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Big Island 2011
Things we did, places we ate, where we stayed from our trip to the Big Island of…
Cafe Pesto
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
308 Kamehameha AveKawaihae Shopping Center
Kawaihae, HI 96743
(808) 882-1071
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
89 reviews for Cafe Pesto
Review Highlights
"Great pizza spot on the north side of the big island."
(in 27 reviews)
"Definitely worth a visit-have the coconut tart for me."
(in 6 reviews)
"...Luau and Lokelani pizzas, lilikoi iced tea, banana smoothie..."
(in 3 reviews)
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89 reviews in English
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Review from Sally M.
Maui, HI
1/31/2012
Go hungry - don't be in a hurry and enjoy the food. Hilo may have a better ambience at that location, but I have no complaint here.
Calzone so big two could split one - personal pizza (I love the artichoke and mushroom) with delicate crust instead of gooey dough. Even the side salad is quite sizeable. The menu is varied and the staff is a hoot, but this is not fast food and it's not fussy either. Prices are reasonable for the area and the ingredients are quality. -
Review from Michelle K.
Seattle, WA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
excellent service and great food. just when you think the Big Island has nothing to offer in the food department we found Pesto. i had the seafood risotto which was spectacular. the coconut tart is to die for and the staff very friendly.
stay away from the crab cakes, to fishy -
Review from Juliette B.
Chicago, IL
12/20/2011
my boyfriend and i had a great lunch here after a morning of scuba and golf, it hit the spot! their food is so good and we loved the selection of local beers. this is a perfect spot for lunch and the prices were reasonable. we only ate here once but i wouldn't hesitate to go here for dinner given the excellent service and meal we had at lunch.
this plaza is awesome too, if you are a diver (or want to be a diver) check out kohala divers a few doors down and the gift shops nearby had an excellent selection of locally made goods -
Review from Richard M.
Hawaii, HI
1/9/2012
Out In the middle of NO where at the corner of where the heck are we is a great place to eat!
Cafe pesto is a 2 location franchise on the big Isl of hawaii. the do a twist on Italian with a GREAT cracker crust pizza. Local Toppings YUM! also fish and pasta dishes with fresh specials. Lil pricy but a nice change. If your find yourself in Hilo, or Super north on the big Isl. STOP eat and enjoy. the service is only ok, but the food is great. -
Review from Jane K.
Kailua-Kona, HI
2/4/2012
Ate here today with my husband and was disappointed with the service. We entered the restaurant and had to wait until another group came in before we were acknowledged by the hostess. At which time the hostess sat the party that arrived after us first. I am never a fan of restaurants that choose to ignore their guests. Especially if no apology or reason is provided.
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Review from Shay F.
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I got the Manhattan clam chowder and it was filled with so many clams! WoW! I got to taste the crab cakes in the crab cake salad and it was FILLED with so much crab...so yummy! Finally I had the Lokelani pizza which tasted it ok, but it was so light and fluffy, I swear I could've ate the whole thing! LoL.
Yelp 365 Challenge #142/365 -
Review from Kimo S.
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
After two visits I feel confident giving this place a fair shake and a solid four stars. We saw the reviews during our first visit and thought this would be fantastic for a quick bite on the way to our room at the Prince. We ordered take-out and I was left a little disappointed after ordering the ahi salad and a pizza. Salad was good, the pizza didn't jump out at me like others seem to have expressed. The dough was... kinda doughy?
So we came back again in October and decided to bring a bottle of wine (we love Big Island for this!) and ate in. We were one of the last tables to be seated but the service was still top notch and the food was excellent. We shared the crab cakes and it was plenty for the two of us, quite delicious with a great sauce.
We both ordered pasta dishes, one was the special for the night and the other was the smoked salmon alfredo. Both were wonderful and the alfredo sauce was delicious, we're always nervous about alfredo for the first time but this establishment hits the nail on the head.
Definitely will be back when we're on our weekend getaways to the neighbor islands and I would suggest you do the same to avoid the resort prices! -
Review from Patricia R.
Olalla, WA
1/26/2012
My husband and I went to Cafe Pesto because of a glowing review from a friend. We walked in around 4:30 pm on a Tuesday, to a place less than half full. We waited at the reception area for a couple of minutes -- no one was there -- so I went over to the 2 guys standing behind the bar. Even tho' I was right in front of them they both ignored me and went on talking. Finally I politely asked if we should take a seat in the bar area, or wait to be seated. One of the guys said we could sit down, so we did. And then, we waited, and waited, and waited.! The 2 guys were still there behind the counter, various waiters walked by... no one greeted us, looked at us, came to the table. I know that time drags when you are waiting, but we seriously were there 10 minutes with zero acknowledgement from the staff. So, we got up and left!
So this is not a review of the food. It may be great! But they sure could use some training in customer service! -
Review from scott g.
12/30/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Every visit to the Big Island of Hawaii I must go to Cafe Pesto at least a few times. Its a great spot to bring my children too. I always get a pizza here and so does the rest of my family and I am extremely satisfied every single time food wise. The ingredients are fresh and are very tasty. I would give Cafe Pesto 5 stars but the service sometimes can be least than best as far as speed and attentiveness. Definitely go on open table and make a reservation if you want to go here as most nights they get booked up completely.
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Review from Avata R.
Los Angeles, CA
9/23/2011
Yes!
I've probably crushing on this restaurant because after a week the food scene on the Big Island left us more than hungry and a little pissappointed (not a typo). But the food was great here and I think we would've thought well of it even if it'd just been down the block from home, y'know what I'm sayin'?
The pizza, salad, desert and coffee were great. The pizza crust ranked just under superb (which is important as pizza is the 7th food group), the salad was a lovely mix without being overburdened and the coffee was a nice, strong brew that tasted more percolator than drip. The bar made solid cocktails, and the service was a big thumbs up. Factor in it wasn't that expensive and that makes these guys are, like, the titans of the restaurants in Hilo.
It's snooty-free, got good vibes, and it packs a delicious punch. What more do you want? It's not Valentino's, but it ain't the Macaroni Grill either.
Thumbs up. Go! -
Review from Jay A.
Mercer Island, WA
12/22/2011
Great restaurant!!! Food & service were top notch! Mark was extremely attentive & even surprised us with a 2nd order of noodles when our daughter inhaled her 1st order! He called them by their names & was very engaging (probably helped as he has 2 young daughters as well)! The linguini with pesto & apple sausage was probably one of the best pasta dishes you'll ever find at any restaurant! The coconut tart is to die for!
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Review from Erin S.
Santa Cruz, CA
9/13/2011
This is a great place we visit every trip to the Big Island. Why? THE BEST COCONUT TART EVER!!!! I am a chocolate freak and this tart is quite simply the best dessert I have ever had. I dont usually even order dessert that is not chocolate. I think the pizzas are great too, the boys were raving about thier Luau pizza for the rest of the trip. I am also obsessed with the Volcano salad, local tomatoes and ingredients, yum! I have to say that our dining companions were not as thrilled as we were, but they dont like coconut...
We seem to get the same lovely server every year, she is attentive, quick and nice. To me, Cafe Pesto is a great place to get good food, no too overpriced and some local vibe. Location is not great, but it is a nice break from the Kohala resort scene anyway. -
Review from Garth G.
San Jose, CA
6/20/2011
On an island where visitors accept overpriced food and marginal service as the norm, this is a restaurant that I would consider exceptional.
The place was packed, yet the waiter was pleasant, helpful and energetic. The food was exceptional and although it came quickly it was not rushed.
You guys are doing it right with quality all around. Keep it up. -
Review from jen r.
Oceanside, CA
10/6/2011
I had to dust off my yelp account because I am so offended by this place. The food was so awful and so overpriced I feel taken advantage of by this establishment. My mom and I were looking forward to a special meal and we were excited by the good reviews on here for the place. I cannot believe them! We ordered the goat cheese eggplant, volcano salad, and the poke salad. Stuff that should have been warm and fresh (like the eggplant, toast, fried onions...) was cold and tasted like it was a day old. The salads were all floating in a sea of dressing. Also, the "lilikoi iced tea" tasted like a crystal light, straight up. We left most of it on our plates and that is something I have never done in any restaurant before.
To top it off, we had a really inattentive, slow, and rude waitress (the place was practically empty too). We waited at least fifteen minutes before she came to take our order, totally skipping our drink order. When we told her the food tasted old she insisted it was fresh and didnt seem to care how we felt. A couple minutes later she came with our bill and without any eye contact gave a rude "thank you" and was gone. Then we waited another fifteen minutes for her to come pick up the check so we just got up and took it to the host.
The only nice thing I can say is that the host was very sweet and nice. -
Review from Noelle L.
Honolulu, HI
11/12/2011
Food is very good, service isn't. Changed reservations to a later time, when we got there the hostess told us we were late and was unaware of the changed time. She replied with a "we almost gave your table away." No apology, nothing. Server michael got my order wrong. I asked for simple classic twice and he repeated my order back to me. He came back with a something hearty and said "didn't you want the meatballs?" i ended up eating it because our food took a long time and it actually was very good. Again food is very tasty and great, service needs to be updated.
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Review from Julie B.
Poway, CA
5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food was excellent and reasonably priced. Our waiter was also great and had a good sense of humor. Wish there was one in San Diego. My son loved the Harry Potter game if he ate all his Harry Potter kid's meal he was given a free dessert and he did!! Great idea to get kids to finish their food!!
I am late reviewing we ate there during Thanksgiving week November 2010. -
Review from Nari H.
Wheaton, IL
4/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Friend took me here and it was pretty good. Service was very nice and so was their pizza, especially the dough. It is a little pricey and there sometimes seems to be a clash with the deco but overall I would come back here again.
Note: Had the green bean salad with the garlic vinaigrette dressing. It was very good, but the dressing tends to catch the throat so just eat carefully. :) -
Review from Susan F.
New Bern, NC
2/13/2011
I have always loved this restaurant.so this review is difficult. I have been coming here for years, whenever we come to the Big Island. I want to start with the good. The service is awesome. The people are ALWAYS very kind to us and to children. The food is very family friendly and gourmet at the same time. They also give a 15% discount to active duty military. THAT is always appreciated.
I do have a complaint. The last two times I have come here the fish has been dry. It is so dissapointing because they always have an amazing fresh catch selection. Last month I got the rare opakapaka. I was SO disappointed because it was dried out! Last year, my Ono was dried out! What is going on? I didn't complain because my son was starting to fuss. But, I hope they can get it together because I do love Cafe Pesto. -
Review from Jeannette S.
Tempe, AZ
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is by far the best food I have had since we've been on the island. I agree with previous reviewers that the pizza crust is superb. I'm also getting dessert to go.
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Review from M B.
Englewood, CO
7/29/2011
Read the reviews made the trip, enjoyed the food. Very well prepared and eclectic pizza presentations. Fresh , I mean, FRESH pizza crust! Also had the Mahi Mahi fish special - all very nice. Will go back for sure.
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Review from Thu S.
Mountain View, CA
11/24/2010 4 photos
Just a 7 min. drive from the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel area, this is the perfect break from the ultra spendy resort restaurants. Casual and lively atmosphere with really down to earth and friendly staff. Best of all it's affordable and reasonably priced.
The first time we came here we shared the Kahlua Pork & Pineapple Pizza and each got a pasta entree. All the dishes were good but the pizza was exceptionally tasty. It was so good we had to come back before our trip ended to get another helping of the pizza. Both times I meant to take pictures of everything we ate but when the pizza came out we were so enthusiastic we ate it all before I remembered to take a picture.
They make a mean Bloody Mary too! I think probably the best I've had anywhere. -
Review from andy s.
Poway, CA
This was a great little place we decided to stop at while touring the North part of the Island. The view of the cement plant across the way is not that bad and is kind of interesting. If you want a clear ocean view this is not the place for you. If you want great food and excellent service then this is a good choice! Hit the shops afterwards for extra good fun!
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Review from Melanie D.
Garden Grove, CA
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Unbelievably delicious! We have some food allergies/sensitivities and they were super understanding and accomodating! For appetizers we had calamari - totally perfect. Hot, crunchy, not too greasy, not over-cooked at all. DELICIOUS!! Then salads & the luau pizza (pork & pineapple) with cilantro pesto (instead of the tomatos). YUMMY! A little expensive, but it's Hawaii. Would absolutely go there again.
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Review from Steph K.
Bothell, WA
7/10/2011
Pesto cafe is the best pizza on the island. The service is better than expected
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Review from k k.
Kamuela, HI
7/10/2011
First time I ate there was in the 90's. We watched our waiter go out in the parking lot for a smoke. What a donkey that guy was. When he finished he brought out the dinners, NOT HOT, and pretty weak overall. Avoided it for years after that.
I tried the take-out pizza recently. Tasted ok with nice toppings but very expensive and small.... Terribly priced for what you get.
One other thing, they add 10% charge on take-outs to make sure they are wringing every cent out of you for their little girly man pizzas... So don't bother tipping the cashier, its already included.
Overall, way overpriced like the resorts but with views of a rundown commercial harbor. I'll pass... -
Review from Adrienne H.
Palo Alto, CA
3/25/2011
Horribly overpriced, even by Hawaii standards. The pizzas were reasonable ($12-$15 for an individual pizza, which was more than I could eat), but the entrees were mostly $25, with everything containing fish around $35. For those prices I expect both stellar food & a fancy atmosphere. And while the food is good, it's not amazing, and the atmosphere is very casual and didn't justify the pricing. I couldn't bring myself to pay $35 for fresh catch, but it also seemed like a waste to have a $25 chicken entree in Hawaii, so my bf & I both had pizzas. My bf had the pepperoni classico and I had the Lokelani (pesto, tomato, spinach, cheese). My pizza was good but not great. I was really hungry and I scarfed it down but other than the crust, which was fantastic, I didn't think it was anything special. We also shared a macadamia nut chocolate chunk cookie which smelled really good but was dry and tough (and also overpriced at $3). Service was fine (we ate at the bar because we didn't have a reservation - even though the place was empty they were very snotty about the fact that we didn't have a reservation and told us it would be an HOUR wait, so we opted for the bar). It definitely isn't a bad place, but I think it's overrated and really overpriced for what it is.
Also, they should turn their AC down! It's way too cold in the restaurant. It's Hawaii and everyone is wearing shorts and dresses - we don't need the temp set at 65!Listed in: Overrated, Big Island 2011, Pizza
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Review from Elaine D.
Los Angeles, CA
11/3/2010
There's something to be said about a place that's recommended by about 5 different people! On a recent trip to the Big Island, I was really looking forward to eating dinner at this restaurant and I was glad that the recommendations were justified!
The location at Kawaihae was just a short drive from the resorts in the area. The restaurant setting was nice and casual with a full bar in the back. A friend and I just walked in without any reservations and was promptly seated. The place wasn't packed and our server was attentive enough. We ordered the Oriental Al Pesto pizza for an appetizer and I realized after my first bite why everyone was raving about their pizza! It was delish! For dinner, I ordered the small portion of the smoked salmon alfredo which was yummy! Unfortunately, I was too stuffed to try out any of their desserts. I'll definitely go back to this restaurant, if and when I find myself in the Big Island again. Until then, I'll be one of those people that would highly recommend this place. -
Review from Jack T.
Irvine, CA
1/18/2011
This place is a great little find...
It's listed in "The Big Island Revealed" book about Hawaii. We had actually tried several restaurants also listed in the book, but this is the first restaurant we actually really enjoyed.
It's a bit out of the way, in the tiny town of Kawaihae. Italian, of course, but with the Island Flair. Small strip mall with a lot of local character. Clean. The service was great - very friendly. The selection of foods was also good. My wife had the Linguini al Pesto, and I had the Hamakua calzone. Ingredients of everything tasted really fresh (I also had a mixed salad with my calzone). The quality and portions of both our dishes were also really good. We're looking forward to trying their pizzas next time.
I also had a margarita (some local limeade blend) which was a nice variant. Not quite sour enough for me, but great if you love limeade (and I do). They have a list of local style margaritas and martinis. They also have a pretty extensive list of local draft brews... I tried the sampler and REALLY liked the Pale and Golden Ales. The Volcano Red and Sunset ales were good too, but not as memorable as the first two (I tried them light to dark - I think I learned somewhere that that's how you're supposed to do it).
Lastly, we had to get dessert to go. We got the cookies and cream cheesecake, with a macadamia nut cookie crust! Good, but I was way too stuffed to really appreciate it. My wife says the crust is the best part!
If you're there for lunch, I suggest the tiny hole in the wall shave ice place upstairs (Anuenue?)! It's literally a hole in the wall! Great on a hot day. Mmmmm Sno-cap.... -
Review from Keiko S.
5/23/2008 4 photos
I had my second best meal at Cafe Pesto during this trip to the Big Island, first being the dinners at Rapanui. It's one place that I regret not going back again! Grrrrr....
For lunch, we had the pasta (santa fe chicken) and sandwich (hakalau). Both dishes were really savory, even the taro/potato salad and the mango-berry chutney on the side. Regrettably, given our limited appetite we didn't get to try their famous pizza. (Yes, we NEED to go back.)
There are two branches on the Big Island, one in Kawaihae (which is where we went) and another in Hilo. If only they could open a third one in the Bay Area...
4.5 stars FOR NOW. -
Review from David B.
Honolulu, HI
9/27/2010
I was in Waimea when I asked the store owner of a great little cafe and coffee shop (Waimea Coffee Company 4 Stars), for a dinner recommendation. Both her and another customer immediately mentioned Cafe Pesto.
I never would have guessed this restaurant would be in this area. The food was excellent, was service was attentive with good suggestions, and the setting was perfect at Kawaihae Harbor.
One last note. This review is for the Cafe Pesto at Kawaihae Harbor and not the Cafe Pesto in Hilo. While a great setting, the food is not the same quality. They same it's the same owners, but it didn't feel like it to me. -
Review from Thomas m.
San Francisco, CA
6/7/2008
My favorite thing on the menu continues to be the outta this WORLD rosemary gorgonzolla focaccia bread.
Also, search the menu for the calzone with prosciutto and mustard seed. Its my second fav thing on the menu. -
Review from Sonny Q.
Cedar Park, TX
9/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
Sadly, we found Cafe' Pesto on the 6th night of our 7-night stay in the Waikoloa area. By that time, we'd already made too may long, late-night drives into Kona for dinner, had expensive & mediocre food near the Waikoloa resorts, or dined on local Hawaiian food which (while delicious) was literally starting to fossilize my heart.
Cafe' Pesto is such a great place! It's only about 10 minutes from Waikoloa, and the food is both incredible and there are healthy choices to be had. My wife had the big seafood risotto special, while I had linguine with pesto and marinara...both of which were excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and professional, and our food arrived very quickly.
On our next trip to the Big Island, we will be eating here a LOT! -
Review from Adrienne g.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2008
Located in the Kohala District in the little town of Kawaihae on the Big Island, Cafe Pesto offers the most scrumptious pizza on the Island
Cheering friends at the Honu 70.3 Half Ironman race this weekend & as they were planning to carbo-load w/ some home-cooked pasta, sis & I opted to instead enjoy the local flavor as much as possible - so we headed over to Cafe Pesto for a pizza that our friends ended up snarfing immediately as we walked back in the door
The devoured selection: Artichokes, Shiitake, & Oyster Mushrooms paired w/ a creamy Gorgonzola Sauce
Crust was thin but stood up on its own - not flimsy or floppy; shrooms were plentiful & flavorful - fresh & sliced thick; artichokes were tender w/ not even a stringy or woody bite in the lot; the sauce was the hit surprise of the whole pizza pie - herby & cheesy but not overpowering.
Staff was super-nice & turns out the bartender was from SF & made the most "famous" Lemon Drops - as so claimed by the locals we all chatted w/ while waiting for our pie ( not really a Drop fan myself so cannot personally attest )
Grabbed a couple huge, moist, chewy Chocolate Chip / Macadamia Cookies to top the deeelish meal & they were superb - stayed chewy even the next day as we were too stuffed that night to polish off the whole thing
The Large Pizza was pretty small - 12 inch - $25 but for 2 of us to eat & the rest to snarf, it was a pretty good Island deal
Gourmet pizzas w/ fresh & local organic ingredients! Place was kinda packed when we got there at 6 PM & by 6:30 when we left w/ our take-out to join our Iron buddies, we're talking super-crowded.....and for good reason! -
Review from Nomey T.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2007
You go to Hawaii for the beach, weather, flora, coffee, volcanology, to learn to live the Hawaiian-way... right? My main mission was the beach, and as important as food is in regular life, vacation life food-search was pretty much a crapshoot with a whatever attitude. I just needed to eat something so I can return to... the... beach...
I didn't find "the best restaurant of the pacific" during my stay, but again, I wasn't looking for it. If you're headed towards Hawi (north), Waimea (East), or near Hapuna beach, Cafe Pesto is right there. And the food here was solid. Good salad, good pizza, good risotto, good coffee, good dessert, good service.Listed in: The Left Side of Hawai'i
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Review from Lil I.
Alameda, CA
3/25/2010
Cafe Pesto is just okay in taste, and overpriced for the portion you get.
This review is based on mediocre taste and low value of two dishes: the butterfish special and the luau pizza. Perhaps if you avoid these two dishes and lower your expectations, you might have a better experience?
Taste
We found the taste of the butterfish sandwich and luau pizza to be borderline tasteless, even after we poured pepper on it.
Value
Each pizza is bit pricey at $19 since it is just big enough for one person.
Service
Was good, so that's in line with the other high ratings.
Overall
The next day, we asked an employee in the building to recommend a restaurant, and she did NOT say Cafe Pesto. She recommended Kohala Pacific Diner upstairs, and as a second, Harbor Grill down the street. We tried two amazingly tasty (and cheaper!) dishes at Kohala Pacific Diner, and wish we could have gone to Kohala Pacific Diner again! -
Review from Dan C.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2007
Thought I would pump out this review before we head off snorkling. Even though the owner of our B&B feels as though Cafe Pesto is overrated, my partner and I enjoyed it very much. We recommend the the "volcano mist" salad and the local catch of the day, as well as a pizza concoction of sweet local onions, Big Island goat cheese, cilantro pesto and roasted garlic that we made up.
Service is very friendly. Ok, off to the beach! -
Review from Neil S.
Pleasant Hill, CA
11/4/2010
Worth the drive! Good Mai Tai, and the Coconut Crusted Calamari is the best Calamari on the island!
Great service, beautiful presentation of the entrees and by far the best meal after a week of restaurant hopping on the island!
I have to admit that I have paid a lot more for some bad meals at "good" restaurants... Cafe Pesto is a must when you are on the Big Island!
I would rate 5 stars for the food and service, but Cafe Pesto Kawaihae gets 4 stars because of the industrial harbor setting... -
Review from David F.
San Jose, CA
10/24/2009
We had dinner here when we were staying in Waikoloa. Kawaihae is a convenient 15 minute drive from the resorts, and while the harbor isn't much to look at, there are a couple of "off the resort" restaurants here that are a much better value than anything at the resorts.
Cafe Pesto stands out with friendly service, fresh food and a good bar. We sat at the bar while we were waiting for a table, chatted with the bartender and admired the large stash of at least 4 bottles of at least four different types each of vodka, rum, whiskey, gin and more in the pantry behind the bar. Seems like maybe they're ready to weather the next storm!
We settled on a beer sampler where you can pick 4 beers to try - I think it was about $8 for what amounted to 2 full beers. They have a good selection of local beers, too, so we got to try a few different things.
Cafe Pesto has a great pizza menu with lots of different options, but having grown up in NY, I rarely go out of my way to try pizza in far away places - though the ones on the menu do sound tempting. I ordered the Pacific Island Seafood Risotto, which at about $36 was the single most expensive entree. But I couldn't resist the local prawns, scallop and Hawaiian lobster tail, and I wasn't disappointed! The chile cream sauce really works well, and the risotto was perfectly cooked. All of the seafood was fresh (some of it probably came off the docks that day).
My wife ordered the East West calzone with eggplant, artichokes, sundried tomatoes and a gorgonzola sauce ($16.95), not your typical calzone. Getting a calzone right is tough in the first place. Being creative with it is even trickier, but Cafe Pesto pulled it off. The dough wasn't too thick or chewy - light and a little crispy - and the ingredients blended well. The calzones are a great value since the come with soup or a salad as well.
We each had a glass of wine with dinner, and the pours are generous enough that you don't find yourself starring at the bottom of an empty glass halfway through your meal. If we're back on Big Island, this is definitely someplace we'd go back to! -
Review from Keri A.
La Palma, CA
9/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place (and food) was AMAZING+Super Friendly Service+Super Fast Service. I was definitely kinda iffy about this place, because it was advertised so much (radio and print), but it definitely was worth it. Plus my stomach was very happy and satisfied!
We ordered a pizza dish and a sandwich one (not 100% on the names), but i just wanted more... I just didn't have the room. The did a good job of combining the local Hawaiian food... into "Creative Island Cuisine"
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is going to the Big Island. It was one of my most favorite dishes there, and a million times better than the food (and prices) that was served at our resort. -
Review from scott k.
Santa Monica, CA
2/21/2009
I literally ate here 4 nights in a row while staying at the Orchid/Fairmont....
and what a spectacular drive at sundown...you can fly down this straight away with an awesome vista of the ocean and volcano...
you feel like the only one on the road
when you arrive, it isn't what you would expect.... but more laid back, local, and superb food all around!!!
wish I lived by this !
