If you want to nosh on fantastic pizza while visiting the Big Island, you just have to set your sights on Kona Crust. Located in the Kona Coast Shopping Center, this popular eatery encourages you to roll out the creativity in building your favorite pies. You can go keep it simple with cheese, cheese, and more cheese. Or go all out by loading each pie up with all the toppings you can muster. Can’t decide what to get? They’ll happily let you build out a half and half creation to remember.
They only offer their pizzas in two sizes: 16- and 18-inches. And they roll out the dough perfectly thin to emulate that classic New York style. If you want an original thick crust, they can do that, too. Either way, they generously slather the crust with housemade sauce before pilling on the toppings of your choice.
You’re always welcome to pick your toppings one by one. But they also have several signature creations if you prefer, like their ever-popular Manhattan Supreme. After that, you have to choose their amazing drizzle to elevate the pizza flavors even more. Their drizzle flavors include BBQ, ranch, sriracha, buffalo, and olive oil.
As you build all your pizzas, don’t forget to add garlic knots to your order. With the addition of rich garlic butter, their dough transforms into a wickedly good starter. They put about eight knots of fresh-baked dough into each order, and then add their housemade marinara sauce alongside for dipping. If you truly want the full appetizer experience, however, ask for a side of ranch for dipping as well.
For now, you have to take your orders to go, but that could change in the future. They have plenty of room for tables and chairs, after all. But it’s just not in the cards at the moment. The dining room doesn’t have much for ambiance anyway, so you’re not super missing out by getting takeout. In fact, it’s often for the best, especially if you take your pizza out to the pier along Kailua Bay. From there, you can enjoy all the most beautiful views while chowing down on slice after slice of home-cooked goodness.
Pure decadence awaits in the:
Kona Supreme
A local take on their popular Manhattan Supreme pie, the Kona Supreme also promises to impress from the very first bite. This pizza comes piled high with sausage, bacon, red peppers, and onions. On top of that, they add an olive oil drizzle to add even more flavor to the mix.
Sweet Caliente
When nothing else will do but sweet and spicy excellence, get the Sweet Caliente. To create this popular pizza, they top their dough with pepperoni, jalapenos, and pineapple. Although it doesn’t automatically come with a drizzle, you can add one if you’d like.
Veggie
If you want to skip the meat without compromising on flavor, treat yourself to the Veggie pizza. This pie starts with mushrooms, spinach, olives, onions, and peppers. Over that, they sprinkle on plenty of garlic, and then add an olive oil drizzle at the very end.
If you’re just feeling a little snacky, pop in for a slice of pizza instead of getting the whole pie. They sell many of their signature creations by the slice all day long. You never know what you’re going to get, however, so keep an open mind before you come in. Then, get ready to savor the flavors before you, which are always 100% impressive.
Insider Tips:
-The crust can get rather chewy and tough as it cools. To bring back its crunch, just pop it in the oven until piping hot once again.
-They get super busy around dinnertime. To avoid a long wait, call in your order before leaving your hotel.
-Oftentimes, they close early without notice. But you can call to make sure they’re open before swinging by.