Food Lover's Guide to Kauai

With its eclectic mix of budget-friendly street food trucks, high-end hotel restaurants,, and fresh fish markets, Hawaii’s laid-back Garden State is a great place to try traditional Hawaiian dishes. Here are a few popular dishes you should try at least once.

Must-Try Dishes

Hawaiians love their Spam and their sushi, so it's no surprise that Spam musubi, nigari made with spam and rice wrapped in seaweed is one of the Island State's most ubiquitous snacks. If you're in the mood for something heavier, sit down for a plate lunch, which consists of white rice, macaroni salad, and a meat dish (often pork). For something healthier, opt for poke, a dish of diced, raw fish seasoned with lime, soy sauce, and salt. Top it all off with shave ice, snow cones made with ice that’s been flaked off a large block and flavored with sweet syrup.

Must-Do Experiences

• Take a tour to the Princeville Botanical Gardens to sample chocolate and learn about its production.
• Pick up the catch of the day at a local fish market.
• Sip on locally grown coffee at a coffee plantation.
• Taste passionfruit and papaya at one of the Garden Island’s many farmers markets.
• Dine on roast pig, among many other dishes, during a traditional luau (Hawaiian-style banquet).