Local Kauai foods reflect the island’s heritage, history and people. It’s an exciting and tasty fusion of Hawaiian, American, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino cuisines and influences. This type of “pacific rim” cuisine means lots of delicious fish and meat dishes with freshly grown, local fruits and vegetables. So, on your vacation, don’t just pick the safe option of pizza and burgers (although there are some great options on the island). Try something a little different.
Here are our top 15 local Kauai foods to try on your vacation
1 Ono – you’ll find this fish on menus prepared in a number of ways. It is found throughout the island, particularly between May through October. Interestingly, the word ono means delicious in Hawaiian.
2 Kalua pig – often served at a luau, this is a pig cooked in an underground oven called an imu where hot rocks are placed inside its carcass. It is then shredded and mixed with sea salt. This is a must-try for any non-vegetarian.
3 Poi – OK, so this is an acquired taste, but give it a go at least once. Poi is a traditional staple food consisting of steamed taro root that is pounded into a paste on a wooden pounding board with a carved basalt pestle. It’s best to eat it with something with a big flavor as it takes on the taste of other foods.
4 Supersweet corn – this really is the best corn you’ve ever eaten.
5 Malsada – if you have a sweet tooth, this is for you. It’s a Portuguese-style donut that is dipped in sugar. It’s best served hot.
6 Saimin – while no one can agree where these come from, these noodles cooked in a meat or fish broth are delicious. The word is local to Hawaii, but the noodles could come from Japan or China.
7 Shave ice – as the name suggests, this is a block of ice that is shaved, shaped into a ball and then topped with a delicious flavored syrup.
8 Taro – this is a staple that is added to all kinds of foods such as bread, rolls and chips.
9 Papaya – a melon-like fruit great for breakfast or in a smoothie. There are several varieties on the island.
10 Huli-Huli chicken – if you like BBQ, try it Hawaiian style.
11 Lomi salmon – another luau dish, this is a salad of raw and salted salmon, tomatoes and onions.
12 Kimchee – Korea’s influence on island cuisine can be tasted in this relish or pickled cabbage, onions, radish, garlic and chilli.
13 Poke – raw fish or octopus mixed with seaweed, sesame seeds, oil and seasonings.
14 Barbecue sticks – Teriyaki flavored pork, chick or beef barbecued and served on bamboo sticks.
15 Musubi – cold steamed rice, often served with sliced spam (canned cooked pork) and rolled in black seaweed. Try it.
Find out more
We have listed a number of great restaurants in the north of Kauai for our guests to visit. If you’d like further advice on what and where to eat, visit reception, and they will be happy to help.
Banner image: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman / @hbgoodie
