What an absolute Gem of a restaurant! In the heart of Honokaa. Glad we found this wonderful Italian restaurant! We were walking and decided to try it out. We got a 12" pepperoni pizza and a special pastrami sandwich. The pepperoni pizza was so delicious. It has so much flavor in every bite! The crust tastes garlic, the cheese tasted so good! Definitely try it! Oh my goodness! The pastrami sandwich is one of the best sandwich I've ever eaten! The pastrami was crunchy on the sides and so much flavor. You can tell the sandwiches bread is fresh! The lettuce and tomatoes are so fresh too. read more

Cafe il Mondo - Pastrami sandwich is the best sandwich I've ever ate! - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

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First time back since new owners. What a great surprise to see the same staff! Chef Jeff and Isa were what made Cafe il Mondo so good before, and no surprise, it is still a delicious experience. Today was a crispy cold Maui Big Swell, can't beat it if you like a good local IPA. We shared a house salad which was generous, fresh, and flavorful. Next up we split an Italian sausage calzone. This is one of my very favorites that Jeff cooks up in the brick oven. Fresh out, it is glistening and wonderful. Such a delicious blend of flavors. Because leftover pizza is always a treat, we ordered up the large Mondo, 1/2 pesto, 1/2 tomato sauce. Fresh and tasty, not much made the to go box. Cudos to the new owners as the food remains fabulous and the service friendly. Will we go back? Of course, and bring friends when we can. read more

Cafe il Mondo - Menu - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

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My husband and I live in upper Hilo so we went cruising on Saturday ended up in Honokaa and we thought let's have lunch so we stopped by this little gym. Very cute. I can just imagine it in the evening. They have a full bar huge tables. great service food was really good. We had the ribs and the salad that had these watermelon radish that I never heard of before, so I asked her what was that she told me I looked it up. I'm now gonna buy some service was great. Our waitress was amazing. Highly recommend it is a hidden gem. Linda n Frank read more

I've been a patron of Cafe Il Mondo for approaching 30 years. In their original location you'd come for the food. Since buying and remodeling their current location, the food is the same but the ambience is so much better. Once upon a time, at least based on personal observation, this was a successful restaurant with normal hours. Covid seriously damaged the business to the point where it was recently sold. The new owners are running the business like it was a hobby. One look at their business hours and you'll see that this is no longer a typical restaurant. That said, if you could count on their posted hours, you could work around their schedule, but the hours they advertise mean nothing. Over the past two years I've driven the 40 mile round trip no less than four times only to find the place closed. I'm writing this review on a Saturday. Advertised hours dictated that the restaurant was open, but when we arrived at 1:30 this afternoon, the place was locked tight. Knowing they are unreliable we called first but after eighteen rings their machine picked up but there was no message. If you think this should have been our first clue that the restaurant was closed, three weeks ago when we were last there on a Saturday afternoon, they were open but hadn't picked up the phone when we called before committing to the drive. That time we arrived at 2:30 and were greeted by a 'closed' sign but the door was open. They said they had planned on closing early because business had been slow. This place was once a gem but the new owners would appear to have decided to go out of business and have simply not yet decided when to lock the front door for good. I love the chef and the pizza is the best I've ever eaten, but Cafe Il Mondo has exhausted my patience and we won't be going back. read more

Friendly, thoughtful service. I had a Greek Calzone which was absolute perfection. The crust was light, garlicky covering a mild cheesy garlic, , calamata olive pesto treat. I couldn't finish...could easily be shared for around $15. I thanked the chef, Jeff, who was kind and excited about food in Honoka'a and his restaurant. It was an enjoyable time. I hate to eat out, but this was the exception. read more

Cafe il Mondo - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

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The restaurant is beautiful. The staff is patient and helpful and our pizzas were fantastic!

THE FOOD AND DRINKS WERE O.K. ============================ My sister and I received a recommendation to try this restaurant from a sales person at Bentley's Home Collection in Waimea. We then drove to Honokaa and stopped in for lunch on June 14, 2023. The menu was extremely limited with basically three kinds of pizza. It was a good thing we like pizza because we were hungry and tired. We ordered the veggie combo and a cocktail. I can't remember the name of the cocktail even after looking at the short list. It was good. Another thing that was strange is that they give you paper plates for the food. It really didn't blow our socks off, but it was acceptable. read more

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Always stop by whenever we are in the area. Lovely atmosphere and menu! Very friendly staff.

Not sure if open. The phone is never answered. We do not want to drive twenty five minutes for late lunch to be greeted with a no show.New owners; good luck! read more

This is my second time to visit this restaurant. The ambience was warm and inviting, plus the old-fashioned tables were nice. We again ordered the Greek calzone and lasagna, which is essential to taste. We also sampled some new plates suggested by the waitress who was very helpful. Her recommendations were perfect, and I liked how she patiently explained the menu to us. The sausage calzone became my new favorite, and I surely will have the lasagna again the next time I visit. read more

Only open 11-4 but a very cute spot in the middle of Honokaa town. Not a large menu but what they do, they do well. Friendly service, as well. Greek salad is simple but tasty- comes with a side of garlic bread. Their bread is soft and delicious. Pizzas are good. Calzone is also good. read more

This is a beautiful cafe with a welcoming atmosphere. The interior is nicely done in wood and stone tiles. The menu is varied with mainly Italian dishes. There are many entrees, and pizza , salads and sandwiches . There's a full bar and also desserts. The waitress was friendly and efficient. It's a comfortable place with great food. Recommended for lunch, dinner or a beer and pizza break. read more

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Excellent food service and value. Worth every penny. I had Italian sausage calzone which is out of this world delicious. And my husband had spaghetti and meatballs and was raving about how delicious it was. Our server is very attentive. You do not want to miss these places read more

Cafe il Mondo - Italian sausage calzone - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

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The food was terrific here. My son had the lasagna special while my husband had a calzone. My salad was basic but satisfying and was the least favorite dish, so go for something cheesy! The live music was mellow and just right, and the service was lovely. Lunch will take longer than you think, so be prepared for a full hour long time. We had a big party around us which slowed the kitchen (and single pizza oven). We will be back! read more

A really nice restaurant in a country town. Very impressive interior and decor as soon as you walk in. The menu was extremely limited at the moment. Basically 3 types of pizza. The beer, especially Peroni on tap, was really cold and hit the spot. We ordered the veggie combo and the pepperoni pizzas. It was more than enough for 4 of us. The pizza was very fresh tasting and a lot better than we expected. The server got to us right away and was very friendly. She got our drinks out quickly and made sure we had everything we needed. I really hope they do well and come out of this Covid thing okay. I'd love to see the expanded menu of Italian dishes. We'll be back next time we're on the Island. read more

My family and I drove out to Honokaa for the day from Hilo. We hadn't eaten at Cafe il Mundo in years. We arrived at 12, and waited for our food for an hour. But totally worth the wait. Our server was very attentive. Always making sure that our water glasses were filled. Including my dog. Fresh salad, fantastic pizza with amazing crust. My friend asked for a specialty sandwich it was hot fresh and delicious. Over all food, service, and atmosphere was wonderful. read more

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Pizza! Fresh, with delicious toppings. A small but thoughtful drink selection. Not a lot of beer on tap, though. The ambiance is very nice with unique tile work and warm wooden tables. A favorite spot. read more

Great place to enjoy some wood-fired pizza and drinks. Plus they had live music. Service was friendly too.

Great food great service. Lasagna was splendid. Great meat sauce and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The beef from the French dip melts in your mouth. The pepperoni pizza was thick, super hot, tasty and the bread/crust was money! read more

It's been awhile since we've been to Honoka'a but last month we were there twice and we enjoyed Cafe il Mondo both times. The food and service was excellent on both occasions. Their salads are fresh and not over-seasoned, just perfectly delicious. Calzones are flavorful and filling, and their Lasagna is the BEST, a perfect blend of meat, cheese, and delectable sauce with a perfect hint of basil. We highly recommend! read more

The food is always very tasty. And the wine glass is generously filled. The employees are super nice. It's a pleasure eating there.

Everything was delicious! Great dinner spot. Whatever you get, get something with red sauce. It was so good with the pasta. The pizza we got was delicious too, but was made with a pesto base..once we tried the sauce on the pasta, we wished we woulda gotten a pizza with the sauce. At night, bugs are attracted to the patio lights, maybe stay inside Next time! - Parking: plenty on street - Price: each person will spend $25 - $35 including tip and drink - Drinks: liquor, mixed drinks, and bottles, nothing on tap (yet) read more

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Their food is excellent, specially their vegetarian sandwich. The Chef is very good been there for years.

Food as hands down AWESOME! When they're open... it's a beautiful restaurant, very classy and amazing architecture. But like a lot of other places in town, incredibly under staffed. Expect a long wait, it is worth it! read more

Stopped on our way through sightseeing. Good food and friendly staff, but painfully slow service for lunch.

We miss this place so much. We don't live close to it any more :( Best pizza ever! And I don't even like pizza. My favorite is Sergio's with pesto base. Lazanya is super good also! I little tip : prepare you visit, buy a good wine, because the store across the street has only cheapo wine . Great service too!!!! Update: Since they moved to a new location (very nice btw) the food doesn't taste the same! We went couple times. And not coming back. It seams like their waitresses have no clue about the food menu or wine menu. Or we were just "lucky" to stop by when their waitress was still in training. But two times in a row ? Not my favorite pizza place any more:( read more

Cafe il Mondo - Love love love!!!!! Delicious pizza and lazanya!!!! - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

While on vacation, we stopped in Honokaa after a crazy hike in Waipio Valley and found this great restaurant. We loved everything about Cafe il Mondo. The food was delicious and fresh. Our waitress was super nice, attentive, and answered all our questions. We tried their pizza which was so good. Also, the caprese salad was amazing, very fresh and delicious. The Greek salad was also good, big, and fresh. I added fish "catch of the day" mahi-mahi, I believe it was... and it was so good! I would love to eat here again if I could. The owner of the restaurant, Dina has a beautiful soul, she's one of the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met. "Mahalo Cafe il Mondo" for an amazing delicious experience :) read more

Cafe il Mondo - Greek Salad with Mahi-mahi - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

Let's start with the basics. We were in the middle of NO WHERE. Seriously I couldn't pronounce the name of the town as a mainlander and felt like I had gone back in time 20 years as we drove through the streets (which in many ways was very nice). We had been out on a drive and was about an hour from our condo. So what do you do in a foreign land with nothing but your wit, devilishly handsome good looks, and your iPhone? You pull up Yelp that's what you do given the other two are more fiction than fact! So we did and since we wanted pizza this place sounded like a fit. As I was reading about it, my wife says there's a place and funny enough it was the same Il Mondo that I was reading about. We walk in and I'm going, what did we get ourselves into? The place is alright looking, but I'm in the middle of the mountains of Hawaii...(seriously Hawaii and looking for pizza!!! are you kidding). We sit down and the place is okay, nothing fancy and kind of small yet then again it's kind of cool and obviously not a chain which is good (support your local economy and all). I read about the calzone on yelp so being a fan by nature I order my stand by the italian sausage while my wife orders the Greek. We wait and take in the scenes of the restaurant for what felt like a good amount of time, but the waitress was nice and we weren't in a rush so all is good. Finally after a while the waitress comes around the corner with our food and HOLY COW! This is not a calzone...it's art! I'm mean seriously check out the pics I took they look ridiculous. No wonder we had to wait, they literally made it from scratch and it looked good. I took the first bite and man was I hooked. It was possibly the best calzone I have ever experienced and I travel a LOT (NYC, Chicago, etc...) and this little hole in the wall had the audacity to create this! What did I do to get so lucky. We ooh'd and ahh'd for what seemed like forever as we devoured what had once been a Picasso of italian inspired perfection. Note: Cash Only. Does not accept credit cards, but Amazing Food!!! In the words of the Governator...I'll be back! read more

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Wonderful restaurant with a beautiful atmosphere in Honoka'a town. I was very appreciative of how nice the staff were, as we had a large party and did takeout. We ordered a variety from the menu - from calzones to sandwiches, to pizza - and everything was fresh and tasty. Although we didn't dine-in, I was struck by the eclectic decor and cleanliness of the facilities. It really is one of the best looking restaurants in the state! This place is definitely worth a visit! read more

This place is amazing. Annette is one of my favorite waitresses and Natalie is my favorite little hostess. They're both amazing wait staff as are all of the other wonderful waitresses that work there. The food is always so delicious, I love it! Recently on what must have been a busy night, I ordered takeout and the calzone we got was not cooked all the way and the dough was raw which was sad, but all the rest of our food was so delicious. I assume they probably just had too much to do, and really like one little mistake out of tons of great experiences isn't enough to make this anything less than a five star review. I absolutely love the soup of the day special as well as the mac and cheese. The potato wedges are the best thing to eat in town. I absolutely adore this place! read more

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Super fresh vegetables and multiple vegetarian options. Focaccia bread was well baked. Staff is very accommodating and friendly.

Good food just a challenge to get it as the hours are very limited which I'm sure is due to staff shortage

Very nice atmosphere. COVID compliant. Fantastic pizza and calzones. Very tasty drinks. Love seeing the pizza being made. Very fresh ingredients. Friendly staff. There were a few special requests and they happily accommodated. Loved the pesto on my pizza. We will definitely return. read more

Great ambiance, decor and bar were obviously a labor of love by someone with vast experience. Food was great, had tomato bisque, Greek salad and a calzone. Soup was excellent, salad was fresh. Make sure you've got time to wait though, calzone took over a hour from order to delivery. In our opinion, worth the wait. Crust was yummy, as was the sauce and the filling. Didn't have coffee or dessert, we were out of time, but will definitely return when we're in Honoka`a. read more

The ultimate traditional; thin crust, choice of pesto or red sauce pizza with my favorite fresh basil and tomato and cheese. Expect to wait because every pizza is made fresh to order. Beautiful new location in a great environment with a bar and live music Th-Sat. The pasta dishes are dreamy. I think they could improve on the salad; chill the greens and make some home made dressings like a creamy pesto? And the Apple Pie ala mode is incredible. Wow, for a minute there I forgot I was in a small village in Hawaii. Ono! read more

Cafe il Mondo - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

We stopped in for a quick lunch and found the absolute best pizza I have had in years. The crust was light but not to crispy and it had plenty of cheese, super delicious. The Island Cosmo with lime, pineapple and cranberry was also quite yummy, I had to have two. I would highly recommend this little gem. read more

The restaurant itself is beautiful on the inside. Pizza oven is eye catching. We waited quite some time for our Greek salad appetizer and started to notice everyone else getting their meals first. We ordered a calzone and a pizza. My boyfriend ordered only water and was never refilled until he asked. The server and busser came around with water multiple times but always skipped our table. Food was just ok. Calzone was overdone on top and dough where folded was underdone. Pizza was pale. No plates given to share. Mojito was missing sweetness and only had a small amount of sugar not mixed into the drink. There were 3 waitresses for what started as 10 groups when we got there into 15 plus 3 tables of poets not eating when we finally left. Staff was way more interested in chatting up with the locals at the bar. read more

Cafe il Mondo - Greek salad - Pizza Near Me - Honokaa, Hawaii

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My husband and I ordered the lasagna special to take back to our airbnb to have for dinner. Even reheated it was delicious! This special also included a green salad and garlic bread. One of the best meals we've had so far on our trip. read more

We visited here on our way back from site seeing. We arrived just before 2pm. We were a large part of 7 and were seated and a beautiful long table. We were nervous they wouldn't let us in because Yelp said they closed at 2, but we noticed they didn't actually close the whole time we were there. We started with the Greek salad which was extremely fresh and oh so yummy! We also had cheesy focaccia that came with a side of pesto, very enjoyable. I ordered the meat pizza. I don't remember the name. I split the 12 inch with my husband and it was just enough. Others in our party ordered the Hawaiian which was also really good. My kids said they liked their wings. I also really enjoyed their drinks. I had the lava lava and mojito, both delicious. What impressed me the most was the friendly staff and chef. The chef came out and said hello, asked us how our meal was. You could tell he really takes pride in what he's making. When we visit again, we will for sure stop by and I'll make sure to take pictures of the delicious food. read more

Cafe Il Mondo in Honokaa town is probably the only restaurant for a demanding palate and desire for good Italian food normally found in Waimea or Kona. Honokaa is a cute little historical town on the East side of the island of Hawaii (Hamakua Coast). Cafe Il Mondo is the best restaurant in this town for a meal that rivals NY, LA, LV Italian food! It's not what you expect from a little sleepy town but worth the drive from anywhere on the island as a destination for a nice lunch or dinner outing. Some days they have a casual guitar player singing in the background while you dine in a nicely decorated, clean, and updated atmosphere. They have a nice bar with quality beers on tap as well as an open kitchen where you view a giant pizza oven and friendly staff and owner (Dena). I've eaten everything they have from the Calzone, Waipio Pizza, Greek Salad, Fresco Paradise Pizza, Roasted Chicken (great twice baked potatoes), and great fresh desserts like a Brownie Sunday to a Tahitian vanilla ice cream with coffee toppings. Peroni beer and Samuel Adams on tap! They have much more that I will continue to try but those were my fav's. read more