Kauai

Kauai Shopping & Dining Guide

Like Kauai’s people, you’ll find a delightful cultural mix when it comes to Kauai restaurants – Chinese, Japanese, Italian, American, Filipino, Thai, Korean, Mexican, and more. Pacific Rim cuisine is a favorite indulgence here, marrying the exotic flavors of Polynesia and Asia. Fresh fish, meats and locally-grown produce are inspiration for all kinds of imaginative dishes. Often so beautifully presented, they double as works of art. Dining on Kauai defies the island's far-from-the-crowd, jungle outpost image. Menus at top-of-the-line Kauai restaurants are as innovative and exciting as those in the world's great culinary centers---there's just fewer of them. No need to dress to the nines. Almost all Kauai restaurants will seat you if you are wearing a shirt and shoes. If you want something ultra-casual and extra-cultural, Kauai luaus are always a good choice. As nighttime falls, you’ll find many Kauai restaurants feature live music, and lounges often have DJs and dancing, or an island favorite: karaoke.

Quick Links: Kauai Restaurants

If you’re staying at Kiahuna Plantation & The Beach Bungalows, try Pacific Rim and Hawaiian cuisine at Plantation Gardens right on the grounds. It’s set in an old plantation manager’s home surrounded by exotic plants, tropical trees, and 60-year-old koi ponds. If you want to walk to dinner on the beach from Poipu Shores or Makahuena at Poipu, Brennecke’s is the place. They please meat lovers and vegetarians alike. Poipu Beach Broiler also has great food and atmosphere (much like a relaxing beach house). Or if you want to pick up a delicious local-style plate lunch and bring it back to your lanai or get some fresh fish for the grill, stop by the Koloa Town Fish Market. (They also have excellent poke and sashimi.) It’s just a few miles up the road. Castle’s Lanikai Resort, Kaha Lani Resort, and Lae Nani Resort dwellers have tons of dining options a stroll away. Or drive for a few minutes and you’re at the Coconut Marketplace with enough options to satisfy most any craving. Don’t miss Hukilau Lanai, specializing in local products and produce of Kauai, along with pretty garden and beach views. In that area, you’ll also find The Eggbert’s for some of the best breakfasts in town. And it’s only about a four-mile trip to the tastiest burgers. (Fish ones, too.) We’re talking about Bubba’s Burgers, of course. Be sure to get a giant heap of “frings,” a cross between onion rings and french fries.

Kauai shopping is good laid-back fun. Most of the retail stores you'll find here are the boutique-sized variety, so your experience is anything but hectic. You’ll find treasure after treasure browsing through the tiny shops and casual Kauai shopping centers in Kapaa, Wailua, Poipu, Koloa, Hanapepe and Hanalei. Among your finds might be hand-carved koa bowls and boxes, Hawaiian quilts, and fine art from paintings and sculptures to jewelry, ceramics and photography. Be on the lookout for unique Kauai-made products. Original Red Dirt Shirts made from rust-red Kauai soil, island soaps blending kukui, macadamia, olive, coconut and palm oils with tropical scents like plumeria, vanilla papaya, orange passionfruit, and mango-coconut-guava. And don’t pass over the Niihau shell jewelry, Kauai Kookie Kompany cookies, or Hawaiian Hula salad dressings. And be sure to bring back farm-fresh veggies and exotic flowers to your Kauai vacation rental.

Quick Link: Kauai Shopping Centers