Facing down a good hot-food line can be intimidating. So many choices. And, frankly, not everything is as good as it looks.

So here at Team Crave we’ve eaten our way around the hot bars at the Kakaako and Ala Moana locations of Down to Earth, Foodland Farms and Whole Foods Market.

These are our top picks:

DOWN TO EARTH

500 Keawe St. ($10.99 per pound)

>> Chili and cornbread

I like the bakery’s chili-filled cornbread muffin, but because there’s only a smidgen of chili in the middle I go to the hot bar and grab a separate plate for a spoonful each of two kinds of chili, one with tofu, and the more intensely flavored three-bean.

I add a sprinkle of grated cheddar cheese and corn over it all. The muffin is on the sweet side with crunchy edges and with the additional chili, it keeps you filled up for the rest of the day.

— Pat Gee, Star-Advertiser

>> Hawaiian spinach luau

This creamy, hearty vegan dish appeals not just for its comfort factor, but for a bright flavorfulness as well.

Ginger, garlic, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and mock chicken broth give this luau dimension; Kaiulani Spices boost it into the realm of absolute deliciousness.

— Joleen Oshiro, Star-Advertiser

>> Vegetarian lasagna

Lots of people eat at Down to Earth for the healthful choices, but I’m in it for the gooiest, cheesiest things, my absolute favorite being the lasagna, so loaded with flavor that you don’t miss the meat. It’s got an assertive tomato sauce, layered with tons of cheese.

If it’s not on the buffet when you visit, try the eggplant Parmesan, the next best thing.

— Betty Shimabukuro, Star-Advertiser

FOODLAND FARMS

Ala Moana Center ($8.99 per pound)

>> Pasteles stew

This stew with tender pork chunks has a flavor all its own, its gravy enriched with steamed and shredded green bananas.

The stew is a deconstructed version of Puerto Rican pasteles — a meat mixture encased in green-banana masa, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled. In many recipes for pasteles stew, the masa is made into dumplings, but at Foodland the banana is mixed right into the gravy.

A good way to sop up every drop is a side of ginger chicken fried rice.

— P.G.

>> Mediterranean chicken

The full name of this dish is Grilled Mediterranean Chicken With Fire-Roasted Tomato and Olive Tapenade, and doesn’t that say it all?

I made a beeline for this as soon as I glimpsed the sign, and it did not disappoint: The smokiness of the grilled chicken was complemented by Mediterranean goodness — lemon vinaigrette, garlic, Roma tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and tapenade — all nicely cooked down for a melded, lively flavor.

— J.O.

>> Asian-style pork with kabocha

This is a bowl of comfort, something your mom might make if she really liked you. The pork chunks are tender, the kabocha silky and for added nutritional punch it also has bok choy, tofu and shiitake mushrooms, all in a light chicken-dashi broth.

I tend to hover over this bin, taking more pieces of pork, kabocha and mushrooms, less tofu and bok choy. That may throw off the proportions for whoever comes after me.

Sorry.

— B.S.

WHOLE FOODS QUEEN

388 Kamakee St. ($9.99 per pound)

>> Macaroni and cheese

This smorgasbord is a mac-and-cheese lover’s heaven with four different types: plain, jalapeno, brisket and chicken, depending on the day. The pasta elbows are big, so they keep their firm texture even after sitting immersed in the cheese sauce.

For vegans there’s a plain version, usually in another section.

— P.G.

>> Smoked brisket

If you’re going to pick up dinner, do it right. This tender, succulent, perfectly smoked beef is amazing enough that it could have been on a barbecue restaurant menu; instead, you get to enjoy that flavor experience in the comfort of your own home.

Carnivores will love it simply with rice or potatoes, but if you’re watching your numbers, chop up half a slice and add to a stir-fry. It’s all great.

— J.O.

>> Ulu chowder

Juicy Brew makes three items for the Whole Foods hot bar: luau stew, jackfruit chili and — the greatest of these — ulu chowder. It’s a vegan dish made with breadfruit, corn, potatoes, coconut milk and vegan butter that has all the creaminess of a chowder made with milk.

The main flavoring is dill, which brightens and lifts the dish. A steaming bowl of this, plus some fresh veggies off the salad bar and you’re set.

— B.S.

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