Cultivate Good Food starts with the premise of ‘you are what you eat’. For anyone who wants to live a more natural lifestyle, one that embraces the many gifts of the Big Island, this grab-and-go cafe has boiled all the best stuff down to one menu. Thanks to a year-round growing season and the fertile soil afforded by its famous volcano, the juice you drink are straight from the tree, and the veggies you enjoy are straight from the garden.
This restaurant and juice bar embraces the life-giving properties of a plant-based diet, and the benefits of knowing exactly who grows, prepares and serves your food. The restaurant works with local farmers to both stimulate the economy and make healthier choices easier for locals and tourists alike.
It All Started with Feeling Better
The owners of Cultivate Good Food were initially obsessed with making their own meals and snacks from what they could grow in their own backyard and what they could source from the local farmers’ markets. All the fresh-pressed juice and home-grown produce made them feel so good that it was only a matter of time before they opened the doors to the public.
The dishes include all plant-based proteins, so if you’ve never tried bacon made from coconuts, this definitely would be the place to go. Every menu item is packed with everything from vitamins to antioxidants.
When you’re at Cultivate Good Food, try one of these favorites:
Coconut BLT
Served on fresh greens with quinoa, carrot, tomato, avocado, and sprouts, the star of this dish is the coconut bacon. Made with unsweetened coconut flakes and mixed with spices, the result is remarkably similar to its non-vegan counterpart. The dish (which can be served as a wrap, sandwich, or salad) comes with either vegan coconut or vegan chipotle ranch.
Cultivate Clarity
For those used to getting all their mental focus in the morning from coffee, maybe it’s time to take a break from the stimulant and try an alternative with a few more nutrients. Made with pressed carrot, ginger, lemon, and apple, this drink is more of a wake-up call for your mind.
A Taste of Thai
If you’re craving Thai food, why not wrap it all up and take it to go? Beets, carrots, cucumbers, sprouts, quinoa, avocado, Thai basil, and ginger peanut sauce all deliver the flavors of another island that’s every bit as packed with natural beauty as Hawaii.
Cultivate Joy
This juice is pressed watermelon, mint, lime, and green apple, with its surprise ingredient being a dash of chili pepper from the island. It’s refreshing, of course, but it’s also meant as a pick-me-up for your mood as much as your taste buds.
Chickpea Curry
If you’re nuts about chickpeas, this curried salad comes with celery and raisins, and it’s all dressed with a vegan coconut ranch. Comes on a bed of greens with tomato and red onion for a fresh take on a traditional sauce.
The motto here is that eating clean food doesn’t mean that your diet has to be bland or boring. The juices are never pasteurized or preserved, and they’re pressed daily to ensure fresh flavors. Some regulars of the cafe come because they love the taste, while others find that it helps them manage chronic health issues. There are a lot of flavors to be found in such a small place, and we think that it’s worth a stop.
Insider Tips:
-100% vegan restaurant with all food and drinks made from local ingredients.
-Plenty of street parking available.
-The cafe does offer a small outdoor bar if you want to eat there but is more of a grab-and-go spot.
-Portion sizes are very large and meant to be consumed as a full meal.
-The menu is small, but they do offer a DIY wrap option.