"The Big Island's most honest farm-to-table room: 90% local sourcing, Slow Food ethics, and Kona-grown coffee at the source."
About Holuakoa Gardens & Café
Open since 2007 on the slopes of Hualālai, Holuakoa Gardens & Café sits in the artist village of Holualoa, within the Big Island's Kona coffee belt. Founders Barbara Gerrits and chef Wilson Read built it around a single rule: cook what the island grows that week. Roughly 90% of the produce and nearly all of the protein is sourced from Big Island farms and fishermen.
It is a certified Slow Food kitchen, and the garden seating — shaded by 100% Kona coffee trees — makes it one of the most relaxed special-occasion tables in the island seafood scene.
The Kitchen
Chef Wilson Read bakes the bread, rolls the pasta and makes the desserts in-house. The kitchen's signature is the Holuakoa barbecue pork sandwich, glazed with Kona coffee barbecue sauce and apple slaw on toasted cornbread. The fresh catch salad — line-caught Big Island fish over Lehualani Farms lettuces with lilikoi (passion fruit) vinaigrette — changes with the boats. Wines and spirits are biodynamic and organic.
The Room
The room is a converted historic building opening onto a terraced garden. Tables are simple wood under the coffee canopy; service is unhurried and informed about the farms behind each plate. It is intimate rather than grand — closer to a friend's garden than a resort dining room, which is exactly its appeal.
Best for an anniversary or quiet celebration
The garden setting and slow, seasonal cooking make Holuakoa ideal for an unhurried anniversary lunch or a relaxed first date. Solo travelers eat well here too, often at the counter with a Kona pour-over.
Not for
Not for anyone after oceanfront luxury, a printed tasting menu, or fast service — this is an upcountry garden café, not a resort restaurant.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at Holuakoa Gardens & Café?
Wilson Read leads the kitchen alongside founder Barbara Gerrits. He bakes the bread, makes the pasta and desserts in-house, and has run the restaurant as a Slow Food kitchen since it opened in 2007.
What is the signature dish?
The Holuakoa barbecue pork sandwich with Kona coffee barbecue sauce and apple slaw on toasted cornbread is the menu landmark, alongside the fresh catch salad with line-caught Big Island fish and lilikoi vinaigrette.
How much does dinner cost?
Dinner mains run roughly $24–38, with lunch plates from about $18. Wines are biodynamic and organic, so a bottle adds to the bill.
Where is Holuakoa Gardens & Café?
In the artist village of Holualoa, at 76-5900 Mamalahoa Highway, on the slopes of Hualālai above Kailua-Kona in the centre of the Kona coffee belt.
Is it good for a special occasion?
Yes — the garden seating under Kona coffee trees and seasonal Slow Food menu suit an anniversary or quiet celebration better than a noisy resort room.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Holuakoa Gardens & Café
Reservations recommended for the garden; walk-ins seated as space allows.
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Practical Information
Address76-5900 Mamalahoa Hwy, Holualoa
NeighbourhoodHolualoa village, Kona coffee belt
CuisineFarm-to-Table Hawaiian
PriceMains $24–38; lunch from $18
Dress CodeCasual
SeatingGarden terrace & indoor
ReservationRecommended for dinner
