Leonard's Bakery

Leonard's Bakery on Oahu is not a local secret spot anymore. A once quiet bakery sitting midway up Kapahulu Avenue, is now featured in many tourist guide books, and has become an Oahu attraction itself! All the attention and fame goes to these little special Portuguese style donuts call malasadas!

Leonard's Bakery Hot Malasadas

So, what’s all the hype about Leonard's Bakery and their malasada donuts? For one, it’s just not another donut. Food fads and crazes come and go, but there is good reason why the lines remain on any given day, year after year. These Portuguese style donuts are fried to order.

They are the size of your palm, medium weighted, rolled in sugar, and fluffy and airy on the inside. The taste is like no other, and it’s almost injustice trying to describe it in words!

History of Leonard's Bakery

We owe a little thanks to the DoRego family that migrated from Portugal to Maui for an opportunity to work in the sugar cane fields in 1882. But it wasn’t until 1952, when their grandson Leonard & wife moved to Honolulu, and opened the doors to their own bakery in 1952.

Soon after opening their doors, Leonard’s mother suggested making a traditional treat for “Strove Tuesday”. Today these traditional malasada treats have become a staple phenomenon that we’ve come to love…and the rest is history!

Hot Malasada Flavors

How do you make an amazing treat even more awesome? If you guessed rolling them in flavored sugars or stuffing the malasadas with delicious tropical cream flavors, when you guessed right. Don’t get me wrong, plain hot malasadas are still wonderful, but the new flavors have turned it up a notch.

Flavor choices such as Haupia (coconut crème), Custard, Dubash (chocolate), and Macadamia are now part of the menu, along with Cinnamon Sugar and Li Hing (candied plum).

Make sure to also order the flavor of the month, which are always a treat. It will usually be one of the following tropical flavors: Mango, Guava, Banana, Pineapple or Lychee (passion fruit).

Don’t feel too guilty if you walk out of the bakery with dozen…most folks do! They run $1.10 each for plain sugar coated, or $1.50 each for malasadas with a filling.

Beyond Malasadas

There are a few other items at Leonard’s bakery that are worth a try. I like Pao Doce Wraps, that is the Hawaiian sweet bread that are stuffed with Portuguese Sausage $3.25 each…makes for a good snack when you get hungry at some point of the day.

Leonard's Pineapple & Coconut Turnovers, and Fudge Mac Nut Brownies are also quite tasty!

And you must walk out with a large Pao Doce which is also known as Hawaiian Sweet Bread.

If you are unfamiliar, this soft semi-sweet roll is another must have treat that you can simply rip apart with the family and enjoy!

What you need to know!

Visit Leonard’s Bakery early on during your vacation, as you will most likely want to return at some point.

The lines tend to get long as the day goes on, but move quickly. The owners and staff have streamlined their operation to help get orders out quickly.

Parking is tough, both in their small parking lot and surrounding neighborhood. You might need to let someone else run in while you tend to the car.

Order more than less, or you’ll find yourself standing back in line shortly after.

How to get there

Towards the end of Waikiki, and just before Kapiolani Park, is Kapahulu Ave. You simple travel up Kapahulu Ave towards the H-1 freeway for about a mile and half, and it will be located on your right hand side.

933 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu Phone (808) 737-5591

Open hours 5:30 AM to 10 PM Daily, 11 PM Closing Time on Fri & Sat

More at LeonardsBakery.com

Leonard's Bakery Food Truck!

There are a few Leonard Malasada Food Trucks that travel around the island, so keep your eyes peeled and just might set yourself up for a treat during your travels. This Hot Malasada Truck is usually parked in the Koko Head Marina Shopping Center. It's an easy stop on your way to Hanauma Bay or Sandy Beach!

In the Area

Pipeline Bakery

For decades Leonard’s has been the sole master of making malasada in Hawaii. And there hasn’t been any noteworthy bakeries of these Portuguese style donuts until now. The Pipeline Bakery is located just 5 minutes away from Leonard’s in the Wai’alae town area. You’ll discover tasty versions of the hot malasada along with many other delicious treats.

The sugar-coffee & coco rubbed malasada are worth trying, and make sure to taste their Coconut Haupia Ube Macadamia Nut Squares! Another must try is their Homemade Malasada Ice Cream filled Malasadas…only available on Wed - Sun 2 PM to closing!

Open 7AM to 9 PM Wed - Sat, Sun 8 AM to 9 PM, Closed Mon & Tue

3632 Wai‘alae Ave., (808) 738-8200, pipelinebakeshop.com

Waiola Shave Ice

Forget the 1 hour drive to the North Shore for a Matsumoto Shave Ice, when you can enjoy the island treat right here in town.

Hawaiian shave ice has been perfected over the years at Waiola Shave Ice, and worth a try.

Waiola shave ice has a big following on Oahu! Make sure to try some of the exotic tropical flavors…and always request a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the bottom of your cone to make it complete! Yes, the ice cream does magic to the experience...

7:30am to 6pm, except open 10am on Sunday

Location: 3113 Mokihana St, Honolulu, HI (across from Safeway, off Kapahulu St)
Phone (808) 735-8886 Check out more Waiola Shave Ice reviews.

Kapahulu Ave Restaurants

Too many amazing local Upper-Waikiki restaurants to choose from, including Ono Hawaiian Foods for obviously delicious Hawaiian meals, Side Street Inn for great comfort foods with an Asian flare, and a few star plate lunch houses such as Rainbow Drive-Inn –a locals favorite!

Open Daily 7 AM to 9 PM

Location: 3308 Kanaina Ave, Honolulu, (808) 737-0177

Bailey's Antiques & Aloha Shirts

Bailey’s Antiques & Aloha Shirts There's a good chance you will find the aloha shirt you've been looking for our of the 15,000 shirts waiting for you at Bailey’s Antiques & Aloha Shirts. They have it all from Vintage to brand new. They have the worlds largest collection of Aloha wear in the world.

Open Daily 10am to 6pm

517 kapahulu Ave, Honolulu - (808) 734-7628

Learn more at www.alohashirts.com