We profile a lot of older businesses on our website, but not all that is interesting and worth a visit is time-tested. Sometimes, you have to be a pioneer to check out the new and improved. Such is the case of a visit to the Lawai Market.
The Lawai Market first opened its doors in September of 2020 and hence has just finished celebrating its very first year in existence this past autumn. But it was quite the year! The Lawai Market was opened to serve as a quality general store and bakery to the neighborhood of Lawai and in short order, they found themselves becoming a popular destination for locals and nonlocals alike. This establishment can best be described as a well-rounded local store that sells household essentials as well as an array of grab-and-go items from their on-site bakery.
That bakery has become a big part of the Lawai Market’s appeal to its patrons. Here, an in-house baker and chef team makes and sells freely baked bread and pastries every day.
Customers can also order from a long list of menu items that include:
Breakfast burritos, bento boxes, and the local favorite of spam musubis.
In addition to these baked goods, you can also buy a fresh cup of coffee from the store’s full coffee bar, including a full espresso bar.
In fact, that full espresso bar has some pretty unique coffee drinks that a caffeine-loving person ought to try.
There is for example the Lawai Latte 12 ounce drink, which is a smooth-tasting lavender latte that gets topped with whip cream that boasts the flavor of macadamia nuts. Or get really energized with the aptly named The Giddy Up. The Giddy Up comes packed with two hefty shots of espresso mixed with iced coffee and vanilla syrup, served topped with heavy cream.
In the food department, popular menu items include the Taro Burger.
This burger is a vegetarian-friendly burger made from taro, topped with goat cheese, arugula, and chipotle veganese, and served on a brioche bun. Those wanting a bit more protein in their lunch might opt for the Cannery Club, a turkey, ham, and peppered bacon sandwich that comes with Kauai root greens, tomato, cheddar cheese, and mayo.
Many of the foods and beverages sold at Lanai Market come from local sources. This includes both the produce and drinks sold as part of their grocery store as well as those prepared foods served via the bakery (the Taro Burger, for example, comes from Hanalei). To further support these sources as well as their own business, Lanai Market has started offering CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes for residents.
In summary, Lanai Market is a great morning or mid-day stop for those traveling Lawai and the greater South Kauai area. The prices here are going to be a bit higher than your general grocery store, but they do reflect the quality and local nature of most of those goods. Make sure to try the smoothie or acari bowl if you’re looking for something fresh, healthy, and Hawaiian.
Insider Tips:
-Lawai Market is very vegan and vegetarian-friendly. We have already mentioned their Taro Burger, smoothies, and bowls, but really that is just a snippet of what they offer. Non-meat lovers will find a whole lot of options here, both in terms of their prepared foods and their general goods sold, such as their large selection of dairy-free ice cream sold in their frozen goods section.
-On select days, the Lawai Market also sells fresh fish bought from nearby fishing outfits. They process this fresh fish right in their own kitchen, including Mahi Mahi cuts that come quite literally straight from their boat, and will often feature them sold as-is are as part of poke bowl specials. To learn more about these types of daily specials, you will need to follow them on social media or call to request.