Eat Healthy Kauai – RUSSELL’S

Russell’s by Eat Healthy Kauai – Tasty Vegan and Gluten-Free Fare Served Gardenside
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

For a chance to dine on vegan and gluten-free goodness while enjoying nature’s beauty, you just need to visit Russell’s by Eat Healthy Kauai. At this East Side Kauai eatery, you can lounge in their garden to take in a view of all the tropical plants and listen to live music while you eat. If you’d like alcoholic beverages to go with your plant-based fare, be sure to bring them along for the ride.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

Russell’s by Eat Healthy Kauai makes it easy to get your fill of truly delicious vegan fare plus plenty of gluten-free foods as well. They always go above and beyond at this East Side Kauai eatery in sourcing the freshest ingredients around. Their produce always comes from local farms, while their meat substitutes come from trusted suppliers from all over the nation.

They don’t just settle for tofu alone either. You can expect to get soy “chorizo,” chickpea tu-no, tempeh “bacon,” and Beyond Meat products. If you do want to go with the tofu, expect imaginative preparations all their own, like adding a coconut mac nut crust. The results are phenomenal, leaving you with a whole new appreciation for this relatively simple vegan ingredient.

In order to get a taste of all they’re serving up, you’ll definitely want to make reservations. Their eatery gets rather busy, especially at the top of the breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours, after all. If popular musicians are playing, their dining area fills up even faster. So, just give them a call once you know when you’ll be swinging by and request that they keep a table open for you at that time. If you want to drink alcoholic beverages with your meal, be sure to bring your own beer.

Once you arrive, the staff will send a friendly aloha your way, and then guide you to your table of choice. Although you can dine inside, the real magic is sitting out in the garden. All the tropical plants help set the stage for an amazing meal, while the chill ambiance promises to keep you feeling cozy during your visit. Their attentive servers will have you feeling right at home as well and always come to check-in at all the right moments.

The wild chickens come to check-in, too, in hopes that you’ll give them a bite to eat. But don’t give in to their adorable antics because it’s strictly prohibited. Instead, wave them away when you see them, keep them off the table, and always protect your food from their opportunistic beaks.  

Swing by to try their:

Tex Mex Burrito
Whenever you’d like to start your day off right, you can count on the Tex Mex Burrito to come through in a big way. To create this breakfast favorite, they brown soy “chorizo,” and then put it in a tortilla with pinto beans and tofu. Once it’s wrapped up, a green salad lands alongside to add fresh flavor to the mix.

Teriyaki Pineapple Burger
At lunchtime and beyond, treat yourself to their ultra-flavorful Teriyaki Pineapple Burger. Also available gluten-free, this dish begins with a Beyond Burger patty grilled up piping hot. Then, they put it on a regular or gluten-free bun along with mayo and teriyaki pineapple sauce. Greens complete the burger plus you get a fresh green salad as your side.   

Vegetable Pasta
With just one bite of the Vegetable Pasta, you’ll quickly realize just why it’s their coveted signature dish. They create this fan-favorite by cooking veggie pasta until perfectly al dente and then tossing it in a rich coconut white wine sauce. On the side, they provide a slice of toasted garlic focaccia bread from a nearby bakery.

When it comes to dessert, they change things up often, but you can always count on getting a sweet treat to remember. Depending on what they’re in the mood to make, you might find gluten-free brownies, banana bread, or chocolate chip cookies. If you don’t have to skip the wheat, you might also want to consider trying their fruit turnovers. They make their turnovers fresh daily by filling up a puff pastry with fruit and then baking it in the oven until golden brown.

Insider Tips:
-Even when they have the ingredients on hand, they do not allow any substitutions.
-They have spray bottles all around, but they are not for kids to play with. They are for when the chickens get rather aggressive about getting a bite to eat.