Regional highlights
Hanalei poi
Kauai's flagship traditional carbohydrate — taro corm (kalo) from the Hanalei valley, steamed, peeled, pounded with water until smooth, and left to ferment briefly until a slight sour edge develops. The Hanalei valley is one of the largest taro-growing regions in Hawaii and supplies most of the state's commercial poi. Eaten with the fingers ("one finger", "two finger", "three finger" describes thickness — thicker = older, more sour). Served at every Kauai luau.
Kauai shrimp
Pacific white shrimp farmed at Kauai's aquaculture facilities since the 1980s — sold under the "Kauai Shrimp" brand at supermarkets and restaurants across Hawaii. Sweeter and slightly smaller than typical commercial shrimp, prepared most often as garlic-butter shrimp on a plate-lunch counter, in shrimp curry on a fine-dining menu, or as a poke alternative on the beach. Some Kauai food trucks do shrimp-truck preparations in the style of the Oahu Kahuku coast.
Kalua pork
Whole pig slow-cooked in an imu (underground oven) — the Native Hawaiian luau centrepiece. The pig is rubbed with Hawaiian sea salt, wrapped in banana and ti leaves, lowered into a pit lined with hot lava stones, and steamed for 6-8 hours. Kauai's luau scene is split between resort luaus on the south coast (the Smith's Family Garden Luau in Wailua and the resort luaus at Poipu) and smaller community luaus on the north coast.
Lappert's ice cream
Kauai's heritage ice cream brand — founded 1983 in the small west-coast town of Hanapepe by Walter Lappert, an Austrian-born confectioner. Lappert's developed a range of intensely Hawaiian flavours that have become Kauai icons — Kauai Pie (a layered combination of macadamia, vanilla, coffee and chocolate), Heavenly Hana, lilikoi (passion fruit), guava, mango. Sold from the original Hanapepe shop and at Lappert's outlets across Kauai. Dense, creamy, the Kauai dessert.
Anahola coffee
Kauai grows a small but distinct specialty coffee on the east coast at Anahola and at the Kauai Coffee plantation near Kalaheo on the south coast — the latter is one of the largest coffee farms in Hawaii. Less famous than Big Island's Kona but lighter, with brighter acidity and a clean fruit character. Sold at the Kauai Coffee tasting room and at specialty cafés across the island.
Poke
Cubed raw ahi tuna seasoned with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil, sweet onion, green onion, ogo seaweed and chilli flakes — Hawaii's signature raw-fish preparation. Sold by the pound at Kauai's poke counters in Lihue, Kapa'a and Hanalei. The Kauai version often uses local Kauai shrimp as an alternative protein, and the Hanalei farmers' market sometimes has poke made with locally landed fish.
Plate lunch
Hawaii's signature plantation-era working lunch — two scoops of white rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, and a protein (kalua pork, teriyaki chicken, mahi-mahi, mochiko chicken or beef stew) on a paper plate. Plate-lunch counters are dotted across Kauai, especially in Lihue, Kapa'a and Hanapepe. Casual, cheap, the everyday Kauai working lunch.
Laulau
Pork (or fish, or chicken) wrapped in luau leaves (taro leaves), then a second wrap of ti leaves, steamed for hours until the meat is meltingly tender and the taro leaves cook down into a green vegetable layer. A traditional Native Hawaiian luau dish. The Kauai version often uses local Hanalei taro leaves and butterfish (black cod) alongside the pork.
Lomi-lomi salmon
Salt-cured salmon tossed with diced tomato, sweet onion, green onion and a touch of chilli, eaten cold as a salad. "Lomi-lomi" means "to massage" — the ingredients are massaged together by hand. Served at every luau as a side. Kauai's wetter east coast supplies excellent local tomatoes for the dish.
Haupia
Coconut-milk pudding — coconut milk thickened with arrowroot or cornstarch, sweetened, set in a shallow pan, then cut into squares. Served at every luau as a finishing dessert. Light, slightly chewy, very fragrant of fresh coconut. Kauai bakeries also use haupia as a layer in chocolate-haupia pie, an island sweet-shop classic.
Loco moco
Two scoops of rice, a hamburger patty, brown gravy poured over, and a fried egg on top — invented in 1949 at the Lincoln Grill in Hilo (Big Island) and adopted across the state including Kauai. Eaten for breakfast or lunch, never daintily. The gravy soaks into the rice; the egg yolk runs into both.
Shave ice
Finely shaved (not crushed) ice over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and azuki (sweet red) beans, drenched in flavoured syrups (lilikoi/passion fruit, mango, guava, strawberry, lychee), often topped with sweetened condensed milk and mochi balls. The Kauai shave-ice scene is small but quality — the Hanalei and Kapa'a stands are local favourites and many use Lappert's ice cream as the base scoop.