Episode Details

Kauai Food Guide: Best Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Shave Ice, and Bucket List Spots

Marcie, a certified Hawaii destination expert, shares her organized-by-meal Kauai food guide based on what she orders, opening with her arrival tradition of Mark’s Place near Lihue Airport for takeout plate lunch (especially beef stew). For breakfast she recommends Java Kai, Sunrise Coffee, Holey Grail Donuts, Little Fish, and Passion Bakery malasadas. Lunch picks include Tahiti Nui in Hanalei, Kenji Burger (plus furikake fries), Kickshaw’s, Hamura Saimin, and musubi trucks. Dinner suggestions cover Lava Lava Beach Club, Hukilau Lanai, Merriman’s in Poipu (notably the mai tai), Postcards in Hanalei, Japanese Grandma’s Cafe in Hanapepe, and Kokee Lodge Portuguese bean soup, plus The Plantation House and Mamahune’s. She also lists favorite shave ice (Wishing Well, Waikomo) and a bucket list: Mama Bear’s Kitchen, Eating House 1849, Haunani’s, Bar Acuda (timed reservations), and Pono Market poke.

00:00 Arrival Plate Lunch Ritual
00:49 How This Food Guide Works
01:19 Breakfast Coffee Stops
01:57 More Morning Treats
02:53 Lunch Favorites Islandwide
04:33 Dinner With a View
06:29 North Shore and West Side Dinners
07:59 Best Shave Ice Stops
08:22 My Kauai Food Bucket List
10:50 Final Tips and Wrap Up

Who this episode is for: Anyone planning a Kauai trip who wants real, meal-by-meal restaurant picks instead of a generic "best restaurants" roundup.

What you'll learn: Marcie's go-to Kauai spots organized by breakfast, lunch, dinner, shave ice, and a bucket list of places she hasn't tried yet but wants to.

Places discussed:

• Lihue
• Hanalei
• Poipu
• Hanapepe
• North Shore
• West Side (Koke'e)

Restaurants discussed:

Arrival tradition:

• Mark's Place (near Lihue Airport) — takeout plate lunch, especially beef stew

Breakfast:

• Java Kai
• Sunrise Coffee
• Holey Grail Donuts
• Little Fish
• Passion Bakery — malasadas

Lunch:

• Tahiti Nui (Hanalei)
• Kenji Burger — furikake fries
• Kickshaw's
• Hamura Saimin
• Musubi trucks

Dinner:

• Lava Lava Beach Club
• Hukilau Lanai
• Merriman's (Poipu) — known for the mai tai
• Postcards (Hanalei)
• Japanese Grandma's Cafe (Hanapepe)
• Kokee Lodge — Portuguese bean soup
• The Plantation House
• Mamahune's

Shave ice:

• Wishing Well
• Waikomo

Bucket list (not yet tried):

• Mama Bear's Kitchen
• Eating House 1849
• Haunani's
• Bar Acuda (timed reservations)
• Pono Market — poke

Marcie's recommendations:

• Start every Kauai trip with a plate lunch from Mark's Place near Lihue Airport, especially the beef stew
• Get the mai tai at Merriman's in Poipu
• Book Bar Acuda in advance since it uses timed reservations

Related Hawaii Travel Made Easy episodes:

• North Shore Kauai: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go— Ep 125
• Every Kauai Luau I've Been To, Ranked Honestly — Ep 131
• Where I eat on Oahu— Ep 112
• Where I Actually Eat on Maui— Ep 132

Related articles: 

• Where to Eat on Kauai with Kids: My Tried-and-True Favorites

About Your Host: Marcie Cheung is a Certified Hawaii Desti