There are times when you want a fancy meal, something big at a quintessential Hawaiian restaurant overlooking the bay — and there are certainly a lot of fantastic options to choose from in all of islands for this type of experience. But sometimes you don’t want the big experience. Sometimes you want something fast, something cheap, but something also delicious. Especially when you’re on the way to a big Hawaiian adventure or day at the beach. For those times, consider stopping by Deli & Bread Connection.
Deli & Bread Connection is a small sandwich shop located in Lihue’s Kukui Grove shopping center on the island of Kauai. The shopping center is on the corner of Kaumualii HIghway and Nawiliwili Road. This sandwich shop is located at the heart of the shopping center, and you can easily get to it no matter which direction you walk from. The shopping center itself is on the far west end of Lihue near the Puakea Golf Course.
Deli & Bread Connection has been around for over a decade now and has consistently received high ratings and accolades from locals as well as visitors. This includes “Best of Kauai” and “People’s Choice” awards for their sandwiches and baked goods from the bakery.
A couple of the most commonly awarded and well-reviewed menu items from Deli & Bread Connection include:
Lobster Roll
This is a huge favorite but don’t order it thinking you are getting a classic Maine lobster roll. Rather, this lobster roll comes with big chunks of lobster covered in fresh, hot Swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms and onions. And all of this is smashed together between two pieces of homemade bread. When it comes to savory food items, you’d be hard-pressed to get something better than this dish.
Clam Chowder
Another typical Northeastern menu item that Deli & Bread Connection simply knocks out of the park. This is a white-based, extra-creamy chowder that customers can get served in a fresh sourdough bread bowl.
Club Sandwich
What deli can call itself a deli without having a fine club sandwich? This is the quintessential deli sandwich and, once again, it is a sandwich that Deli & Bread Connection consistently gets perfect. Despite being a bakery and using their own bread, this dining place doesn’t mess up where most paces do, which is by doing too much bread via a thick triple-decker set-up. Rather, the bread is thin, fresh, and, when baked, crispy. The cold cuts are likewise top quality and everything is smeared with a special sauce that gives the club sandwich from Deli & Bread Connection a unique and mouth-watering taste.
Insider Tips:
-The wait for food orders is the number one complaint visitors have here. So don’t go here *just* before a tour or other type of event thinking you can run in and run out fast. Absolutely do not try and grab food here if you have a plane to catch. But do go here when you have time to spare and, for best effects, plan for around a 30-minute wait (although they are generally faster than that) to grab lunch items forgo. Another good option is to put the order in with a phone number and enjoy the shops in the mall as you wait for the order to finish.
-Seating here is limited, but the shopping center has its own outdoor seating nearby that makes for a relaxing place to dine and enjoy your fresh deli meal.
-Want to make your own lunch sandwiches for a beach day? Grab your bread here! This bakery serves up freshly made sweet bread and poi rolls every morning.