After a recent media event on the North Shore, I stopped off in Haleiwa. If you’re doing an around-the-island drive, here are some spots worth checking out.

North Shore Crepes Café

There are many food trucks to choose from in historic Haleiwa town, but North Shore Crepes Café serves up crepes out of its signature VW bus. Business owner Jonathan Pajot, who grew up in northwest France, opened his “food truck” in 2006 with the vision of sharing authentic crepes with both tourists and the local community.

You can find both sweet and savory crepes, and the biz offers vegan and gluten-free options. Popular savory crepes include the Hawaiian ($12.75) — filled with kalua pig, mozzarella, coleslaw, barbecue sauce and sautéed onions — and garlic shrimp ($12.95), complete with shrimp, scrambled egg, avocado, mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach and pesto. If you’re in the mood for a dessert crepe, go for the Waikiki ($10.75) — a delicious mix of Nutella, bananas and strawberries topped with vanilla ice cream — or the Aloha ($6.75), a simple-but-delicious medley of butter, sugar and cinnamon.

North Shore Crepes Café
66-470 Kamehameha Hwy., Haleiwa
808-238-7206
northshorecrepescafe.com
Instagram: @northshorecrepescafe

Mana + Pua Hawaii

If you’re looking for a spot for your next date or girls’ hangout, check out Mana + Pua Hawaii. This Haleiwa hidden gem features an Illy espresso bar with breakfast fare, including colorful avocado toasts ($15), Paniolo quesadilla ($12) and “Leftovers” chilaquiles ($14).

The biz also features a wine-tasting experience, since Mana + Pua is the first and only winery based on the North Shore. Pair your beverages with made-to-order sandwiches and flatbreads. Popular shareable eats include theAloha platter ($30/$50) — the business’s flagship platter of cheeses, charcuterie boards, olives, baguettes, and sweet and savory accoutrements — and the Greek mezze platter ($15), which comes with warm pita, olive medley, red peppers, hummus, artichokes and pepperoncini.

Reservations for wine tasting are highly recommended.

Mana + Pua Hawaii
66~526 Kamehameha Hwy., Haleiwa
808-772-4355
manapua.wine
Instagram: @manapua_Hawaii

Haleiwa Bowls

Keep your eyes peeled for this quaint shack located on Kamehameha Highway. Haleiwa Bowls is famous for its açaí bowls and smoothies, and there are plenty to choose from.

The Hapa bowl ($12/$14) is the most popular option. It features a blended base of açaí, strawberries, bananas and blueberries; toppings include local bananas, raw coconut flakes, granola and local raw honey. If you prefer an açaí sorbet, get the Mana bowl ($12/$14), which features frozen açaí purée with local bananas, raw coconut flakes, local raw honey and granola. If you want to make your bowl even more gourmet, add extra toppings like papaya, kiwi, bee pollen, chia seeds and more.

Smoothie options ($10) range from the Kahuna — açaí, strawberries, blueberries, local bee pollen, raw cacao nibs,

Hawaiian green spirulina, chia seeds, local kale, coconut oil and almond milk — to the unique Blue Cloud (bananas, dates, Brazil nuts, coconut butter, Blue Majik spirulina, almond milk and collagen peptides).

The biz also features a variety of coffees, teas and elixirs.

Haleiwa Bowls
66-030 Kamehameha Hwy., Haleiwa
808-226-4979
haleiwabowls.com
Instagram: @haleiwabowls

Seven Brothers – Haleiwa

Seven Brothers — with locations at Kahuku, Laie and Sharks Cove — most recently opened its newest location in Haleiwa Town Center, where you can still find its signature burgers, salads, fries and desserts.

The Paniolo burger ($13) is the most popular, and it’s no surprise why. Feast on giant homemade onion rings, grilled pineapple, bacon and melted American cheese smothered in the business’s barbecue sauce. All burgers come with lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions and house sauce. There’s even the “Keep the Country, Country” veggie burger ($12.50), complete with grilled pineapples, sautéed mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese, fresh avocado and homemade onion rings.

If you’re dining with a group, get the Paniolo fries ($10), which have the same toppings as the signature burger. Or, upgrade your meal to make it a combo and enjoy the business’s addictive home fries ($6.50), which are seasoned to perfection.

Seven Brothers ~ Haleiwa
Haleiwa Town Center
66-197 Kamehameha Hwy., Haleiwa
sevenbrothersburgers.com
Instagram: @sevenbrothers