Must-try dishes include poke (fresh raw fish salad, best from local grocery stores and fish markets), loco moco (rice, hamburger patty, egg, gravy), malasadas (Portuguese-style fried doughnuts), and fresh Kona coffee. Hilo's farmers market is the best spot for tropical fruit — try lilikoi (passion fruit), rambutan, and apple bananas. Poke bowls from local grocery deli counters (not tourist-focused restaurants) are often the best value and freshest option.