15 Best Restaurants in The South Shore, Kauai

Hawaii's culinary superstar, Roy Yamaguchi, runs his signature Hawaiian-fusion-cuisine restaurant on Kauai's South Shore in a shopping village that suits the name and creative fare. Though billed as "plantation cuisine," the hot-pot rice bowl, spicy ramen, and burger that's half wild boar are about the only items that might have their roots in the days when sugar was king; otherwise, the menu is classic Asian fusion. Pot stickers, meat appetizers, and an array of noodle dishes and salads make it easy to cobble together a hearty tapas-type meal. Roy's signature molten chocolate soufflé (gluten free) is also offered. The food is served in cast-iron skillets and other casual ware that suit the plantation-style decor. Reservations are recommended, and there is a separate take-out menu.

Homestyle Italian cuisine including house-made pasta is served in a small lively dining room and bar area at this main-street restaurant. Choose from the cellar list or bring your own bottle, perhaps from the wine shop next door. Elegant lighting and friendly but professional service make La Spezia a good choice for a special date or a small celebration. Zucchini noodles can be used for a gluten-free option in some dishes.

Popular for a predinner gathering or a full evening out, this trendy wine bar on Koloa's main street has great flights and small bites, and has added a few larger entrées that change seasonally. A venture run by the daughters of the owner of the wineshop next door, it offers knowledgeable non-snooty service and an extensive list of wines, beers, and spirits. Nibble and sip in the cozy farmhouse-style bistro or out on the sheltered veranda. This is a good spot for a small private event, too.

Of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort's restaurants, this is definitely the most tropical, with grass-thatch huts that seem to float on a koi-filled pond beneath starry skies while torches flicker in the lushly landscaped grounds nearby. The equally distinctive food has an Island flavor that comes from the chef's advocacy of Hawaii Regional Cuisine and extensive use of Island-grown products, including fresh herbs from the resort's organic garden. You won't go wrong ordering the macadamia nut–crusted mahi mahi, local beef, or the Hawaiian catch, with its medley of local lobster, fish, shrimp, and scallops. Start with the Thai coconut soup or beet-and-candied-lemon salad to wake up your taste buds. The malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) with mango-passion coulis and chocolate sauce are a memorable dessert.

This busy restaurant has a dreamy ocean view, making it one of the best settings on Kauai for a special dinner or a cocktail and appetizer while the sun sinks into the blue Pacific and surfers slice the waves. The prices have gone up, but you can still find satisfaction in the pork pot sticker appetizer or fresh catch served in multiple flavorful ways. Save room for dessert, then stroll the oceanfront path in the moonlight. 

Casual and fun, with a busy mai tai bar and windows overlooking the beach, Brennecke's specializes in big portions in a wide range of offerings including rib-eye steak, burgers, fish tacos, pasta, and shrimp. You can create your own combination meal if you can't pick only one. This place is especially good for happy hour, as the drink and pupu (appetizer) menus and daily promotions bring down the prices. There's a beach deli downstairs.

Fresh, fast, and affordable, Da Crack is everything you could ask for when refueling between outdoor activities. Fill your burrito, bowl, or taco with locally caught fish, traditional beans, house-made salsa, and local avocado guacamole—or many other choices made from scratch—then head back out to eat and explore more of the island.

At the far eastern end of Poipu, the Kauai Poke Co. serves up fresh fish and greens, hearty local-style plates, and burgers along with a stunning view of Mt. Haupu. It's a good place to enjoy lunch or a cold one on the patio after golfing at the Poipu Bay course or hiking the Mahaulepu bluffs. Catering orders are welcomed and the spacious dining hall would be a good choice for receptions and reunions.

Built to resemble a dockside boathouse, this active semi-outdoor place fills up quickly for dinner thanks to a busy lounge and frequent live music. The day's fresh catch is available in various styles and sauces, and other favorites include coconut shrimp, seafood risotto, and roasted pork ribs that are cooked in a traditional Hawaiian imu (an underground oven). The bar area serves casual fare and a dozen mostly local draft beers. Hula pie, with chocolate cookie crust and macadamia nut ice cream, is meant to share. This is a good choice for a family celebration.

Having outgrown its tiny shop by the post office, Koloa Fish Market now offers tasty take-out poke, plate lunches, fresh fish, and party platters at a location along the road to Poipu.

A perfect beach day starts with coffee and an acai bowl or bagel sandwich from Little Fish, a popular snack shack along the main road in Poipu. Spreads are house-made, bakery treats are mom's recipes, and the flavor-packed smoothies will have you back tomorrow for another. Ingredients are locally grown and organic whenever possible. Order online for pickup or watch the world go by from a picnic table.

A range of light fare is served from brunchtime through evening on the covered lanai attached to Living Foods general store at The Shops at Kukuiula. Locally sourced starters, sandwiches, fish preparations, entrée salads, and desserts can be ordered via the café's website, which speeds up table service. Grown-ups will find wines by the glass, draft beers, and clever cocktails, while the keiki will find tried-and-true favorite foods. The coffee counter and bakery opens early; takeout is available.

The Hawaii Regional Cuisine served up at chef Peter Merriman's namesake restaurant is enhanced by a sophisticated setting, live music, and lovely views from a pretty second-floor dining veranda. Start at the bar, where fine wines are offered by the glass, and then continue to the dinner menu, which states the origins of the fish, shrimp, lamb, beef, chicken, and veggies: 90% is locally grown or caught. The chocolate purse is a favorite dessert.

It takes four steps to customize a Hawaiian-style hot dog here, so your crew may want to study the menu in advance. Choose a Polish sausage or veggie dog, top it with a house-made sauce and one of six intriguing tropical fruit relishes, then add mustard (lilikoi—passion fruit—is best). All this deliciousness won't fall out on your bathing suit because the bun is baked with a puka (a hole) rather than sliced. Grab a fresh-squeezed lemonade and cross the road to the beach for the final ingredient, sunshine.

Smart sophisticated decor, attentive and skilled service, and an exceptional menu that highlights Hawaiian seafood make Red Salt a great choice for leisurely fine dining. A daily breakfast is also served, featuring lobster Benedict and lemon-pineapple soufflé pancakes. The sushi lounge and pool bar offer more of the kitchen's great food at lower prices. The seared ahi with furikake (a Japanese seasoning) is accompanied by coconut-lemongrass black rice, while the Australian lamb chops are dredged in Parmesan and herbs. Dessert options include Hawaiian bread pudding drenched in rum caramel, a passion fruit crème brûlée, and five dessert martinis.