Best Food Tours in Oahu

Oahu is the most important island of the entire Hawaiian archipelago and, therefore, the one with the most activity and tourism. If you have come to spend your vacation in this earthly paradise, you will surely be curious to try the typical food of this charismatic and special place.

So that you don't miss anything, I have made a selection of the best gastronomic tours around the island. Oahu has a lot to see and do, but I assure you that with a full stomach, any excursion looks better. Romantic cruises, bike rides and island tours await you, are you going to miss it? Then bring your appetite and join me to discover it.

Oahu is a small island that can be easily done by car, being able to cross it from end to end in less than an hour. However, if you want to get to know this special place in a more dynamic and ecological way, and stop to try all the local food it offers, I recommend that you take one of the gastronomic tours by bicycle.

For at least 4 hours, a specialized guide will take you and a small group of people through the most popular areas of the island, up to about six stops where you can try street food, snacks, typical drinks and traditional dishes.

You won't have to worry about calories, as you'll end up burning them all moving from one place to another in this eco-friendly transport.

In addition, it is a perfect activity to do in Oahu with children since you can adapt your children's tasting and they will have a great time being outdoors and riding comfortably on the bike's extra chair.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 180€ with bike, helmet, guide, food and drinks included.
• Duration: about four hours.
• Advantages of this option: it is a different and fun way to tour the island and reach the most important gastronomic points of Oahu.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you are not in good physical condition, you may end up tired and without much desire to eat.

There is no more typical scene when you arrive in Hawaii than that of its hospitable people placing the iconic flower necklace around your neck. Experiencing the tradition of the island of Oahu is one of the most interesting experiences you can do while on vacation and, like all good things, these types of cultural immersions usually come with a food tasting.

If what you want is to soak up the local culture and taste its most typical dishes, you should know that on Oahu you can find the best traditional shows. Most of them come with a tasting of Hawaiian dishes.

You will be able to experience an authentic Luau, with traditional dances, fire knife exhibitions, music and much more. In addition, you can count on a buffet-style meal with the most representative dishes so that, while you experience this energetic and important ceremony, you can taste the most delicious dishes of the island.

Details of interest

• Price: around 150 € all inclusive.
• Duration: the whole party and dinner usually lasts about two or three hours.
• Advantages of this option: it is a great opportunity to experience a real Hawaiian show.
• Disadvantages of this option: the food, perhaps, is in the background to prioritize the party.

If you want to focus on the local food of the island of Oahu and don't want any distractions on the tour other than to try different dishes at the most local stalls, don't worry; there is a type of excursion designed for you.

Oahu and the entire Hawaiian archipelago is a very touristy destination, but there is the possibility that, if you come with your family or group of friends, you can hire a type of tour for small groups in which a guide will take you to the best local stalls and restaurants in the capital.

In this way, you will be able to taste the real Hawaiian cuisine and its tradition from the hand of a local guide who will take you to the best stalls. You will be able to taste the rich fruit of the island, homemade ice cream, the famous malasadas and a multitude of dishes with seafood and its characteristic citrus dressings.

Details of interest

• Price: around 120€ per person with transfers included.
• Duration: these are usually tours of about 3 hours.
• Advantages of this option: it is the perfect way to get to know in depth the food consumed by the local people of the island and get out of the more touristy routes of the capital.
• Disadvantages of this option: as they are local stalls, it is possible that the residents end up asking for tips or take advantage of selling you their products.

Lanai Tabura is an eminent figure in the world of Hawaiian cuisine. The DJ, chef and comedian has even won an Emmy award for his U.S. show, "Cooking Hawaii Style".

His fame is so great that today he guides groups on the island of Oahu to taste and experience first-hand the ingredients and techniques that inspired him so much.

If you want to take a trip through the Hawaiian cuisine by the hand of one of Hawaii's top chefs, you should know that you can hire this kind of tours in which for at least 3 hours, Tabura will take you through his favorite places, you can talk to his trusted suppliers and he will share with you some tricks of his kitchen and the preparation of typical dishes such as poke, garlic seafood or Spam Musubi.

Details of interest

• Price: this type of tour usually costs about 170 € including transfers.
• Duration: around three hours of tour.
• Advantages of this option: you can count on the guidance at all times of one of the greatest international chefs of the island.
• Disadvantages of this option: this tour is subject to the availability of Tabura, since he is the star of the excursion, so there is not always room.

Oahu, like any good island, has most of its activity in the sea and, undoubtedly, one of the attractions that attract more tourists are the boat trips along the coast. Being able to get on board a boat or cruise ship and spend an evening in the middle of your vacation is one of the luxuries you should allow yourself if you come to visit Hawaii.

In addition, many of the sunset cruises that tend to triumph among visitors are those that feature a tasting dinner with the most local dishes.

Seafood, citrus and spicy dishes are the stars of this excellent culinary offer, and what better way to try it than floating in the middle of the Pacific?

This plan is ideal for couples or small groups who want to have an intimate moment full of flavor and new dishes. As if that were not enough, in addition to the pleasant ride and the gastronomic tasting, most of these tours have a show in the purest Hawaiian style.

Details of interest

• Price: these types of tours on board are around 100 € per head.
• Duration: they are usually two-hour tours.
• Advantages of this option: you will have the opportunity to see the coast aboard a boat and you will also be able to dine on traditional dishes.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you get seasick on the high seas, it is not recommended since the objective is to fill your stomach with local gastronomy.

The whole island has many places to visit but, undoubtedly, one of the best cities of Oahu at night is its capital, Honolulu, which creates a unique contrast between the island paradise to which it belongs and the skyscrapers of a major capital.

When the sun sets and the whole city lights up, Honolulu is worth seeing.

That is why, if you are interested in this topic, there are some gastronomic tours in the city of Honolulu to see it illuminated at night and, in addition, you can go to eat and taste its best cuisine in its most famous restaurants.

With this type of tour, you can dine at some of the best restaurants in the city with a tasting of up to three dishes with a presentation and style of the most gourmet. If you want to impress your partner or treat yourself, this tour is designed for you.

Details of interest

• Price: around 170 € all inclusive.
• Duration: the panoramic view of the city and dinner usually lasts about four hours.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to feel the luxury of the capital and taste real gourmet dishes of Oahu's gastronomy.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is a plan designed for tourists, so if you are looking for a more local experience, this may seem too artificial.

If you are coming on vacation to Hawaii but you will only be able to spend a few days on the island of Oahu, you can't miss some of the best tours of Oahu and Circle Island. This place is full of beaches, inland villages, jungle lookouts and a spectacular coastline that you can't leave without seeing.

In addition, if you like and are interested in the world of cuisine and want to try some of the most typical dishes of the island, you can kill two birds with one stone because from its capital usually leave many types of tours to discover the island in a day but with the excuse of food in between.

In this way, you can travel by bus with a group of people the length and breadth of the island, making several stops throughout the day in which, in addition to taking a full lunch, you can also stop to taste some of the local products of the island. A real treat!

Interesting details

• Price: the average price is about 150€ per head.
• Duration: it is a full day excursion, around nine hours.
• Advantages of this option: in a single day you can not only taste a wide variety of typical dishes, but also get to know the whole island.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is a very popular tour and the groups are usually quite large.

Oahu is one of the most popular Pacific destinations by far and, no matter when you go, you will always find a multitude of travelers and tourists who want to know the charms and cuisine of this special place.

That's why, if you want to get off the beaten path and get to know the gastronomy and the most hidden Oahu, there is a tour designed for you.

I suggest that you book some of the private tours that are in the lesser known areas of Oahu to taste in a much more intimate and close way their food and get to know the corners that tourists do not usually reach.

In this way, besides being able to taste delicious and artisan dishes, you can get to know the best beaches of Oahu in a privileged way and you will discover that, for example, the North Shore area has a lot to see and do. Get off the beaten path and try the food eaten by Oahu's hospitable locals.

Details of interest

• Price: around €500 including transfers.
• Duration: these tours usually last about eight hours.
• Advantages of this option: it gives you the opportunity to get to know almost inhospitable places of the island in a unique way and accompanied by delicious dishes prepared by locals.
• Disadvantages of this option: being private and not so demanded, the price is a little higher than the rest of the tours around the island.

Do you like eating and photography? Well, even if you find it hard to believe, in Honolulu there is a tour designed for you that unites these two great passions in a whole tourist experience.

You can take a tour with a professional guide throughout the Hawaiian capital and make stops not only to try traditional food in the various bars and restaurants, but also to take iconic photos of the island.

The island is full of nature tours in and around the island, but if you want to show off your urbanite side, a specialized guide will take you to some of the most charismatic places in Honolulu.

He will show you amazing viewpoints from where you can take breathtaking photos while you accompany the pleasant walk with different dishes that you will taste in the places you pass by.

This type of tour is usually designed for groups and is a perfect option to experience the essence of the most urban and modern Honolulu, while you bring out your talent as a photographer and your good appetite.

Details of interest

• Price: 140€ with guide and all food included.
• Duration: it is usually a tour that lasts six to seven hours.
• Advantages of this option: it is a dynamic and different way of getting to know the city and sightseeing, tasting food from the most popular places and taking pictures.
• Disadvantages of this option: in this type of tour the dishes you will taste are closed and there are usually no vegetarian options or children's menus.

One of the most efficient ways to tour the island of Oahu is with a jeep that can get you through the rougher roads of the interior and take you to the incredible jungle attractions and native villages.

If this part of the island interests you, you have at your disposal the best off-road tours of Oahu at your fingertips.

But, if you also want to enjoy and taste the best of the island's gastronomy, you are in luck because there are several types of tours that, in order to taste the local cuisine, take small groups in jeeps to the most intimate and private places of the island.

These are usually all-day excursions that, in addition to sampling the food of the local people, also allow you to experience first-hand a good part of the traditions and daily life of the Hawaiian people. The best seafood and the most homemade recipes await you on this jeep adventure with your friends or family.

Details of interest

• Price: around 190€.
• Duration: these are usually half-day excursions of about six hours.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to go in a jeep with your private group and tour places off the beaten tourist track, tasting the best homemade and local food.
• Disadvantages of this option: as it is an experience that is a little out of the typical touristy, it is possible that some dishes are not included in the price.

Coming to Hawaii is a once in a lifetime experience. You will find that everything on the island of Oahu is full of tourist offerings that will make it much easier for you to optimize your vacation days.

It is possible that you want to take it on your own and prefer to go at your own pace and pace tasting the food in the locals of the coast and the capital and taking one of the tour buses that are there to see the island.

However, to avoid falling into scams or traps for being tourists, I recommend that, for specific topics such as gastronomic tours, you hire an excursion that guarantees a good experience. It does not have to be the most conventional and multitudinous of the island; you are lucky to be able to choose between some more alternative and local ones, but, without a doubt, it is worth to be guided by an expert and to know what you are taking to your mouth.

Hawaii is a paradisiacal destination at any time of the year. The influx of tourists does not cease but, if you analyze it, everyone has their own preferences as to what they come looking for on the island of Oahu.

While some come looking for the best waves for surfing or the warmest weather for water sports, in your case, if you want to see the whole island and taste what this fantastic place tastes like, my recommendation is to come to Oahu in April through October, a wide range of months in which rainfall is scarce and the weather is stable enough to avoid surprises.

Getting to know the gastronomy of a place is one of the best ways to discover its essence. If you are determined to come and enjoy Oah and all its possibilities, don't miss the gastronomic experience offered by its tours, you won't regret it!