Postcards Cafe
The Postcards Cafe is housed in a plantation style building and specializes in healthy, organic vegetarian, vegan and seafood dishes using only fresh local ingredients. Their menu specifies which items are vegan and which are gluten free and all their seafood is fresh, brought in daily from the waters around the island. They grow much of the vegetables, salad greens and herbs on-site and sometimes they are picked as ordered. They're only open from 6 to 9 p.m. and reservations are suggested for groups of four or more. Visitors highly recommend the Chocolate Lava cake, but warn that it takes 30 minutes to prepare, so order it with your meal, so it arrives when you're done.
Postcards Cafe
5-5075 Kuhio Hwy Suite A
Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii 96714
(808) 826-1191
postcardscafe.com
Tidepools
Tidepools Restaurant, at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, was awarded Frommer's elusive three-star rating for exceptional cuisine and atmosphere. They're also the recipient of the 2009 Zagat Surveys Best Restaurant on Kauai and five years as the winner of Honolulu Magazine's Hale Aina Award for Best Kauai Restaurant.
Their atmosphere was artfully created, all dining is completely outdoors, in open-air floating thatched-roof huts surrounded by waterfalls and koi ponds. The food is gourmet and they specialize in steak and seafood. Reservations are recommended.
Tidepools Restaurant
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
1571 Poipu Road
Koloa, Hawaii, USA 96756
(808) 240-645
kauai.hyatt.com
Tropical Outdoor Dining
The Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant opened in 1977 and earned a reputation for excellent seafood. So much so, that it opened its own fish market adjacent to the restaurant, delivering to other restaurants and ensuring a supply of the freshest seafood in town. The restaurant offers a unique dining experience, with tables set up outdoors, alongside the Hanalei River. There's also lanai seating. Don't let the outdoor dining fool you, though, smoking is prohibited. In addition to fresh seafood, steaks and fresh, homemade bread are also served. Reservations are not accepted, and during peak season, there may be a wait, especially when it's raining. TripAdvisor.com reviewers recommend the seared ahi tuna and praise the restaurant for having live music and being kid-friendly.
Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant
5-5016 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, Hawaii 96722
(808) 826-6113
hanaleidolphin.com
