If you had to rank the best types of cuisine that Hawaii’s known for, pizza wouldn’t even crack the top ten. Baked goods, however, would likely hover within the top five. At least, if King’s Hawaiian bakery is to be believed. Tucked in the northeastern corner of Kauai, Kilauea Bakery & Pizza is nothing fancy. When you walk inside, you’ll be struck by how utilitarian it seems. Compared to some of the chic restaurants and boutiques nearby, Kilauea stands out as somewhat “basic.”
Then, you try the food, which is anything but. If you sample most of the menu (as you should), you’ll agree that Kilauea is definitely a bakery first and a pizzeria second. That said, both options are stellar, so it’s not like the rankings are too far apart. However, since this place gets pretty crowded for breakfast, that should tell you the main reason why people come.
When talking about breakfast, though, the pastries are not the only star. Kilauea Bakery knows how to make a savory dish, including the breakfast Stromboli or egg n’ cheddar frittata. For the best results, we highly recommend something sweet and savory for the perfect balance. If you’re a fan of sticky buns, this bakery will become one of your favorite spots on the island.
As far as pizza goes, the selection here is much more extensive than you might expect, especially for such a cozy business. Some highlights from the Kilauea Bakery & Pizza menu include:
Seafood Pizza
Yes, it comes with anchovies, but you also get bay shrimp and house-smoked tilapia, so it evens out.
Island Stylin’
This is an upgraded version of Hawaiian pizza, complete with smoked ham, fresh pineapple, chipotle peppers, and garlic.
Billie Holiday
This pizza also comes with fish in the form of smoked ono (aka wahoo). Complementing the fish are spinach, roasted onions, and gorgonzola rosemary sauce. Many locals have praised the Billie Holiday as their favorite pizza, both on Kauai and elsewhere.
Provencal
This pie is straight from Italy, as it comes with asiago cheese, garlic, onion, basil pesto, and sun-dried tomato.
Since baked goods are the main draw at Kilauea Bakery & Pizza, we can’t neglect the sweet options available at Kilauea Bakery. Here you can find cakes, lilikoi lemon bars, sticky and cinnamon buns, macadamia nut pie, and Grand Marnier layer cake. Best of all, you can find vegan options if you are so inclined.
Insider Tips:
-Since this is a bakery, it can get pretty crowded in the morning. Sunday mornings are the busiest, so plan accordingly. The bakery also does custom desserts and cakes, but since they do brisk business, you need to call at least two days ahead.
-Speaking of customization, you can pre-order anything from the menu so that you don’t have to worry about it being sold out. Call a day ahead and you don’t have to suffer the indignity of FOMO.