Cafe Il Mondo

Stopped in just before going to Waipio, only had a few minutes to grab a bite. The young waitress was extremely friendly and accommodating with our time crunch. We ordered the big island pizza, grabbed some water, she put our pie in a box and we were out.
Pizza is a bit pricy, but it was worth it. Sauce was great and lots of toppings. Also bring cash like many mom and pop shops they don't take credit cards.

While backpacking in Hawaii, my boyfriend and I came across Cafe II Mondo when we just so happened to be craving pizza. Luckily, this place was in the unexpected town of Honoka'a.

At a glance, the place seems like a typical hole-in-the-wall restaurant. A couple places to sit outside and several tables inside. It was a very intimate setting, which actually I tend to like when eating out.

Service was fantastic. The waitress was attentive and on the ball. We noticed when other people came in they were able to bring their own bottles of wine. We thought that was very cool.
 
The prices were intimidating at first, but we were adamant about getting pizza before spending a few days in Waipio Valley. Good thing that was the case.

Like I said, we were at first a little weary of spending ~$10.00 on pizza, but when the food was served we were pleased, BIG-TIME. I forgot what we ordered because we actually ate here a few months ago, but the experience was timeless. It was definitely a vegetarian pizza.

When the waitress brought our pizza to the table, she sat it down and the aroma filled our nostrils with sweet, rich flavors. To our surprise, it was obvious that the pizza had been made completely fresh and from scratch. I'm not kidding when I say that I had never tasted pizza this good in my entire life. Talk about a rush for your taste buds.

A few weeks or so later, we were riding on the hele-on bus coming from Kona to Hilo. As the bus passed through Honoka'a, we saw Cafe II Mondo and were instantly brought back to the unforgettable quality of the pizza there. In a split second, we looked at each other and decided to forget about Hilo for the night. We got off the bus purely for the sake of eating at this place. We had no idea where we would sleep that night, but it was totally worth it to experience the kind of quality food this place offers.

We ended up ordering the veggie calzone the second time and loved it just as much as the pizza. I still think about this pizza from time-to-time, and my boyfriend and I have found that no pizza can compare, unless, of course, we make it fresh ourselves ;)

I recommend this place as something someone must experience when visiting the island. Really guys, it's just that good.

This little Italian restaurant was just what we needed after hiking to Hi'ilawe waterfall in Waipi'o Valley. I always love restaurants where you get to walk through the kitchen. It has a giant table when you first walk in for large groups or a bunch of small ones. I had the veggie calzone ($12) and my husband had the bowl of clam chowder with 2 slices of foccacia ($5). I can't say enough how fresh it was. They garnished my calzone with fresh tomato that was one of the most flavorful tomatoes I've had in a long time. It was as if they picked in from their own garden. If you're in the area, it's well worth the stop. Oh! And they only take cash.