Kosher On Kauai

 

While there are no Kosher restaurants* or Kosher Stores on island, many kosher items can be found in local stores. Besides for the hundreds of Kosher Certified products, with an "OU" or "OK" symbol on many mainland and international products (such as cereals, tuna, pastas etc.), there are some Kosher sections in the following supermarkets:

Safeway  - In Kapa'a & Lihue have a small Kosher "section" (more like a column) with some basics, like Kedem grapejuice, Manishewitz Matzah, Candles for Shabbat / Yartzeit, some soup mixes, bamba chips and other random Kosher products - including Chanukah Candles year-round ;-)

  • Lihue Safeway - the Kosher section is in the aisle closest to the produce section, in the middle of the aisle, about halfway down. 
  • Kapa'a Safeway - the Kosher section is at the back of one of the center aisles, the very last column!

They recently started selling 100% Kosher Challah (!) which they import. Varieties such as Egg Challah, Pretzel-flavored Challah, Round Raisin Challah, and Challah buns. Ocassionally they will also have Honey Cake or Babka near the Challah! The Challah is found near the Bakery Section (In Lihue, it's on the far left, in the back; in Kapa'a, it's in the far right at the back), on an island nearby.

Safeway also carries Kosher Wine - the blue Bartenura Moscato (only 5% alcohol, sweet) - in their wine section, on the left side of the store.

 

Select Kosher Items :

Kosher Wines:

As mentioned earlier, both Safeways (Kapa'a & Lihue) carry the (blue) Bartenura Moscato. Most local supermarkets (including Foodland and Big Save) carry Manishewitz Wine (oy). 

The Princeville Wine store (at the very south-end of the Shopping Center, facing the Library) is run by a Jewish man, Daniel Braun, and he sells several Kosher wines, from Baron Herzog to several Israeli wines. In Lihue, The Wine Garden sells ome Kosher wines too!

Waipouli Spirits (Kapa'a) sells Baron Herzog wines too.

Fish:

The Pacific Ocean is full of kosher fish 😀 so your best option is to go fishing in Hawaii!

Here is a list of Kosher Fish. If you're not sure, check for Fins & Scales. If it has those two signs, it's Kosher! If you purchase fresh fish, make sure it is whole, and not sliced. For perhaps the knives are used for other fishes too and have residue of non-Kosher. Ideally, if you want to purchase a whole fish from a local fisherman, bring him your own Kosher or new knife and cutting board and for a few extra bucks he can fillet it for you.

Smoked Salmon (lox) can be found in most stores, with a Kosher Certification. Costco has a great variety and bulk prices (of course!). You can also purchase a whole (refrigerated) salmon in Costco (even without a Kosher symbol) since it's identifiable by it's unique color and is kept separate. Nonetheless, we do cut off a small slice at each end before cooking or barbequing it. They also carry a bag of frozen slices of salmon.

We have roles of Gefilte Fish we import from Raskin's in Brooklyn, which is very delicious (unlike the bad reputation the Manischewitz brand on shelves has earned...). We can sell you a loaf which you can bake or slice and fry.

Challah:

See earlier in this post about Challah sold in Safeway both Lihue & Kapa'a branches. If you don't find, please call us, as we usually have stock. Zissel also bakes a delicious home-made Challah, which with enough prior notice she can bake extra and you can pick it up from our home on Friday afternoon.

Bread:  There are several breads which are "Pas Yisroel". 

  • Ezekiel Bread (a sprouted grain health bread) available in Health Food stores, such as Papayas (Kapa'a), Harvest Market (Hanalei) or Living Foods (Poipu). Even Safeway carries it in their freezer section. There are many other breads with OU or OK which are Kosher, but not Pas Yisroel. Ezekiel bread comes in several flavors and also sliced loaves as well as buns. Check the freezer sections. There are also some other gluten-free breads - usually in the same area - which are Kosher and not a problem of Pas Yisroel (since they are gluten-free).
  • Kosher Bagels can be found (!) in some stores. We have seen them in Big Save (Kapa'a / Hanalei) with a Kosher symbol and "Pas Yisroel", by a company called "Western". 

Chicken & Meat:

While local stores do not carry Kosher chicken or meat (yet) - except an occasional Kosher Turkey for Thanksgiving! - we do import this in bulk from Western-Kosher in LA (we have a co-op, and we order as a group a couple of times a year). If you would like a frozen chicken, or ground meat we can assist you. We often has some Schnitzel (chicken breast) too!

Hawaii's only Kosher Catering 

OAHU KOSHER  

Call Yudi Weinbaum on 808. 383-3650

or visit www.oahukosher.com 

He can customize a Shabbat or weekday order and have it sent to Kauai Aloha Air-Cargo overnight (chilled). You pick it up at the airport. Some hotels will pick it up for you, if you order through them.

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The Grand Hyatt - Poipu

This hotel is the only hotel on Kauai which has the option of ordering Kosher food to your hotel room!

They stock several ready-to-eat cooked dinners from Oahu Kosher Catering in Honolulu, which is Glatt Kosher, and they have them double-wrapped (so that they may be heated in the treif ovens of the hotel, and remain Kosher). You can order them to your room if you're staying at the hotel, but not for outside takeaway.

Private Chef -

While there are no Kosher private chefs on Kauai, we have worked with a few private chefs, some of whom are in fact Jewish and know Kosher food style. If they prep and cook in our Jewish Center, under Rabbinic supervision, the meals would be Kosher. If you are having a private party or event (reunion, business meeting) and would like to have it catered Kosher, we may be able to assist. Additionally, for exceptional cases Zissel herself will make a delicious dinner or catered meal - and her food is outstanding & healthy (as anyone who's been to our Shabbat table can testify!)

Please contact us for special occasions. Zisel can be reached at 347.254.1402 / Michoel at 808.647.4293 or send an email to JewishKauai@gmail.com

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To learn all about Kosher, visit JewishKauai.org/Kosher

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* The Falafel Truck ("Shakalafel") is not Kosher.