‘Āina Kaua’i  This is a special dining experience for true foodies. The style is Kauaian Kaiseki. Those of you familiar with a traditional Japanese kaiseki meal will appreciate the chefs’ interpretation and adaptation of the art form to our Kauai location. Highly recommend for serious foodies.

Bobby V’s  Casual Italian restaurant and pizzeria conveniently located in the Coconut Marketplace. They’ll deliver to the lobby, but it’s just a 5-minute walk to their front door.  Great pizza, salads, and authentic calzones.

Bubba’s Burgers  Juicy, very casual, affordable burgers on the patio. About 2 miles up the road heading north.

Chicken In A Barrel  Kauai-style BBQ chicken smoked in a barrel. Delicious! Very casual. In the Coconut Marketplace. Be sure to enjoy a shave ice at Jo Jo’s next door for dessert!

Coconut Thai Cuisine is a small kiosk in the Coconut Marketplace. We order to-go and take it back to the condo to enjoy on the lanani. Their food is very fresh, healthy and quite affordable for island prices. We’ve tried many items and have loved all of them so far!

The Crooked Surf  A nice walk up the bike bath to the Sheraton. Serving poolside, light fare and tropical drinks with great ocean views.

Duke’s Canoe Club  Spectacular spot for tropical drinks and pupus on the beach. The view of the ocean is excellent.  If you’re new to paddle boarding or surfing, this beach is a consistently easy spot to try and you can rent boards there.  Lihue, about a 15-minute drive.

Fish Bar Deli We love this casual spot in downtown Kapa’a. Very inventive and delicious locally sourced fish and non-fish creations as well as creative cocktails. Great for lunch or dinner. 

Fish Express  A favorite of ours for takeout “fresh catch” seafood. They run out of stock by afternoon time, so go early. Across the street from Walmart in Lihue, about a 15-minute drive.

Haole Girl Our favorite bakery! Warning: everything is addictive!  From Haloe Girl’s macadamia nut cinnamon rolls to a daily rotating assortment of savory croissants, you will try it once and come back for sure!

Hualani’s at Timber’s resort  Upscale, farm-to-table, oceanside restaurant in Lihue with a spectacular view of the lighthouse. They have a rotating “farm to table” menu on Tuesdays which we love as well. 

Hukilau Lanai  One of our favorites for fine dining. High-quality seafood. And, it’s right next door! Reservations required. If you’re into early dining, give their tasting menu with wine pairings a try. A 3-minute walk on the bike path heading north.

Imua Coffee Roasters  500 feet from the condo in the Islander Shops. They roast their own coffee and have fabulous espresso drinks and pastries. Open bright and early at 6 am too!

Java Kai Great breakfast and lunch spot, especially for coffee lovers. Try the mac nut latte. We are also hooked on their acai bowls!  A local’s favorite.  In downtown Kapa’a, about a 30-minute walk up the bike path or 2-mile drive heading north.

JO2  Don’t let the strip mall location fool you. For foodies who appreciate high quality, farm and ocean to table cuisine.  Reservations required.  About 2 miles up the road heading north.

Jojo’s Shave Ice This is the closest shave ice to the condo, right over at the Coconut Marketplace next to Chicken in a Barrel. It’s a very refreshing treat on a hot day!

Kauai Beer Company A great spot after errands in Lihue! Try their beer flight and okonomiyaki fries! Dog-friendly patio to enjoy if you are taking a Kauai Humane Society pup on a field trip!

Kauai Juice Company Hands down, the most delicious, freshest local juice on island. They also make incredible hot sauces from local ingredients and much more!

Kauai Sushi Station  Surprisingly, this is some of the very best sushi we’ve had on Kauai – in this food truck next to Costco and Home Depot! We learned about it because several local (Japanese!) chefs told us that this is their personal favorite spot for sushi on Kauai. Give it a try!

Kiibo We love this restaurant because here you can enjoy homestyle Japanese dishes that are a departure from the more popularized fare such as sushi. Great for diners who know and love Japanese cuisine or for those curious to expand their palates!

Konohiki Seafoods  A takeaway deli next to the drop off “wash and fold” laundry service we recommend. This is our #1 favorite place for fresh poki, Hawaiian style nigiri sushi, and bento boxes.  We love fresh fish and nothing beats this place for us! Take it home and enjoy on the lanai!  

Kountry Kitchen A favorite for gigantic, delicious breakfasts and lunches.  The staff is very friendly too. Try the macadamia nut pancakes with the coconut syrup! About 2 miles drive heading north or a 30-minute walk up the bike path.

Lava Lava Beach Club Fun spot right next door! It’s a “toes in the sand” restaurant open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have a cute bar that serves tropical wine, beer, and tropical concoctions.  We like to go there for “aloha hour” pupu specials in the afternoon.

Leongs  This is known to be one of the best spots for fresh and delicious poke in our area, along with Pono Market!  Highly rated!

Mamahune’s at the Hilton Garden Inn next to Lydgate Park.  This is a small and cute tiki bar along the ocean. A nice spot for tropical drinks and pupus after a day on the beach at Lydgate! Walkable from the Islander too, about a 2 mile walk at most.

Mariachi’s downtown Kapa’a. We love their Mexican breakfasts. Also a popular place for happy hour and dinner as well. Try the avocado margarita (with salted rim!) Casual and open air.

Matcha-Ya  This is a Japanese dessert shop featuring authentic green tea and natural fruit-based shave ice, ice creams, and so much more. The owner is an expert in Japanese Matcha and all things green tea! Downtown Kapa’a.

Monico’s Taqueria Fantastic casual Mexican food with huge portions, very friendly owners and staff.

Oasis on the Beach Romantic dining with a pretty, ocean-view setting. About 2-mile drive heading north.

Passion Bakery  About 1 mile heading south from the condo (walkable). This is a bakery that also serves great breakfasts and plate lunches. Expect a long wait for service.  On certain days of the week they offer malasadas, a specialty on island.

Pono Market This is a top-rated spot by both locals and visitors alike for local and authentic Hawaiian plate lunches, including fresh poke!

Sam’s Ocean View Oceanfront laid-back dining and friendly atmosphere. Also a great spot for a pre-dinner drink. Very cute and artsy ambiance. Recommend making reservations. We love their Sunday brunch.  About a 2-mile drive heading north.

Sleeping Giant Grill Next door to the condo in the Islander Shops. Amazing ahi wraps & off-the-boat poke!  Try the “mochi style” preparation. BYOB, but we prefer to take it back to the condo and eat on the lanai. 

Beach House Restaurant  Good steak and seafood with amazing views of locals surfing. Upscale. We go for lunch after snorkeling Lawai beach next door.  

Brennecke’s Beach Broiler  Fun spot to hit for lunch at after the beach, or in the evening for more formal dining. Deli downstairs for takeaway picnic sandwiches.

The Fresh Shave  Koloa. Incredible shave ice. A must-do stop after a day on the South side! 100% natural fruit syrups. 

Little Fish Coffee  An adorable open-air coffee shop that serves acai bowls and light sandwiches. We adore this spot. (Koloa)

Marriot Poipu’s Hono Pool Bar  We love having a tropical cocktail and pupus here because the bar overlooks beautiful Poipu beach.

Merriman’s Fish House  Highly regarded seafood restaurant featuring locally sourced ingredients. Open for dinner. Upscale. Poipu at Kukui’ula Shopping Center upstairs.

Puka Dog  Great Hawaiian style hot dogs.  

Red Salt  Tropical, romantic Asian ambiance. Upscale.  

Rum Fire  Hip spot, great food (try the Maui onion soup). Upscale.

Tidepools  Fresh fish in a romantic ambiance. Upscale.  

 

1 Hanalei Bay We recommend stopping here for lunch or afternoon cocktails at 1 Kitchen. The view of Hanalei Bay from the restaurant’s terrace cannot be beat!

Hanalei Gourmet  Fresh bread, good burgers and fish & chips. We love the smoked fish dip. 

Kilauea Bakery   Tasty pizza and bakery. We really like their calzones.

Sushi Girl  A sweet trailer in Kilauea that serves fresh sushi. We especially like the miso soup and poke bowls.

 

Bobbie’s  Terrific local Hawaiian plate lunches. Great stop in the cute art town of Hanapepe. Try the “Loco Moco” or the Korean chicken wing dings box!

Japanese Grandma:  Homestyle Japanese food with a Hawaiian flair.  We absolutely love this place! A very popular spot in Hanapepe.