Contemporary food in Hawaii, like the language and popular culture, is a medley of traditional Hawaiian, Portugese, American, and Asian Pacific flavors. Pacific "fusion" cuisine was largely invented in Hawaii. Well-known local chefs include Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Russell Siu, Roy Yamaguchi, and George "Chef Mavro" Mavrothalassitis. Seafood is, of course, fresh and tasty. Local beef comes from ranches on Maui and coffee is grown on the Big Island. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, bananas, guavas, and papaya - as well as fresh sugar cane, can be bought in most corner stores (although you may be surprised to learn that many of those fruits are now imported from distant locales such as The Philippines & Brazil).
One of the most common ways that local food is served is in the form of plate lunch, usually meat or fish with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. It's always a good deal at any lunch wagon, mall, or outside food court. L&L Drive Inn and Zippy's are probably the most widely distributed chain of plate lunch spots in the Hawaiian islands. Branches of L&L are in some locations on the Mainland as well (as L&L Hawaiian Barbecue).
Another way of enjoying local food when roaming around the island is to keep an eye out for the converted trucks/vans that are parked in their regular spots in gas staion parking lots, some parks and a variety of places on the island. They offer the "plate lunches", are popular with the locals and provide great meals (on plastic plates} at very reasonable prices. There is no reason to fear them, they are very common and popular.
Perhaps the best setting for tourists to enjoy traditional Hawaiian food is at a luau, or a traditional Hawaiian feast. Tourists can find luaus at various locations in the Islands, including many of the major resort hotels. At a modern luau traditional Hawaiian favorites are served buffet style, and there is also Hawaiian music, hula, and other Polynesian entertainment. The downside is that they can be pricey and prices can vary widely; expect to pay between USD $50 and $90 per adult and about half that per child.
Dishes that are often found at luaus include:
Lomi salmon, salted salmon mixed with tomatoes, onions, & pepper; like an island salsa
Kalua pig, pork wrapped in banana leaves and steamed inside an imu (ground boiler); similar to pulled pork
Pipi kaula, Hawaiian style beef jerky
Poi, ground and boiled taro root paste
Laulau, pork & butterfish (black cod) wrapped in ti leaves then steamed
Luau, seafood (often squid) prepared in a mixture of boiled taro leaves and coconut milk
Haupia, a gelatin-like dessert prepared from thickened coconut milk
Other local dishes include favorites such as the following:
Ahi, tuna, excellent as sashimi (Japanese style sliced raw fish) or as poke (chopped and seasoned raw fish).
Mahi Mahi or dolphin fish, served as a steak, sandwich, or in almost-raw thin strips .
Ono, A type of fish also known as wahoo. Not coincidentally, the name resembles the Hawaiian word for "delicious."
Shave ice, an island version of snow cones made from finely shaved ice, comes in lots of ono flavors. Order your shave ice with azuki beans and/or a scoop of ice cream.
Saimin, Hawaii's version of noodle soup or ramen.
Malasada, Fried bread rolled in plenty of sugar, often sold at special events. Portugese origin.
Manapua, local name for a popular type of Chinese dim-sum otherwise known as "char-siu-bao". Cured sweet pork wrapped in soft white bread.
Spam musubi, an unorthodox variant of Japanese riceballs (musubi), composed of salted rice formed into a rectangular shape and topped with spam, wrapped in seaweed. Popular enough to be sold in every Hawaiian 7-11.
Chicken/Pork Adobo, Filipino dish widely offered and appreciated in Hawaii.
Like the rest of Hawaii, the plate lunch is ubiquitous in Kauai. However, many of Kauai's beaches and natural attractions (like Waimea Canyon) have no amenities nearby. Pack a lunch and bring enough water for the day - then stop at the restaurants for dinner.
Red lychee fruit from a roadside stand or a farmer's market.
Wishing Well in Hanalei has the very best shave ice on Kauai. But, be prepared, they don't open until Noon or after. If you arrive at 11:30am be prepared to wait until they are ready to open and start serving. They close daily when they run out of ice, usually around 4pm.
Lappert's Ice Cream and Coffee, several locations on Kauai (and on the mainland as well), main location at 1-3555 Kaumualii Highway (route 50) in Hanapepe. The island of Kauai was where the late Walter Lappert retired and created what used to be the best premium ice cream in Hawaii - the quality has diminished significantly in the last ten years. The ice cream is still made in small batches from the small factory in Hanapepe. About $3 for a single scoop in a cup or cone.
Jojo's Clubhouse, Waimea. Excellent shave ice, arguably the best, if not in the state, then on Kauai. Over 60 flavors of syrup available. Many people stop there to or from Waimea Canyon.
Mango Mamas: On the sea side of the highway, just before Kilauea. Look for the pink building beside the small school. Very good smoothies made from local fruit and juices. Food is served. Nice outdoor seating. A very casual, "old Hawaii" kind of place. This has replaced Banana Joe's for us on our drive to the north end.
Kilauea Bakery: Off main highway in Kilauea, +1 828 2020, 11am-9pm, closed Sun. Fresh bread, great pizza. Sit outside to eat. 1 hour drive from Poipu.
Duane's Ono Burger: Next to the Anahola Post Office and General Store in Anahola on the road to Princeville. As the name suggests, the burgers are "Ono" which in Hawaiian, means "good." Portions are huge and seating is outside and limited. Take it to go and bring your food to nearby Anahola Beach. Parking is also limited, especially during the busy lunch hour.
Camp House Gril.l The Camp House Grill is located on Rte 50 in Kalaheao and has great food at reasonable prices. The pies in particular are wonderful especially the pecan pie, chocolate cream. The breakfasts are really great too.
Koloa Fish Market. Located near the eastern end of the main strip in Koloa the fish market has great plate lunches, especially the tuna.
Bubba Burger. This burger joint, whose motto is, "We cheat lawyers and tourists," has great burgers. You just can't have them your way. They come standard and any changes they make you do while the cook isn't looking. The burgers are great and the onion rings are better. It's an experience to be had. There is also a restaurant on Maui.
Pizzetta. an absolutely delicious pizzeria in the Po'ipu Shopping Village. Complete with a bar and patio, this is one of the more popular restaurants, and with good reason!
Puka Dog. Again, in the Po'ipu Shopping Village. World Famous hot dogs, made by inserting polish sausages into "tubes" of bread filled with any of several house-specialty sauces. Save this as one of the last meals on your trip, or you'll be eating here all week! Puka Dog's Website.
Taqueria Nortenos. Just across the street from the Po'ipu Shopping Village, this literal "Hole-in-the-Wall" joint serves enormous burritos, some of the best Mexican food on the island.
Kalaheo Cafe and Coffee. 2-2560 Kaumualii Hwy, 808 332-5858. Daily 6:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Dinner W - Sa from 5:30 PM.A quaint little place that has excellent coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and dinner. Try the tofu wrap or pineapple macadamia nut french toast for breakfast. Any of the salads, pastas, or fish will make an excellent dinner choice. Very reasonably priced.
Drink
Beer: there are a number of excellent local brewpubs in Hawaii. Mehana, Sam Choy's, Honu, Waimea Brewing Company, Keoki's and Kona Brewing Company all brew beer in Hawaii or brew it on the mainland and ship it to the islands. The largest of the group is Kona Brewing, which has won several national awards and runs to brew pub / restaurants in the islands (one in Kailua Kona, the other in Hawaii Kai on Oahu).
A great place to watch the sun set behind Bali Hai at cocktail hour is the "Library" at the Starwood Princeville Hotel, in the Princeville Resort on the North Shore. At the end of Ka Haku Road.
Sunset from The Point bar at the Sheraton Poipu--sit on the patio and nosh some bar food, sip a Lilikoi Lemonade, and watch the sun set behind Niihau and Spounting Horn.
Information on this page has been extracted http://wikitravel.org/en/Kauai from and is based on work by rentals@aloha.net, Evan Prodromou, Shallana, David, Amy Kammerman, Todd VerBeek, Paul Matsi, Stacy Hall and Sam, Wikitravel user(s) PatelRahul and Applegettwo, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
