Our home in Waiāhole Valley has served different purposes over the years, but food and community have remained central to its story.

The building that houses our original Waiāhole Poi Factory location was constructed in 1905 as a working poi factory. Over the decades, it became an art gallery, a shared kitchen for local families, and eventually the traditional Hawaiian food restaurant we operate today.

For our family, preserving this place means more than keeping an old building in use. It means continuing its connection to Hawaiian food traditions and sharing those traditions with everyone who visits.

1905: The Original Poi Factory

Our story begins with kalo, the Hawaiian name for taro.

Kalo has a significant place in Hawaiian culture and food traditions. When cooked and processed into poi, it becomes a staple food that has nourished generations of Hawaiian families.

The original Waiāhole building was constructed in 1905 and operated as a poi factory for nearly 70 years, until 1971.

During those decades, the factory was connected to the work of transforming kalo into poi. That original purpose remains an important part of our identity, even though the building and the business have changed over time.

Today, we continue that connection through our traditional Hawaiian food menu and our hand-pounded poi.

1971: How the Hoe Family Became Part of the Story

In 1971, Calvin and Charlene Hoe took over the former factory building as its original poi-producing operation was coming to an end.

Rather than continuing the building's previous industrial role, they transformed it into an art gallery.

For approximately a decade, extending into the 1980s, the building served a different purpose in Waiāhole Valley. Although it was no longer operating in the same way as the original factory, it remained a place where the Hoe family was involved in the community.

This chapter is an important distinction in our history.

Our building dates to 1905, but the Hoe family's involvement began in 1971. The Hawaiian food restaurant customers know today came later.

You can learn more about these changes on our Our History page.

The 1980s: Bringing Food Production Back to the Building

During the 1980s, Calvin and Charlene Hoe worked with others from Waiāhole Valley to refurbish the factory's kitchen and other areas.

Their work made it possible for the building to produce poi again.

The space also developed another important role as an incubator kitchen, where local families could rent facilities and explore food-processing ideas.

This arrangement continued until around 2009.

It was a different chapter from the original factory operation, but it kept food production connected to the building. Instead of serving exclusively as a traditional poi factory, the space became a place where families could pursue their own food-related work.

That period helped establish the foundation for the restaurant we would later open.

2009: Our Return to Traditional Hawaiian Food

In 2009, we returned to the building's food-centered roots by establishing a full-time Hawaiian food and hand-pounded poi restaurant.

Our menu was inspired by dishes traditionally served at Hawaiian lūʻau gatherings. Rather than making the building a museum of its past, we wanted to keep Hawaiian food traditions part of everyday life.

Today, our Hawaiian food menu includes dishes that reflect that purpose.

Kalua Pig

We slow-cook and smoke our Kalua Pig for twelve hours before shredding it and seasoning it with Hawaiian sea salt.

Laulau

Our Laulau combines pork with a touch of butterfish, wrapped in taro leaves and steamed.

Beef Lu'au and Squid Lu'au

Taro leaves are an important ingredient in these dishes. Our Beef Lu'au combines slowly cooked taro leaves with braised beef, onions, and ginger.

Our Squid Lu'au combines tender octopus with taro leaves, coconut milk, and Hawaiian sea salt.

Chicken Long Rice

Our Chicken Long Rice brings together chicken and rice noodles in a ginger and chicken broth.

These dishes represent the food we wanted to continue sharing when we reopened the building as a restaurant.

They also explain why our history is closely tied to what we serve. The factory's original connection to kalo remains part of a menu centered on traditional Hawaiian food.

Keeping the Tradition of Hand-Pounded Poi

One of the clearest connections between our building's past and present is hand-pounded poi.

While the original building once operated as a poi factory, today we preserve the traditional method of using a board and stone to pound cooked kalo.

At our historic Waiāhole Valley location, we make Hand Pounded Poi and Pa'i'ai on scheduled Wednesdays and Sundays.

Pa'i'ai is hand-pounded kalo before it is diluted into poi. Poi is made by adding water to achieve its familiar consistency.

Because this work depends on the kalo harvest, weather, and staffing, we produce limited batches, and pounding may not take place every scheduled day.

Hand Pounded Poi and Pa'i'ai are available at our original Waiāhole location, not at our Windward Mall counter.

If you are visiting specifically to purchase either one, please call (808) 239-2222 beforehand to confirm availability and reserve your order.

For additional information about poi and its place in Hawaiian cooking, explore our Hawaiian Food 101 resource.

Our Waiāhole Valley Restaurant Today

Our historic location continues to operate at 48-140 Kamehameha Highway in Kāneʻohe.

Here, we serve traditional Hawaiian food, offer our scheduled hand-pounded poi and pa'i'ai, and welcome customers to a building with a history closely connected to the valley.

The original location is also home to our WPF Country Store, which carries merchandise and a range of gifts, accessories, and other products.

Our restaurant has also grown beyond the historic building.

We have a second location in the lower-level food court at Windward Mall in Kāneʻohe. This gives customers another way to enjoy our Hawaiian food, including on Tuesdays when our original Waiāhole restaurant is closed.

The two locations have different offerings, so we recommend checking the appropriate menu and location information before visiting.

Hānai i ka ʻAi, Hānai i ke Aloha

Our story connects several chapters of Waiāhole Valley history.

A building that began as a poi factory in 1905 became an art gallery under the Hoe family in 1971. It later provided kitchen space for local families before becoming our full-time Hawaiian food restaurant in 2009.

Through those changes, we have remained connected to the importance of food, family, and Hawaiian traditions.

Our guiding words are “Hānai i ka ʻai, hānai i ke aloha,” meaning “To nourish with food, to nourish with love.”

They express why we continue doing this work.

For us, sharing traditional Hawaiian food is one way to keep our history meaningful in the present.

Visit Our Historic Waiāhole Location

If you would like to experience the place where our story began, we welcome you to our original restaurant in Waiāhole Valley.

Historic Waiāhole Valley Location

48-140 Kamehameha Highway
Kāneʻohe, HI 96744

Hours: Wednesday through Monday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Closed: Tuesdays
Phone: (808) 239-2222

You can browse our full menu before your visit or use our online ordering page to find the pickup ordering options for our two locations.

For those planning a gathering, we also offer traditional Hawaiian food catering.

Whether you are visiting Waiāhole Valley for the first time or returning for a familiar meal, we appreciate the opportunity to share our food and our family's story with you.

Mahalo for your support.

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