Where to get the best for National Guacamole Day

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Saturday, Sept. 16 is National Guacamole Day.

The delicious, fusion creation of avocados (Mayan), tomatoes (Aztec/Mayan), chili peppers (Aymaran/Mayan) cilantro (Egyptian), onions (Central Asia), lime (India) and salt has become one of the most popular food creations in the world.

The word avocado comes from the Aztec word “ahu catl”. This was also their word for testicle; however, it is unknown whether the fruits penchant for growing in pairs was the reason for the name or because of the food’s aphrodisiac quality. This led Spanish colonizers to create the word “aguacate” which morphed into the word “avogato” which further morphed into our modern word “avocado”.

Originally, guacamole was known to the Aztecs as “ahuaca-mulli” in which they made avocadoes into a paste and mixed in chili peppers and tomatoes. The Spanish colonizers loved this concoction but could not pronounce the Aztec name, thus the creation of the word guacamole. The Spaniards mixed in their own flavors (onions, cilantro and lime) to make the fusion creation.

According to market research, the guacamole market has reached a size of $1.74 billion USD in 2022 and is projected to surge to $3.23 billion USD by 2029. This demonstrates a staggering Compound Annual Growth Rate of 9.2%.

Most popularly sold as part of a Tex-Mex lineup of food, guacamole is easily made at home; but there is nothing like dipping freshly made tortilla chips into a dish of guacamole as you wait for your order of Tex-Mex food to arrive.

So, where are the best places in Hawaii to enjoy this delectable creation? Let’s explore that.

The Aloha Tortilla Factory serves typical Tex-Mex fare including their house version of guacamole.

Alejandros Mexican Food also serves a house version of guacamole. There are locations and Kapahulu Avenue and Kalihi Street.

Taco Kabana offers salads in which guacamole spice up things.

A caterer known as Quezada’s Salsa offers catered experiences that include their house made version of guacamole.

Barrio Cafe serves a house made guacamole alongside their Mexican fare.

Los Chaparros makes in house guacamole that is a part of their Mexican and Tex-Mex menu.

KHON2.com will be actively celebrating HHM 2023. So, be sure to check back throughout the month for more explorations into Hispanic Heritage Month.