Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish that is made with small pieces of fresh and raw fish or seafood, which are combined with finely chopped vegetables, herbs, condiments, and seasonings. Although traditional poke uses either ahi tuna (yellowfin tuna) or octopus, the variations on this dish are endless these days, including poke with salmon, mussels, crabmeat, or oysters, as well as vegetarian versions with diced avocados.

Typical ingredients apart from the raw fish or seafood include sweet onions, garlic, shallots, scallions, sesame seeds, seaweeds, candlenuts, limu (brown algae), soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and Hawaiian sea salt. The creation of poke has been attributed to local fishermen who used to combine freshly-caught small reef fish with few seasonings such as sea salt, candlenuts, limu, and seaweed for a filling snack. 

Malasadas are traditional Portuguese yeast-leavened doughnuts made from eggs, flour, sugar, and milk. They are sometimes coated with cinnamon or granulated sugar. The original Portuguese malasadas don't have any holes or fillings, but the variations prepared in Hawaii do.

The popularity of malasadas in Hawaii is not accidental – Portuguese laborers from the Azores came to Hawaii in the 19th century to work in the plantations. They brought their traditional foods with them, including the malasadas, which were originally prepared in order to use all the sugar and lard in one's home before Lent. 

Kalua pig is a traditional Hawaiian dish where a whole pig, seasoned only with Hawaiian sea salt, is placed inside a large pit that has been dug in the ground. Heated lava rocks are placed in the pit, with the insulation cover made from banana or ti leaves.

The pig is then covered with more insulation and soil and is left to slowly roast through the day. The word kalua from the name of the dish refers to cooking in an underground pit, called imu in Hawaiian. The pig is usually served at special events, parties, and family gatherings, accompanied by steamed rice and taro root paste. 

Plate lunch is an original, traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of two large scoops of white rice, macaroni salad that is heavy on the mayonnaise, and one meat-based entrée. If a plate has more than one entrée, it is then called a mixed plate.

The dish stems back to the 1800s when sugar companies made plantations in Hawaii, attracting workers from all over the world. Since the immigrant workers didn't like sandwiches and similar American foods, they would place leftover rice and meats into metal tins with compartments, and plate lunch was born, based on the Japanese bento box tradition. 

Spam musubi is a Japanese-American dish hailing from Hawaii. In its most basic form, it consists of a fried slice of Spam that is placed on top of a rectangular wedge of rice, and the whole concoction is then wrapped in nori seaweed. This snack can be found everywhere on Hawaii – in school canteens, supermarkets, and convenience stores.

It is believed that the inventor of this dish was Mrs. Mitsuko Kaneshiro, who first made it for her children, and then started to sell them in Honolulu during the 1980. Shortly after, the popularity of this portable snack soared, and the rest is history.

Loco moco is Hawaii's popular comfort food, most often consisting of sticky rice at the bottom, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and the thick gravy that is poured on top of the whole combination, although there are numerous variations using bacon, ham, chicken, oysters, and shrimp.

It is believed that loco moco was invented in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1940s, when Nancy Inouye, the wife of Lincoln Grill owner, prepared it as a meal that was affordable to the local children. When she put it on the menu, her husband Richard said that the kids are crazy (loco), and loco moco was born. 

Saimin is a traditional noodle soup that’s considered the national dish of Hawaii. There are several variations on the dish, but it usually consists of thin noodles in clear broth with fish cakes, scallions, and often char siu pork or ham.

Additional ingredients often include shrimp, poultry, and eggs. The noodle soup is always served hot and it’s eaten at any time of day with a spoon or with chopsticks. The leftover dashi broth is drunk from the bowl. Saimin is a result of Hawaii’s Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino culinary influences.

Nowadays, the dish can also be bought in stores as a ready-mix instant package because it’s considered the staple comfort food.

Pu pu platter is a staple of American Chinese restaurants, consisting of a platter filled with a variety of small dishes and appetizers. This platter is believed to have been introduced to North America from Hawaii via Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic during the 1940s and 1950s.

A typical pu pu platter often includes spare ribs, chicken wings, egg rolls, fried wontons, crab rangoon, skewered beef, fried shrimp, and beef teriyaki. At the center of the platter, there is a small hibachi grill, and the fire can be used to reheat individual appetizers or make them more well-done. 

Lomi-lomi salmon is a traditional dish originating from Hawaii. The dish is prepared with salmon and tomatoes as the main ingredients. It was originally introduced to Hawaii by early Western sailors. The salmon is rubbed with salt, then combined with diced tomatoes, minced red onion, and green onions.

The word lomi means to press, massage, or rub, referring to the method of massaging the salted salmon between the fingers. Lomi-lomi salmon is traditionally served as an appetizer or a side dish at Hawaiian parties (luaus), usually alongside kalua pig, poke, and poi.