Cuisine & Specialties
- Cuisine: Farm-to-table Hawaiian-American fusion (a health-conscious café style with global flavors). The menu emphasizes organic, locally sourced ingredients.
- Signature dishes: Smash Burger with grass-fed beef and cheddar; Loco Moco served over kimchi rice; fresh Ahi Poke Bowls; beer-battered Fish Tacos/Fish & Chips; hearty salads like the Kale-Beet salad (often topped with blackened Ahi). Brunch/brunch-like items (omelets, breakfast burritos) and inventive sandwiches (e.g. shrimp po’boy, Ahi BLT) are popular.
- Beverages & treats: A full coffee bar (espresso drinks, lattes – try the brown sugar lavender latte) plus a juice/smoothie bar with fresh-pressed juices and bowls. The house-made Lilikoi (passionfruit) cheesecake and other desserts round out the offerings.
- Local touch: The market side stocks island-grown produce, made-in-Kaua‘i goods, gluten-free pastas/pizzas and health foods, so even grocery shopping feels gourmet. (Expect a good gluten-free/vegan selection.)
Notable Features & Ambiance
- Price Range: $$ (midrange – dishes often $15–20). Prices reflect the organic/local focus (some guests note items can be pricier than fast food).
- Key amenities: Free parking in the Shops at Kukui‘ula lot; full coffee and juice bar; prepared-foods grab-and-go counter; Wi-Fi available. Outdoor patio (lanai) seating under tropical landscaping. Wheelchair accessible. No cover charge or minimum.
- Kid & pet friendly: Very family-oriented. There’s a kids menu (e.g. keiki cheeseburger) and – unusually – a dog-friendly patio with a “doggie menu” (pup cups, doggie dinner). Relaxed rules let you bring the whole crew (leashed pets welcome outside).
- Atmosphere: Casual, bright and breezy island style. Décor is earthy (wood and plants), with open-air seating and a laid-back “local” vibe. Background music is low-key. Staff wear casual uniforms – dress is beach/tourist casual in practice.
- Dress code: None – casual resort wear or active wear is perfect. (You’ll see flip-flops, shorts, swimsuits by day.)
History & Background
- Origins: Established 2010 by Chef Jim Moffat (of Hanalei’s BarAcuda) in the Kukui‘ula Village complex. It was Kauai’s first upscale organic grocery-café on the South Shore.
- Ownership timeline: Moffat sold Living Foods around 2014 to local business partners (Howard Warner & Jeff Sacchini), who relaunched the brightened market-café. After a multi-year closure (circa 2020), a new Kauai-based team revived it. In Fall 2021 it reopened under new owners, retaining the “Living Foods” name and concept.
- Leadership: Executive Chef is Mark Arriola (formerly of Merriman’s Fish House in Kōloa, with a Colorado culinary background). Co-owner/Manager Nicole Freeland (ex-Beach House GM) leads operations alongside him. They emphasize Aloha spirit and island sourcing.
- Local reputation: Often described as a Poipu “staple” or “gem,” Living Foods is known for pioneering healthy eating on the South Shore. Its grand re-openings (2014, 2021) were community events. It hasn’t won major awards, but locals credit it with bringing Whole-Foods-style shopping and fresh café cuisine to the area.
