter & Fresh Fruit Bagel, smoothies, and açai bowls
Pieology
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We have nothing but love for Pieology! If you’re a vegetarian who LOVES pizza then this place in Honolulu is the pizza place for you. This create-your-own gem makes being a vegetarian so easy. Choose your crust which can be white, whole-wheat or gluten-free ($2 more), your sauce, cheese (dairy-free cheese was an option) and toppings. The 11.5 inch crust is a perfect personal pan-sized pizza and most likely you’ll end up taking the rest home. Delicious, crunchy, and filling.
Kid-Foodie Favorites: Whole-wheat crust with dairy-free cheese, olives, and mushrooms
Peace Cafe
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My kids love the home-like atmosphere and comfortable seating at Peace Cafe. We ordered a poke bowl, which was made with tofu. It was so delicious! My daughter ordered the tofu teriyaki sandwich, which was made with tempeh and she also loved it. For dessert, try their homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream and you can’t go wrong with customer-favorite matcha mochi – it was amazing!
Kid-Foodie Favorites: Tofu Teriyaki Sandwich and Banana Chocolate mochi
Down to Earth Organic & Natural
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It’s organic, it’s vegan, it’s healthy…and it’s Down to Earth! This local grocery store is popular amongst locals looking to eat healthy during lunch. Their “hot deli” has many different vegan options and their bakery is simply divine! Don’t forget to shop for groceries before you head home…take some of that veggie goodness back with you!
Kid-Foodie Favorites: Macaroni and cheese and self-serve salad bar (yes, my kids love a good salad!)
Loving Hut
If you told me a couple of years ago that there would come a day when I’d be able to eat a “chicken” katsu that was veg-friendly, I wouldn’t have believe you. But I want you to know it is possible, and you’ll find it at the Loving Hut! You don’t have to be a vegan to love this place. This restaurant is in the heart of Honolulu’s downtown district and reminds me of a good home-cooked meal. I am not a pasta fan but I ordered spaghetti and was pleasantly surprised and I’ll be back for more.
Kid-Foodie Favorites: Veggie Katsu and Fries
Blue Tree Juice & Cafe
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This vegan and vegetarian-friendly cafe is located in the heart of Honolulu in the Pacifica Building. Their veggie hummus wrap and soups are some of the best ones you’ll find on the island. If you like Kombucha, try their in-house version, it’s gooooood.
Kid-Food Favorites: All the soups and banana bread
Kahuku Farms
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Make sure you spend some time roaming this local farm when visiting Oahu’s North Shore. Kahuku Farms hosts a smoothie tour where you learn about the diverse products of the farm and the vision of organic sustainable farming. You’ll even get the rare opportunity to see cacao pods growing on the cacao tree, and sample fresh cacao seed. The fresh papaya smoothie (they grow papayas at the farm!) at the end of the tour was incredible. The cafe is wonderful, with mainly vegetarian food offerings. Don’t leave without trying their grilled banana bread and ice cream, delicious!
Kid-Foodie Favorites: Grilled Banana Bread and Açai bowls
We’re always looking to discover more kid-friendly restaurants on the island. What are your favorite vegan/vegetarian restaurants on Oahu? Let us know in the comments below!
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