Coconut Kenny’s (Bellingham): Cheese Balls, Pan Pizza, and Cheesesteaks

So, how have we never stopped by Coconut Kenny’s during one of our previous sorties down to the States? This chain of Hawaiian-inspired pizza joints just came up on our radar recently so we decided to stop by after visiting Trader Joe’s in Bellingham.

It’s a bit confusing when you first enter this island-hut interior. You can grab a table and then, when you’re ready to order, head up to the front counter to place your order. We decided to try a few things since we’ve never been here before. First off was the Cheese Balls ($3.99). OMFG these were good! These sweet Hawaiian bread balls are baked with butter and garlic and then covered with a super cheesy blend and accompanied with a marinara dipping sauce. Served sizzling hot, there’s an amazing cheesy pull and the bread is so light and airy on the inside. If you like cheese, you’ll love these cheese balls. Seriously better than any cheese bread that I’ve ever had.

Next up was the individual-sized Big Kahuna ($9.89) which comes piled high with pepperoni, ham, Italian and Portuguese sausage, bacon, red onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, and black olives. While the toppings are great, there were so much that they fell off pretty easily. But the thing about their pizzas is the best cheesy crust that gives you the perfect bite. If you like pan-style pizza, you’ll love these pizzas.

Not realizing how generous they are with their servings, we also decided to try a half order of their Maui Cheesesteak ($7.79). This is Kenny’s take on the classic Philly cheesesteak with thin-sliced beef steak topped with green peppers, red onions, dijon horseradish and creamy mayo baked under a layer of mozzarella cheese. Like their cheese balls, the bread that they use here is amazing and reminds me of the sweet bread that we had in Hawaii. The bread is light and soft but you get some of the texture from being toasted up. And they don’t skimp on the meat and cheese filling here… be prepared to be stuffed.

I would come back here in a heartbeat to try more of their items but make sure you order some of these cheese balls.

2220 James Street
Bellingham, WA

www.coconutkennys.com