Back in the day, at least twice a week after our last morning class at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, my friend Fay and I would make a beeline for Metcalf Street, where Grace’s blue lunch wagon would be parked. We never tired of Grace’s plate lunches (my favorites were beef stew and chicken katsu).
Years later when I was a busy single mom, plate lunches were my go-to meals when I didn’t have time to cook. It was convenient, tasty comfort food, and the portions were so big, I knew there would be leftovers for my young son and me.
As we all know, the humble, soul-satisfying plate lunch typically comes with 2 scoops of rice; a protein (beef, chicken, fish, or tofu); and a side of mac salad. It is a core of our local dining experience, and these 7 O‘ahu eateries take the dish to delicious new heights.
(Note: The prices for the eateries mentioned here ranged from $8.60 for a mini plate lunch to $32.45 at the time of research.)