When only the best-handcrafted pizzas will do, you definitely want to jet on over to Hanalei Pizza Shop in North Shore Kauai. Located in the Ching Young Shopping Center, this little pizza joint goes big on all their creations, earning themselves quite a following over the years. Although their popularity keeps them endlessly busy each day, they go above and beyond to get the orders out fast.
To help you avoid the wait, they warmly welcome everyone to call in their order before walking out the door. You can then pick up your appetizers, pizzas, and desserts at the window facing the Kuhio Highway. Or, if you wish to stick around, you can elect to dine in by entering through the courtyard near the Big Save Grocery Store. They have both indoor and outdoor seating available, so just find a great spot and settle in for a real treat.
Available as whole pies or by the slice, Hanalei Pizza Shop’s pizza starts with a chewy yet perfectly crisp crust in either 12- or 18-inch sizes. Want to keep it gluten-free? Go with their cauliflower crust instead. Either way, the next stop is one of their amazing sauces made in-house on the regular. They have traditional red sauce and sofrito, both of which are vegan. Or you can get their decadent garlic butter or pesto sauces.
As for cheese, Hanalei Pizza Shop has plenty of whole milk mozzarella, of course, plus fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan. Vegan cheese is on tap as well, so you can skip the animal products while still getting your pizza fix. Their toppings range from ordinary fare, like pepperoni, mushrooms, and pineapple, to the truly extraordinary, including their roasted red peppers, shredded smoked pork, and prosciutto. To top it all off, they have housemade BBQ drizzle or their amazingly nut-free basil pesto sauce.
Although Hanalei Pizza Shop’s pizza is a showstopper, for sure, their offerings do not end there. Tasty appetizers, calzones, and sandwiches await your arrival as well. They have Tropical Dreams ice cream for dessert, too, giving you the perfect way to finish off such a satisfying meal.
You’re sure to adore these items from Hanalei Pizza Shop:
Burrata & Toast
The Burrata & Toast gives you a whole new way to appreciate the way bread and cheese perfectly come together. To make this appetizer, they toast up their bread until golden brown. Then, Hanalei Pizza Shop adds two burrata balls plus plenty of tomatoes before covering it all in their flavorful fresh pesto.
Big Papa Pizza
If you want to enjoy pizza in a whole new way, you’ll want to track down Big Papa on the specialty menu. This decadent pizza features their housemade sofrito sauce, which is then completely covered in mozzarella cheese. Over that, they add a simple mix of jalapeno and bacon before cooking it all up to a nice golden brown.
Meatball Crescent
If you love meatball sandwiches, then the Meatball Crescent is always a great choice at Hanalei Pizza Shop. To create this calzone, they stuff their dough with red sauce, whole milk mozzarella, and a ton of chopped meatballs. After that, it’s just a matter of baking it up to perfection and slathering on their garlic butter sauce. Want to keep it simple? Just go with their basic Meatball Sandwich instead.
Although Hanalei Pizza Shop’s food is plenty good on its own, everyone loves a good dipping sauce. If you like to dip it up, grab a side of ranch, marinara, garlic butter, or all three for an extra charge. With these sauces on hand, you can easily elevate all your pizza flavors, especially when enjoying the leftovers the next day. Of course, you need something left over to be able to do that, so be sure to order more than enough for everyone to ensure you have some to tuck away for later.
Insider Tip:
If you’re anywhere between Hanalei and Kilauea, you can get your order from Hanalei Pizza Shop delivered right to your doorstep.