I have to admit that part of the reason why I keep returning to Oahu is the food. Not only is the poke unreal, but there are so many different and amazing cuisines on the island. After 5 visits to Oahu, I’ve pretty much solidified my list of must-eats whenever I’m planning a trip back to the islands. Here are my top-10 must-eats when you’re visiting Oahu.

1. First, no visit to the islands is complete without a visit to Foodland to grab some poke. Most people don’t believe me when I tell them that the best poke on the islands comes from Foodland. Their spicy Hawaiian style poke is my absolute favorite poke and I swear by it.

2. If you’re staying in Waikiki, Maguro Brothers is another great spot for poke. They open daily at 5pm on the spot and also serve chirashi bowls in addition to delicious poke. We had one of their daily specials with fatty tuna belly and it was phenomenal.

3. You also cannot visit the islands without having shave ice. My favorites include Waiola Shave Ice in Honolulu and Matsumoto Shave Ice up in the North Shore.

4. With various locations around the island, Liliha Bakery, famous for their cream puffs, is also a must-visit. My favorite is the choco puff, while X enjoys the matcha puff. Their best sell is the coco puff, with a creamy chocolate pudding filling and topped with a Chantilly frosting.

5. Another amazing dessert spot is Leonard’s Bakery, for their famous malasadas. Malasadas are Portuguese fried pastries from the Azores. Essentially a doughnut coated with sugar and cinnamon, they’re absolutely pillowy indulgence. Here, you can get them plain or filled with a variety of custards. They always make them fresh to order, so you always get pipping hot malasadas here!

6. One of my absolute favorite Hawaiian dishes is Loco Moco. Featuring a beef patty over rice with a fried egg and tons of gravy, it’s comfort food at its finest. A lot of plate lunch spots will sell it, but Rainbow Drive-In has one of the best on the island.

7. If you’re on the North Shore, you have to eat at a shrimp truck. There are a ton of them dotting the North Shore, but our favorite has always been Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. Their shrimp scampi is a plate of glorious garlicy, buttery heaven.

8. Another stop you must make is the Dole Plantation to have their famous Dole Whip. I’m convinced the Dole Whip at the Dole Plantation is the best there is. It’s just smoother and have more pineapple flavor.

9. One of our absolute favorite snacks while in Hawai’i are spam musubi’s. Featuring a slice of seasoned spam over a rectangle of rice, they are extremely popular on the islands and make a great snack to bring to the beach or on hikes.

10. And lastly, sit back with a Mai Tai and enjoy a beautiful sunset on Waikiki Beach. House Without a Key, located in the Halekulani Hotel, serves a mean Mai Tai and has live entertainment daily during the sunset hours.