Best Breakfast in Honolulu 2023

Welcome to the best breakfast in Honolulu awards show!

My boyfriend and I have spent the last few vacations in Hawaii trying to find the perfect place for an early morning breakfast. We love fueling up for a day of exploring the island and riding the waves, and we’ve found that Honolulu has the best range of breakfast joints with excellent flavors.

Tourists and locals alike rate Honolulu as the best city for great food on Oahu, and we can definitely vouch for that. On our last trip, we tried various breakfast eateries and narrowed down the best ones.

From the most flavorful eggs benedict and fluffy pancakes to the tastiest Hawaiian loco moco and Japanese musubi, Honolulu does breakfast perfectly. We’ve ranked these places based on local favorites, range of menu items, price points, and the flavor profile of each place.

So get ready to try the best breakfast in Honolulu! We’ve spent the time and tried all the places, so you can make the best choice possible for your vacation breakfast needs. Whether you’re looking for a quick coffee-and-egg fix or a sit-down meal with the whole family, these are the best of the best.

What Will I Learn? show

Koko Head Cafe – Best Breakfast in Honolulu

Every city has one hotshot restaurant, and Honolulu’s is Koko Head Cafe. Celebrity Chef Lee Ann Wong is the owner, and her recipes give the Cafe a unique flavor for its breakfast menu. 

Their famous light-as-air pancakes come with a choice of Hawaiian-style applewood smoked bacon or creamy black pepper maple and are ridiculously good! 

Another favorite is the cornflake-crusted French toast, soaked in black pepper maple syrup (a mix of spicy pepper balanced out by sweet maple), which leaves a party in your mouth!

My boyfriend loves their breakfast bibimbap that comes in a skillet with crispy garlic rice, Portuguese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, kimchi, and sunny side eggs. You’ll love this hearty breakfast and keep coming back for more things to try.

We consider Koko Head Cafe the best breakfast in Honolulu. Some things to consider before you go:

  • The prices here are higher since it’s a celebrity cafe.
  • You need to make reservations beforehand; otherwise, wait in long lines outside.
  • Their breakfast congee, sesame-cinnamon doughnuts, and Kona coffee with creme anglaise are to die for!

Address: 1145 12th Ave Ste C, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96816-3754.

Sweet E’s Cafe – Best Hawaiian Breakfast in Honolulu

Sweet E’s is a local favorite in Honolulu because of its homely breakfasts and fantastic taste. However, as it’s also famous amongst tourists, it can get crowded, so come early and get a good seat.

Everything on the breakfast menu is excellent, but my favorite is their heavenly French toast made with sweet bread and stuffed with blueberry sauce and cream cheese. Plus, it pairs well with the house coffee, balancing the sweetness. 

Another much-loved item is their breakfast burrito filled with corned beef and hash browns, which we shared among ourselves because it was massive!

Fortunately, Sweet E’s delivers taste within a budget, so you can leave here without breaking the bank. Our total bill was $40 for two breakfast items, coffees, and dessert.

Here’s why you’ll love Sweet E’s as the best breakfast in Honolulu:

  • Their servers let you make a vegan or vegetarian meal from the a la carte menu by altering some dishes.
  • There’s free parking on the street outside and lots of space too.
  • You can get the French toast added on the side to any dish.

Address: 1006 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96816-1309.

Eggs’ n Things – Best Outdoor Breakfast Honolulu

Eggs ‘n Things is Honolulu’s best breakfast place and an Oahu favorite for 30 years. They have many local and traditional items on their menu. Plus, excellent outdoor dining, so you enjoy your food with a view of the bustling street outside.

They serve a variety of pancakes, and you can choose from typical flavors like strawberry with whipped cream and coconut or unique ones like macadamia nut and malasada pancakes. Whichever one you choose, they’ll be fluffy and rich.

We loved their delicious omelet with cheese, ham, onions, and mushrooms paired with fresh guava juice and rich coffee. If you love meat with your eggs, don’t miss their super flavorful eggs and steak and eggs with Portuguese sausage.

Some things to consider before you go:

  • The Cafe is small, and you have to wait a long time, so it’s best to come early. 
  • Their service is quick and efficient.
  • All their orders come with a side of pancakes!

Address: 343 Saratoga Rd, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815-1943.

Heavenly Island Lifestyle – Best Vegan Breakfast Honolulu 

Heavenly Island Lifestyle is one of the few places serving delicious healthy breakfasts in Honolulu with great vegan and gluten-free options. Also, their food is organic and served farm-to-table. 

A crowd favorite is Heavenly’s Island Veggie, where you choose between breakfast salad sets and get a freshly squeezed juice. In addition, their Kale and quinoa salad with ginger dressing and Beet loaded salads are fresh and tasty and pair well with carrot-orange juice.

Another specialty is their acai bowls topped with organic berries, guavas, and papayas, which are so delicious even kids love them.

We tried their delicious flat eggs, purple sweet potatoes, and Maui brewed coffee. 

If you’re looking to eat healthy on vacation, Heavenly Island Lifestyle will ensure your diet doesn’t compromise on flavor. Here’s why we loved it:

  • The service here is great, and the place has a pretty interior.
  • They have tasty guacamole dip with chips or kale salad. 
  • The loco moco is delicious and comes with a vegan patty too.

Address: 342 Seaside Ave Shoreline Hotel Waikiki 1F, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815-2527.

Cafe Kaila – Best Local Breakfast in Honolulu 

Looking for the best local joint to get breakfast? Head straight to Cake Kaila for delicious options ranging from loco moco and eggs benedict to great pancakes and waffles.

Their loco moco is served traditionally with two grilled hamburger patties on a bed of white rice, topped with two sunny-side eggs and heaps of homemade gravy. The flavors on the loco moco were out of this world!

Some other specialties include; Eggs Benedict with oven-roasted potatoes (a crowd favorite), chicken and waffles, and house special guacamole and salsa. 

We had breakfast here before hiking, and it filled us up for a great trek!

Our experience at Cafe Kaila was fantastic, and we consider it the best local breakfast place in Honolulu. Here’s why you will too:

  • They have friendly staff, quick service, and the cutest interior.
  • Their Belgian malted waffles are divine, served with warm syrup and butter.
  • Portion sizes at Cafe Kaila are huge!

Address: Market City Shopping Center, 2919 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96826.

Cinnamon’s at the Ilikai Hotel – Best Cheap Breakfast Honolulu

Pancake enthusiasts cannot miss Cinnamon’s for their star guava chiffon pancakes. These are light, fluffy, perfectly sweetened, and topped with guava syrup and butter. If you’re craving pancakes in Oahu, head straight to the Ilikai Hotel and try these delicious ones.

Since this is a lesser-known spot for breakfast, you get a smaller crowd and quick service. Plus, the food is super affordable and ranges from $16-20 per person.

Their range of American breakfasts is excellent, including eggs with hash browns and sausages, crab cake or salmon, Eggs benedict, and french toast. Pair it with their cold brew or fresh juice, and you’ll surely be in a food coma!

Cinnamon’s became our favorite for the best cheap breakfast in Honolulu. Here’s what makes it even better:

  • There’s $1 parking at the lot across the hotel.
  • They have live entertainment with their outdoor seating.
  • Don’t miss their prime rib loco moco, which is super tender and comes with an excellent mac salad.

Address: 1777 Ala Moana Blvd Suite #180, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815-1603.

Musubi Cafe Iyasume – Best Japanese Breakfast in Honolulu

Musubi Cafe is a great example of the range of authentic cuisines you can find in Honolulu. They have fresh pickups for breakfast that you can customize. So definitely try their flavorful bento boxes that come with warm miso soup.

However, it’s the breakfast musubi that takes the prize. Since it’s fresh and comes in many flavors like spam, egg, avocado, and eel, topped with rice and eggs, you’ll get a light and flavorful meal. 

Musubi Cafe was our favorite place to get a quick breakfast in Honolulu. Here’s why you’ll love it:

  • The food is prepared beforehand, so you don’t have to wait in line for long.
  • The staff is friendly and will heat the ready-made meals for you on request.
  • They also have a wide selection of items for lunch and dinner for which most people come. 

Address: 2427 Kuhio Ave 2nd Floor, Mitsuwa Market Place, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96815-3301.

Wrap Up: The Best Breakfast in Honolulu

Honolulu is home to hundreds of food establishments and cuisines. From Dunkin Donuts and iHOPs to celebrity cafes and restaurants, the range of breakfast here is incredible and affordable. 

Since tourists usually come to Honolulu expecting luxury hotels and five-star restaurants, the quality of local joints surprises them, and they end up eating there more often.

We loved the excellent quality of breakfast food in Honolulu and recommend everyone visiting here to try them.

Want to try the best pancakes in Hawaii? Try Cinnamon’s at the Ilikai and Koko Head Cafe.

Want a taste of local favorites and Hawaiian breakfasts? Don’t miss Cake Kaila and Sweet E’s.

Need healthy food options for breakfast? Heavenly Island Lifestyle has got you covered.

Honolulu is a food hub that you can’t afford to miss!

Last Updated on January 10, 2023 by Brigitte