Where to eat on Oahu: Breakfast/ Lunch

Downbeat Diner is a hidden gem in the Downtown area of Honolulu. Downtown (or at least Chinatown) in general is a hidden gem, filthy and full of homeless people at first glance, but if you look past that you discover a thriving city life that reminds me of Williamsburg, or Ballard, or a gritty version of Grünerløkka, or whichever grungy, hipster-like neighborhood you can think of that hosts a wide variety of independent shops and hang-out spots. Hawaii Pacific University’s downtown campus lies at the border between the business district and Chinatown, so naturally I spend way too much of my time (and money) in that area.

Downbeat Diner is one of my favorite lunch spots for 3 simple reasons: 1) The food is delicious, 2) the TV screens above the bar shows the best 80s and 90s movies (think Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Dinosaurs and anything inbetween), and 3) as long as I order something, I am allowed to sit there for as long as I want, turning it into one of my favored study halls.

If you’re ever going to visit, I can highly recommend the Teriyaki Burger, the Quesadilla (add avocado) and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. They all come with veggie burger if you want that instead. Add curly fries to your order, and if you are starving and want to roll out of the place, order a Chunky Monkey milkshake for dessert. I personally blame my weight gain on that milkshake.

42 N Hotel Street, Chinatown/Downtown

Before I moved to Hawaii I honestly thought that the only places you could find crêperies where in France, mostly on street corners or in Alpine villages. A warm crêpe with Nutella has stifled my hunger more than once after a long day in the slopes. But apparently, you can find crêpe everywhere, especially in Hawaii. Here are my two favorite places to find delicious savory and sweet crêpes on Oahu.

Le Crêpe Café – This is my lunch spot at school, a place I visit so frequently that I am on first-name basis with just about every person who works there. For some reason I still have a hard time deciding what to eat just about every time I stop by because it’s all delicious. If you are looking for a healthy, savory lunch crêpe I will recommend L’Italien and Tsunami, they both taste great. For more sweet, desert-like crêpe, Honey Lovers is a favorite, and Chunky Monkey always works its magic whenever I want something really over-the-top (nutella, peanut butter and banana).

The panini and salads are pretty darn good too.

1160 Fort Street Mall, Downtown

Crêpes No Ka Oi – In Kailua and looking for breakfast/brunch? Stop by Crêpes No Kai Oi. Cute shop filled with Japanese tourists that serve you your crêpe in no time at all. The Temptation in Paradise (crêpe with cinnamon apples and brown sugar) was deilicious! They also serve really great Italian espresso.

131 Hekili St, Kailua