Where to Find the Best Dinner Near and Around Lihue, Kapa’a, and Hokuala

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Clean Plate Club

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You’ve spent the day exploring the beauty of the Garden Isle and there’s one last thing to do before calling it a day — eat a delicious dinner. We’ve hand-collected a list of the best places to enjoy a lovely meal in Central Kauai.

But wait, there’s more. We’re here to help demystify some of the unusual words you might see on menus like furikake, laulau and lilikoi — and explain which meat is being served and why. And possibly most importantly of all, provide the fun facts on the origins of local dishes. 

If you’re happy with your meal, tag us @LocalGetaways on Instagram to share the love.

For more suggestions on best restaurants in Kauai, the best things to do in Kauai, and the best places to stay in Kauai, click here.

Feature Photo: JO2 Natural Cuisine Facebook

Someone holds a wooden bowl with rice, poke, furikake seasoning and mayo drizzle.
Photo courtesy of Leong's Road House.
Coconut Marketplace, 4-484 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa

808.378.4133

The family behind the original Leong’s Meat House in Kapaa and the roomier Leong’s Market & Grill in the Shops at Kukui‘ula in Koloa now boast another home-style restaurant, this time in the updated Coconut Marketplace. Specializing in island favorites such as mochi pancakes, loco moco, chicken long rice, grilled fish and kalbi ribs, this location is the only one open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A plate with a bed of black pasta in yellow sauce and topped with sliced seafood, flower petals, sprouts and tomatoes.
Photo courtesy of Naisla Kitchen on Instagram.

Italian and Japanese dishes vie for supremacy at this upscale Coconut Coast dining room, but luckily you really can’t go wrong, especially if you enjoy one of the craft cocktails to start. The braised short ribs in a ginger soy reduction fuse the two cuisines nicely with both a creamy risotto and edamame on the plate.

A vibrant and colorful salad is topped with various microgreens, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, and pieces of white fish or chicken. The dish appears fresh and healthy, with a mix of textures and colors, making it one of the best dinners in Lihue or Kapa'a. Served on a white plate.
Photo: @hukilau_kauai

Hukilau Lanai sources only sustainably caught fish and is part of The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. The views here are great, and everything is made on site from scratch. There are several gluten-free options on the menu, and every night there’s a five-course tasting menu for $65, offered from 5-5:45pm. Reservations are recommended. 

Two black bowls of gourmet dishes are presented. The front bowl contains a greenish soup garnished with a yellow flower and red garnish. The back bowl has a mixture of small, round food pieces with similar decorations, suggesting this might be the best dinner in Lihue or Kapa'a, especially at Hokuala.
Photo: @jo2restaurant

Chef Jean-Marie Josselin has created a menu that merges the culinary influences of his native France, the clean flavors of Japanese cooking, and Hawaii’s multi-ethnic community. Jo2 focuses on using local organic produce and freshly caught fish. Our recommended dishes include ono ceviche with coconut water foam, tempura lobster tail ramen, and sake cured steelhead salmon. 

Three gourmet sliders topped with crispy onion strings, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and pickle spears on sesame seed buns. Two open bottles of Corona Extra beer are behind the sliders. The perfect setting for the best dinner in Lihue or Kapa'a, with a blurred outdoor backdrop hinting at blue skies and greenery.
Photo: Sam's Ocean View

“Eat, drink, fun” is the motto at Sam’s Ocean View, where high-quality food, a stunning ocean view, and a casual atmosphere come together to form your perfect dinner spot. Their fish options change each day, and their commitment to freshness carries through to their hand-mixed cocktails — locally-sourced ingredients and never a soda gun. Try their guava, lilikoi jalapeño, or blood orange margaritas while you enjoy global twists on American dishes. You might even spot a whale out the window!

A layered cake with pink frosting between the layers and topped with a layer of red jello, cream and piece of chocolate.
Photo: Credit Hōkūala Kauai

Hidden from public view amid the ultra-luxury Timbers Kauai vacation residences on the Hokuala resort, this upscale, relaxed open-air restaurant overlooks Nawiliwili Bay, Ninini Point Lighthouse and a shimmering pool to dreamy effect. Hualani’s claim of “farm to table” is real, though, since the Farm at Hokuala is just a golf cart ride away. The Hokuala Farm Thai curry with coconut milk is a piquant way to taste its harvest, as is honey roasted chicken with farm honey and a locally sourced mango chutney. 

Pork sliders top with an orange colored sauce, white onions and red cabbage sit on a plate.
Photo: Courtesy of Napali Brewing Company

Blake and Kati Conant’s 10-barrel brewery in Wailua includes an attractively airy dining room with communal tables and a menu bridging local tastes and traditional brewpub fare, from kalua pig sliders and huli huli chicken to buffalo wings and pretzel bread. Seafood lovers will appreciate options for several kinds of poke, plus crab cakes, ceviche, smoked salmon and more. The considerate keiki menu includes chicken skewers, housemade mac and cheese, beef sliders and kalua pork with rice. 

More Please!
For more suggestions on the best restaurants in Kauai, the best things to do in Kauai and the best places to stay in Kauai, click here.

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