Malama Market Pahoa

Malama Market Pahoa – Shop for Essentials and Local-Style Food in the Puna Kai Shopping Center
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

A true one-stop shop to remember, the Malama Market Pahoa makes it easy to get all the essentials and more. Their local-style food is the icing on the cake, especially when you’re in the mood for poke made all ways. Plus, they open at the break of dawn and close late, so you can always get what you need when you need it.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

Much more than a grocery store, Malama Market Pahoa serves as a delightful one-stop shop for all your essentials. On top of that, it’s a great place to fill up your belly with prepared local-style foods and drinks from the Anytime Bar. Their humongous poke counter remains the star of the show, however, with its 40 incredible variations on this fan favorite.

Their offerings start with the full spread of fresh, frozen, and packaged foods, of course. In addition to the ordinary fare, they have tons of natural, organic, and gourmet products from all the most popular local brands.  Then, they go well beyond all that with a hardware section full of materials and tools for your DIY projects. Plus, they have a full garden center with live plants, leis, and cut flowers of all kinds.

After shopping for all your essentials, treat yourself right with a trip over to their deli for all the local favorites made onsite each day. They have everything from Korean Chicken and Szechuan Shrimp to Fried Rice and Bi Bim Bap. So, you can trust that they’ll have just what you need to satisfy all your cravings.

For the full dining experience, you cannot miss their 16-foot poke counter. All along that delightful spread, they have 40 amazing varieties of poke available by the pound for your consideration. Day after day, they regularly roll out all the best flavors, including Spicy Tuna, Tako Kim Chee, and Wasabi Mayo Ahi. Nearby, you can also find fresh sushi rolls and other seafood delights ready to go in clamshell containers.

Once you get your food selections squared away, turn your attention to their Anytime Bar. At any point in your visit, you’re welcome to grab a seat on one of the barstools and order from their huge menu of tasty drinks. Freshly brewed coffee, smoothies, fruit juice, tea, beer, wine, and cocktails are all up for grabs throughout the day. So, just let the bartender know what you’re after and they’ll fix you up right.

Their most popular bar drinks include:

Caramel Cappuccino
Whenever you start running low on energy, look to the Caramel Cappuccino for what you need. Their wonderful coffee flavors serve as the perfect base for this drink, while the ultra-sweet caramel smooths it all out. You’ll just need to let them know what size you want – and whether you’d like a regular or large cup.

Red Dragon Smoothie
The Red Dragon Smoothie offers an incredible mix of bright, bold flavors that are definitely good enough to write home about. When you order this drink, they will blend up strawberries, dragon fruit, lime, and pineapple to start. After that, they’ll add coconut milk, oat milk, and agave to mellow out the tart mix. Then, right when you thought it was safe, red li hing mui powder joins the party to kick it up a notch.  

Lilikoi Whiskey Sour
The Lilikoi Whiskey Sour always serves as a delightful way to kick your day into high gear. This drink features a simple mix of top-notch whiskey, lemon juice, and passionfruit puree. Despite that, the resulting flavors are anything but low-key, giving your tastebuds a run for their money.

If you want to end your visit with a sweet treat, head on over to the bakery for fresh-baked muffins, cookies, and malasadas, of course. Their malasada flavors change up often, but you can always count on finding their decadent guava-filled variety. For something a little cooler, go to the frozen section to find a delightful local favorite, Bubbies mochi ice cream.

Insider Tips:
-Swing by on Fridays to get a regular-sized frappe at a discount.
-On game days, come by for 20% off their growlers.
-Always check for signs on the deli counters, near the bar, and in other prime locations that let you know about the latest specials, discounts, and more.