Kauai, Hawaii: 19 cheap eats for under $20

Meal deals in Kauai for under $20

High-end restaurants abound on the lush, tropical shores of Kauai, as do high-end meal prices. So here we go again, catching the aloha spirit as we dine our way through the Garden Isle, searching for great meal deals.

We teamed up with local food experts to bring you 19 Kauai meals for less than $20, just as we did in our recent surveys of Oahu and Maui.

Kauai presents a real challenge to travelers on a budget: Food costs are higher in the outer islands than on Oahu, so it's more difficult to stick to a $20 budget here. But our restaurant survey will help you do just that -- and you'll have a cultural experience as well.

Once again, we concentrated on the restaurants that locals patronize. Many offer inexpensive, traditional Hawaiian fare, others specialize in ethnic cuisines or American standards. Several are low-key diners or takeout stands. But we also included a couple of splurge restaurants where the ambience is pure tropical paradise and the prices still affordable.

Chefs Martina Hilldorfer and William Gibson of the Culinary Arts Program at Kauai Community College were our main sources of information, and we thank them for their assistance.

And, travelers, please note that some of the restaurants are hard to find. Always call ahead for hours and directions.

-- Rosemary McClure

The Blossoming Lotus in Kapaa, Kauai