Makeke Kapolei

First time here & I enjoyed it! With all the different vendors, music, & fresh pork belly roasting, I wanted to eat & drink everything. Lol. We got some fresh produce, poi malasadas, which were freshly fried & filled with cream, & haupia kulolo! Will definitely be back because I need to try the other be

From their website (
):
Mālama Learning Center, Wai‘anae Farmers’ Market, and Kapolei High School are partnering to provide the community with Mākeke Kapolei, a weekly farmers’ and green market. Live, eat, and learn sustainably!
I like Makeke Kapolei has a very «home grown» feel for a farmers’ market (vs. the more «citified» town markets). I love that it’s conveniently on my way home from work, and if I’d like the avoid the busier weekend markets, this is the place to go. They have a facebook page that updates what vendors are expected – yesterday’s listed 31! Parking in the Kapolei High School lot is plentiful.
There are oodles of prepared food options and an area with tables to have a snack or dinner before I drive back to town. Sometimes there is live music, or, during the marching band season background sounds form them. If you’re a former band geek, that can be either fun or painful, depending :-)
Some of the booths I’ve tried:
Hawaiian Twisted Taters – carby fried goodness and it’s fun to watch them spiral cut the potatoes, too.
Heavenly Treats – drinkables made while you wait
La Creperie – crepes made to order (I’ll review them soon)
Manny’s Island Sausage – pastele stew, pastele sausages, kimchee sausages and other great tastes – try the samples!
Paletas Hawaii – it’s entrancing to watch your whole mango get peeled and transformed into a «ginger flower». Sprinkle on the chili powder and enjoy a juicy snack on a stick.
produce vendors – sorry, I’m so focused on whatever I’m buying that I don’t remember who’s who. Prices are competetive with other farmers’ markets, and everything is nice & fresh.
Tip: the Kapolei afternoon sun can be strong. Bring a hat and something to hydrate yourself.

Location:
The farmers market is located in the parking lot of Kapolei High School. There is decent parking for the public to use.
Produce Selection:
There are a handful of vendors that sell produce. There is even an organic produce vendor as well. The vegetables are reasonably priced.
Ready To Eat Food:
There are a variety of food vendors from pastele stew, Thai food, Japanese food, Filipino, local lunch wagons, hand pound local poi, macarons and lemonades. I love the vendor who offers the pastele stew. It’s so so good. The foods are also reasonably priced.
Other Vendors:
I’ve also seen vendors that sell local cheeses, hyrdoflask accessories, bags, jewelry and information booths.
It’s a fun, tasty and lively farmers market. It’s open every Thursday after school hours until 6:30pm.

This was my first time here and I enjoyed it. Small market, but filled with fresh produce and delicious food to order. I love the kimchee fried rice. There is just so many things to try. Will definitely go again.

Awesome market. Pick up fresh local fruits and vegetables. Plenty of Ono grinds. Great place to bring the family.

I love to come here because I love to support local business and farmers. Plus it’s near my house so I can always walk down.
I buy a lot of vegetables and food here. They have more than one farm shop and different varies of food vendors to choose from. Prices are reasonable!!!

My first time going was yesterday and it was such a treat. The Sugar Hut (@thesugarhut on Instagram) has truffles, dipped strawberries and macaroons for sale. Personally, I don’t like macaroons but the truffles were bomb! I loved them! The best truffles I’ve ever had by far! I also bought pasteles but I don’t know what the booth name was… I definitely will be going back there if I’m ever craving it tho! It’s near my house and it’s just once a week so I could really, never get tired of going. Can’t wait till next time.
Definitely trying the dipped strawberries from The Sugar Hut and the new waffle booth that just joined the market.

Super close to my home and I can buy a lot of produce for cheaper prices but my only issue is that every produce stand has very similar selection line up… the plate lunches and other random booths are cool & sometimes relevant to me but mostly I go for the veggies. I feel that each of the vendors have pretty much the same veggies for the same prices. However, I totally dig the CSA stand and the friggin amazing chunky hummus I bought. The mango on a stick and paletas made me and my keiki happy. All in all… even with similar selection among produce vendors I still give five stars because I dig this kinda stuff :)

Love this farmers market! Conveniently located at Kapolei HS there is plenty of parking and and an actual bathroom (since it’s at a school). The bathroom is a huge deal for me as a pregnant shopper! The booths are always set up nicely and most vendors are as friendly as they get! I do wish they had a few more vendors but all in all it’s a wonderful way to get your local produce and sweet bread! They occasionally have activities for the kids which is also a huge plus! If you’re in the area on a Thursday afternoon/​evening drop in and grab a plate lunch or cold drink!

Unilocal 365 Challenge x 2 #259/​365
Unilocal 100 Review Challenge #4/​100
You know that saying «size doesn’t matter» and «what you see is what you get» is true to other experiences but with Kapolei’s Farmer’s Market also known as «Mākeke Kapolei: A farmers’ and green market», it stands true.
When my husband and I drove up to Kapolei High School yesterday, I was expecting it to be bigger but it was not and I was like «hmmm…»
I have to share if my husband wasn’t with me, I would have been oohing and aahing taking my time at each booth. However, because it was small, he was the «wham bam thank you, Farmer’s Market. that is all» mode yesterday walking through quickly that I wanted to scream and tell him to stop for a moment and let’s take our time strolling to each booths.
*STOP*
My review is beginning to replicate Eric and Emi’s reviews of Ice Cream and VS lingerie!
ANYHOO-​here is a list of the vendors that were there yesterday:
LOCAL PRODUCE AND/​OR MEATS
–Alex’s Farm
–Circle C Ranch (grass-​fed beef)
–Kahumana Farm (produce and eggs
–MP Farms (If you look on Kapolei’s Farmer’s Market webpage, I believe they have a list of their weekly specials? Or it could be posted at their booth)
–Son Farms
–Waianae High School Native Hawaiian Plants
ART/​JEWELRY/​CRAFTS
–Allen’s Air Brushing
–Auli’i’s Treasures
–Pineapple Hut
DRINKS/​FOOD
–Halau ‘O Kaululau ‘E
–Hawaii Paracord
–Hawaiian Twisted Tator (this looked delicious)
–Manny’s Island Sausage
–Mark’s Specialties (Pastele Stew, Seafood… and unfortunately, I didn’t get to try their bread pudding!)
–M & MZ Fresh Seafood
–Munchie’z by Sweetpea Café
–New Violet’s Grill
–Paleta’s Hawaii
–Pomai’s Kulolo
SERVICES
–Ka Omi Pa (Lomilomi Massage by the minute)
–Malama Learning Center
–Tommy’s Mobile Sharpening (he also sold knives!)
–WCCHC (on site for health education information)
And by looking at this list and comparing it to the size of the area that they were in the parking lot? The size of the farmer’smarket didn’t matter because it pretty much catered to what everyone was looking for especially to the last minute shoppers that were entering the parking lot within less than 30 minutes to closing time!
I have made a note to stop at one of the food booths the next time I return to buy something to eat instead of taking my sweet time at the produce tents because I only walked away with string beans and apple bananas.
Overall first time experience: Whirlwind but learned that there were some great vendors despite the size of the farmer’s market
Recommendation: Yes, buy local whenever you have the opportunity!
Prices: Reasonable-​there is no competition-​just the encouragement to buy local

I am blessed to have a job that takes me around the island. It gives me the opportunity to check out gems like this farmers market that I probably would not ever peruse otherwise.
Here is what I scored:
1) Kulolo — I almost always pick up a block whenever I come across it since its tough to find
2) Bok choy — one of my favorite veggies to steam for the work week as a side
3) Mini kalua pig plate — for the husband; kalua pig on rice; homemade cannot be beat
4) Mango — at $ 2.50 per pound, I had to hold myself back from grabbing more than my two hands could handle
I visited in early September. There were about 12 – 15 vendor tents. Easy to spot from the road since located on Kapolei High School grounds.

Tired of dealing with rude vendors and pushy customers at crowded farmers markets? Well, you won’t find them at Kapolei’s friendliest farmers market!
This farmers market is very small scale compared to the ones in town. Like small kine. It is held in Kapolei High School’s parking lot. Just walk down one row and then turn around. That’s it. They’ve got several produce stands, dessert stands, and plate lunch stands. Even a massage booth! A list of current vendors is listed on their Facebook page
They have tables and chairs set up in a shaded area near the information booth.
They also have free cultural workshops available.
At first I thought the hours for the farmers market were kind of quirky: once a week on Thursdays from 3pm to 6:30pm. Actually the hours are pretty convenient if you are driving home or picking up your kids from school on the Leeward side. Frees up our weekends to do other family outings!
And they made it through their first year this past October!
They’re just trying to make a living just like everyone else.
Thank you for supporting your local farmers market!

Good size market set up in the Kapolei High School parking lot. Take a stroll and listen to the marching band practice and enjoy a nice Kapolei evening. There was a good amount of food vendors, about 3 produce tents, and various other specialty vendors selling everything from cakes to macaroons, jewelry, local beef, and honey.
I was particularly excited to snag some radishes and grape tomatoes. Maybe next time I’ll grab some dinner to go!
I love farmer’s markets!

I been craving some good steamed eggplant and zucchini and just so happen it was a Thursday and it was 3:00! So I decided to take a drive down the road to the open market!
It’s pretty small but there’s a lot of selections. Besides the fresh fruits and veggies, they have plate lunches, desserts, snacks, popcorn, shave ice and informational booths. All the vendors are nice and welcoming. Almost all the vendors offer samples too! (which is good!) They even have a little tent where you can eat.
I haven’t had the chance to try the cheesecakes! I only brought enough for my veggies! But I did stop by to check it out and boy did it look good! Everything looked and smelt so good! Too bad I didn’t have more money on me! :(Next time I come I’ll be sure to bring more money for those cheesecakes and garlic fries that I smelt the whole time I was there! ;)
I noticed some vendors accept EBT, and debit/​credit cards too!

It’s my second time to Kapolei Farmers Market. Located at Kapolei High school parking lot, it runs on Thursday afternoons from 3:30 — 6:30. The emphasis is on the buy local, buy locally grown food, local lunch trucks, local butter from Naked Cow in Waianae, and even a $ 1 store.
There was a young ukulele player singing his heart out. Good Job !
There was Korean Fresh Grill… YUM! Beef/​chicken/​fish tacos!
There was Thai curry, kulolo (a poi dessert) then kulolo with haupia on it $ 5.25!
Wow, fresh local produce, local baked goodies, cupcakes.
Fresh homemade Kimchee!
garden plants,
some jewelry,
I think we should have more markets like this all over!
Cool, green, lots of nice people.
I will definitely be back!
Unilocal 365 Challenge: ¹¹⁵⁄₃₆₅

First off I LOVE open markets and what a treat it is to finally have one in the Ewa area.
It’s setup in a parking lot at Kapolei H.S. with one main drag flanked by vendors on either side with lots of parking in an adjacent parking lot.
The hours are great, opening at 3pm and closing at 6:30pm which gives you just enough time after work to grab some fresh locally grown produce for the week at rock bottom prices, or perhaps pick up some lobster tails, Inferno’s pizzas, or pastele stew plates for dinner. And you have to try the Guava Cheesecake :) Or just munch away the evening with the many freshly prepared yummy snacks like malasadas for sale. There were even a couple of food trucks staked out but from what I saw, seemed to be out of many of their menu items as it was late in the day.
This OM is on the smaller side with only a small number of vendors, but I’d hope that in time it will continue to grow and draw a larger showing.
Don’t forget to bring your cash and to BYOB… bring your own Bag that is :)

I like the convenience of this somewhat new farmers market. The major draws for me at this locale is Naked Cow Dairy (finally don’t have to drive all the way to KCC for it) and the 10 lobster tails for $ 20 deal (
).
I came here at around 3 PM to meet some people and it turned out that I had misread the meeting time (actually 5 PM) so armed with about $ 50 cash-​what do I do? Start shopping of course! As you can see from the pictures that I posted-​I had a pretty successful haul :) Lobster tails, veggies, malasadas (which I really didn’t need), etc.
I passed on Auntie Nel’s cheesecake today because those slices were huge and I wasn’t feeling it. The Coconut PB was something which I tried and am honestly not a fan of (weird since I love both coconut and PB on their own)…but you should give it a try and see if you like it ;)
Chinese pretzels were foreign to me… even though I’m Chinese: p Must be a Hawaiian thing… anyhow, they were tasty but I passed on them too.
The malasadas are huge and $ 1.50 a piece. The various flavors lured me in, but I think when it comes down to it… I’m just not a malasada girl. Or maybe I should stop eating them cold?
So this farmers market will not be replacing my beloved KCC any time soon-​but it is sufficient. I love that Inferno’s pizza comes because their pizza is delicious ;) There aren’t a lot of vendors but there is enough variety for you to be able to dine with options.
Just a reminder, bring your reusable shopping bags and a cooler if you plan on getting the lobster. Oh and if you bring your water bottle, there is a jug of water you can refill it with. Otherwise one of the booths sells cups. Some of the vendors take credit card but it is probably easier for them if you pay with cash.
On my to try list for next time: the fresh poi and Auntie Nel’s cheesecake.

I’m always on the hunt for my next hit. My body needs it, craves it, and thrives on it. I always have a secret stash hidden somewhere to get me through to that next big jubilant high. No, you crazy, I ain’t talkin about the illegal stuff. I’m talking about sweets, desserts, and treats. What you might ask? I found it, my newest addiction. Auntie Nel’s cheesecake. Thank the dessert angels that she has been here every time I’ve come.
I’ve tried the pumpkin, guava, and kahula. All delightful but the Kahula trumps them both. Kahlua is a well known Mexican coffee flavored liqueur. It is heavy and sweet, with a distinct taste of coffee. Another reason I decided that the Kahula flavor cheesecake has won me over, is the Oreo cookie crust. It was so delightful that I had to restrain myself from eating the whole thing. Because I knew that I would have to wait another Makeke Farmers Market to purchase another one. Don’t get me wrong. Auntie Nel doesn’t sell you a manini (small) kine slice, nor a slither, this cheesecake is a pretty big slice. Well worth your $ 5! Picture of the different cheesecakes:
She also sells other desserts besides cheesecake, but I’ve only tasted the coco puffs. It was alright, only $ 3. Picture of the coco puff:
But if you have that extra $ 2, definitely go for one of her cheesecakes!
Makeke Kapolei:
Offers a local array of things. From plants, food vendors, vegetables & fruits, lobsters (which was mighty good for the price [10 for $ 20]), products, and even a petting zoo which includes a pony ride ($ 5). A good thing to reward your child for being good while you shop :) Each time I went there has been entertainment. Plenty of free parking, a decent shaded space to sit, eat, and enjoy the entertainment.
Buy Fresh, Buy Local, help Hawaii Prosper!

We went to this market while staying (somewhat nearby.) It was only the second week for it, but there were alot of great vendors.
We bought some incredible produce here: avocados, (the avocados in Hawaii are SO far superior to mainland avocados!): corn, onions, bananas, apple bananas, and macadamia nut peanut butter. The mac nut butter can be found at many area farmers markets. It’s so good, i swear it has crack in it.
In addition to the produce vendors, there were some prepared food vendors serving up local style plates, as well as a few vendors selling snacks and desserts.
Parking is plentiful and free.

This is right near my home and work so I am beyond stoked that there’s a farmer’s market on a weekday (Thursday) till pretty late. As Chuck says it’s open from 3:00 — 6:30. And they don’t start closing up at 6 even if there aren’t a lot of people or run out of things like the KCC Farmer’s Market ppl.
Basically is is about two full parking lot rows and one row along the mauka side. So it’s not a ton of vendors, but enough to make this country turned city turned suburban (tear) girl happy. I saw «Naked Cow Dairies,» some organic local beef, a few plate lunch vendors, some produce ppl – similar ones to KCC, but no one from Hawaii Kai side. And then there was this ONE lady who was selling coconut peanut butter. Holy balls. It’s going to be the next big thing. She takes credit cards on her damn iPad.
For the kids, there are pony rides and sometimes hula performances. It’s also a treat to see the Kapolei High School marching band practice.
The overall feeling of this FM is calm, friendly, and spacious. It is a breath of fresh air from the ones in town, North Shore, or even Mililani where it can feel crowded and competitive.
I encourage you to come out here and support this farmer’s market so it grows bigger and the Maunawili Farms lettuce ladies come out there so I don’t have to trek to KCC every Saturday morning at the ass crack of dawn to buy me some damn delicious hydroponic lettuce.