Kaua‘i Ocean Friendly Restaurant Spotlight: Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria

Surfrider Foundation honors Kaua‘i restaurants committed to cutting out wasteful, single-use plastics and making sustainable choices for the ocean — so their customers can dine with peace of mind — through its Ocean Friendly Restaurants program.

It’s most recent honoree is Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria, located in the historic Kong Lung Market Center in Kīlauea.

Surfrider Foundation had a quick question-and-answer session with restaurant proprietor Sami Livé after her establishment claimed the Ocean Friendly Restaurant designation.

* * * * * * *

Q&A with Sami Livé from Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria

Surfrider Foundation: Tell us a little bit about your establishment.

Livé: We’re a bakery, coffee house and pizzeria serving our community breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. From freshly baked goods and local coffee and tea, to our outdoor used boo k  library and games, there’s something for everyone here at “The Bakery.”

Surfrider Foundation: Why was becoming an Ocean Friendly Restaurant important to you?

Livé: Becoming an [Ocean Friendly Restaurant] aligns with our commitment to sustainability and positive impact on our community. By making sustainable choices, we can help keep our ocean clean, support marine life and set an example for responsible dining.

It’s about doing our part for a healthier planet while serving great food and coffee.

On a personal level, my name means “ocean” in Samoan, and my dad lives full-time on his sailboat. The ocean is as important to my family as it is to any other who have been touched by Kaua‘i’s beauty.

Surfrider Foundation: How have your customers responded?

Livé: All of the requirements of becoming an [Ocean Friendly Restaurant] were actually practices that we had been implementing for years prior, so our customers didn’t miss a beat. Many even bring us back the paper bags and paper coffee carriers for recycling!

Surfrider Foundation: What would you recommend to other restaurants that find it challenging to adopt ocean-friendly practices?

Livé: Progress, not perfection! Every step makes a difference, and Surfrider has great resources to help guide the transition, like packaging discounts and sourcing distributors with sustainability at their core.

Surfrider Foundation: What’s your most favorite popular dish you serve?

Livé: Definitely our gluten-free ulu bagels made with local breadfruit!

* * * * * * *

Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria is located at 2484 Keneke St.

The restaurant was established in 1991 and takes pride in being the longest standing eatery in old Kīlauea town, “where you’ll find die-hard regulars and smiling staff who have been with us for decades,” its website says.

Customers can enjoy a fresh bagel and a hot coffee, dive into a book from the restaurant’s donation-based library, challenge a friend to a game on the vintage chess table, color outside the lines on the chalkboard and keep an eye out for local happenings on the community bulletin board.

Most of all, Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria encourages its customers to log in to the original social network — community.

The restaurant is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, serving breakfast from 6 to 10:30 a.m. and lunch and dinner from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can also order online.

Follow the restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.

Call Kīlauea Bakery & Pizzeria at 808-828 2020 or email to hello@kilaueabakery.com for more information or any questions.