The Anuenue Cafe makes a bold statement on their website: “The best breakfast on Kauai.” Anyone can brag about being the best, but can they live up to their hype? Before we unveil our opinion on the matter, let’s look into this little breakfast joint.
Anuenue Cafe is on Plantation Drive in Poipu and is open seven days a week. Currently, the hours of operation are from 7 AM-1 PM. Based upon customer comments, Anuenue is popular, and there is typically a line. But don’t set sail for another restaurant just yet, as the consensus is that the line moves quickly even when busy. There isn’t indoor seating, but there are a few tables outside. Most customers order their food “to go” and opt to eat elsewhere. Aside from breakfast, Anuenue Cafe is also available for private dining events like romantic celebrations, catering, brunch parties, and wedding rehearsals.
Now know what you may be thinking: “Since it’s popular, doesn’t that prove it does serve the best breakfast on Kauai?” It’s a good sign, but let’s not jump to conclusions yet. A deep dive into their menu selection, along with diner’s feedback, will be the best determining factor in our query.
When you glance over their menu, one could easily mistake it to feature the blasé breakfast standards like eggs, pancakes, etc. But upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that each signature dish is unique. To simply payment, all signature meals are the same price with tax included. If you search online for pictures of these dishes, your mouth will water, and your eyes will be dazzled. As the saying goes amongst food connoisseurs, “You eat with your eyes first.”
Here are a few highlights from the menu:
Kalua Pork Fried Rice
Wait, rice for breakfast? Yes, it’s a popular Hawaiian dish for breakfast. The Kalua Pork Fried Rice comes with pork, pineapple, jalapeno, and two eggs. The entree is seasoned with the cafe’s homemade shoyu ginger sauce. Diners rave about how juicy the pork is and that the dish has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
Tow-Ins
The cafe takes the classic french toast and gives it a Kauai upgrade. They start by using Hawaiian sweet bread that they fry to a golden brown. Next, haupia, which is a homemade coconut pudding, tops the sweet bread. Along with the french toast, you get two eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage.
Shark Frittata
A frittata is an Italian dish that’s similar to an omelet. The Shark Frittata is very popular among diners. This egg dish is loaded with bacon, sausage, and topped with kalua pork and cheddar cheese.
So let’s get back to our initial challenge: does the Anuenue Cafe offer the best breakfast on Kauai? After reading the glowing reviews and viewing pictures of their food, we feel that they indeed live up to the hype. Our one piece of advice is to get there early as it gets jam-packed!
Insider Tips:
Some customers found the beverage list lacking. They recommended walking to the nearby fresh-juice stand for a better selection.