7 Best Places to Shop in The South Shore, Kauai

The South Shore's upscale shopping center has boutiques, exclusive galleries, several great restaurants, a gourmet grocer, a large drugstore, and Kauai-made Lappert's Ice Cream. The flagship of the Malie Organics bath line, used by many top hotels and spas, is here, along with anchors like Lululemon, Tommy Bahama, and Deja Vu Surf. Check out the Kauai Culinary Market on Wednesday afternoons to see cooking demonstrations, listen to live music, and shop from local vendors. This attractive open-air plantation-style center gets busy on Friday nights. It's at the roundabout as you enter Poipu.

As you browse shelves stocked with international wines, gourmet nibbles, local rum, and etched glassware, you may notice romance in the air. The Wine Shop is where couples can obtain a state marriage license, gather charcuterie supplies for a honeymoon beach picnic, or order a gift basket for a milestone anniversary. Want a particular vintage for an upcoming family trip? They will bring in special orders and hold them for your arrival.

In addition to offering original paintings, scratchboard art, and ceramics by Hawaii artists, this stylish gallery in The Shops at Kukuiula doubles as a boutique that sells a unique sampling of clothing, jewelry, bags, and gifts by local designers with prices that range from good values to splurges.

With plantation-style architecture designed to blend with historic buildings down the block, this new multiuse complex is becoming well-populated with restaurants, retail, services, and offices that attract both residents and visitors. Most retail tenants are local small businesses, not mainland franchises, and there's a wellness vibe thanks to Hoku Foods, Kauai Juice Co., a yoga studio, and e-bike rentals.

The original Lawai General Store got a facelift and now offers grab-and-go breakfast and lunch, groceries, sundries, a good selection of beer and wine, and a coffee/smoothie bar. At the gateway between the South Shore and the West Side, it's a fine spot to provision for adventures in the mountains or at the shore. Locals and condo renters alike stop by for farm produce, local beef, and house-baked bread, or to refuel with an acai bowl on the porch. Call or check Instagram for Sunday and holiday dinners to go.

Convenient to hotels and condos along the shore, the two dozen shops at Poipu Shopping Village sell resort wear, gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, and art. This complex also has a number of food choices, from casual Indian, Thai, and pizza restaurants to a gelato stand and Starbucks. Hula shows and farmers' markets in the open-air courtyard add to the ambience.

An old warehouse has new life as a marketplace for a dozen creative entrepreneurs and as a hub for food trucks. Hand-printed clothing, authentic lauhala hats, boho-chic jewelry, letterpressed cards, specialty food products, original paintings, and locally crafted soaps are offered at the oft-changing shops and stalls. Locals and visitors mingle at shaded picnic tables outside. On Second Saturday evenings each month, craft vendors, farmers, cooks, and musicians join the scene.