Anyone who thinks "nothing tastes as good as being thin feels" has never had a fruit-filled malasada from Tex's.Pictured here are banana, mango and guava.
April 2024
Tex Drive-In is the halfway point on the way to Hilo, and the sweet malasadas and coffee are the perfect place to take a break!
April 2024
Always a great stop over if you are headed from kona to hilo. Been coming here for 15 years. Food Seems different in taste.
Established in 1969, Tex Drive In is famous for its malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) with fillings like Bavarian cream, chocolate, pineapple and guava. (There's even a viewing window where patrons can watch as the pastries are being made.) The business moved from its original location (now a laundromat) to this purpose-built drive in building. (Drive-through service has since been discontinued though "drive in" still remains in the name.) The menu also offers breakfast items (Kona coffee, omelets), salads, sandwiches, burgers made with local, grass-fed beef and Hawaiian plate lunches such as kalua pork and cabbage with sides of rice and macaroni salad. Owner Duke Baker is particularly proud of the bacon and egg sandwich --- the sweet bun it's made with was originally created as a way to use up leftover malasada dough. Everything is made to order, so it's best to call ahead if you're in a hurry. There's also a gift shop where you can browse through t-shirts and sunglasses while you wait for your food. Tex Drive In offers amazing value on the Big Island and is open every day from 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. (closed Christmas Day).
