Kalapawai Café & Deli

Small local place in Kailua, really loved the family atmosphere and everyone was so friendly. The french dip was really good and worth trying.

Hi Lindsey! Thanks for responding. Yes! Use my pics! Hope you read this… was unsure how to send back a response on Unilocal.You have an awesome team which contributed to our reasons on coming back!

Went here on a busy Friday afternoon, the staff was friendly and fast. I got the French Dip. Sooooo good! My husband ordered the hot pastrami and it was also amazing. We could not resist getting one of the hot berry crisps that we saw on the counter. It arrived hot with vanilla ice cream piled on top. Amazing!!! Will definitely go back.

We could not get enough. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whatever time of day hit, we were always leaning towards this delicious and quaint café! We stayed in Kailua for about a week and probably went here 4 of the days.
The bbq Hawaiian pizza is perfect. The ingredients are all really fresh, there’s a sweet zingy kick and the crust just took it away. (The crust is worth eating, no matter how full you are)
It’s hard to find a good restaurant that offers all three meals… The breakfast burritos, scones, baked goods. I’m not sure how they did it, but each meal blew us away. How a café can serve perfectly baked (moist) scones with guava jelly, to tasty salsa is beyond me.
The dinner meals were a bit more upscale surprisingly. But delicious nonetheless! Especially when you add a salted chocolate chip cookie at the end.
Honestly, I loved Hawaii. But this restaurant made half the trip! DEFINITELY CHECK IT OUT.

Stopped here on the way back from a magical beach day. I didn’t get too much sun so this review is completely untainted. First off when you walk in this place has good energy. The food is superb. They are crazy busy so they may look a little frazzled so get yourself a drink and a piece of chocolate mouse pie while you wait so you don’t die. It will be the best dessert ever. And then when you get your mandarin chicken salad you will feel less guilty about eating the pie first. We will definitely be back.
P. s. They don’t have high chairs. And they made mention that they prefer little people in strollers for those of you who have children who are too cool for strollers– chew faster and get out.

If you’re heading down to Lanikai Beach, this is a great casual spot to grab lunch. We found this place on Unilocal and it didn’t disappoint. They have a variety of salads, pizzas, sandwiches with a nice coffee bar and patio seating.
I tried the Feta Veggie sandwich and loved it. We also shared a slice of their spanakopita which was good too. Portions are large and 2 people could easily share a sandwich and some of their delicious sides! If you’re in the area, stop by!

Love this place! Grilled pastrami rueben sandwiches are super ono!

Quich fresh bite, funny ordering service but attentive. I really liked the turkey and cranberry sandwich. I don’t think there is a choice of bread or at least I wasn’t asked. There is also some out side seating.

We arrived at about 6:30ish and after about a 15 – 20 minute wait we were seated just outside the door which was great. Even with a little drizzle coming down it was nice to sit outside and get some fresh air.
For starters we had the Smoked Salmon Bruschetta and the Tapenade Quartet. The smoked salmon with cream cheese and capers was perfect. Not small kine pieces too. The Tapenade Quartet needs no explaining. Seriously it’s that good. Get it. Unless you don’t like unpitted olives, don’t get it.
The main course I ordered the 8 oz sirloin steak med rare with fries and a side order of grilled asparagus. I don’t even like sirloin steak but this one came out just perfectly seasoned med rare. I was impressed how juicy it came out. My wife had the catch of the day with risotto… that FN risotto was ono! There was a citrus flavor and the risotto was kind orange so I thought it tasted like tangerine. It was something else but it was damn good. All washed down with some bikini blonde beer.
Desert we shared the salted brown butter cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Again we shared. It was the last one so we got dibs on it. The cookie was all nice and warm. The salt, the ice cream and the cookie neither masked the other. I’m getting my own next time. No sharing. I got to sample some of the Affogato. Vanilla ice cream with Amaretto. Very good. Any ice cream with liquor is very good. Just like everything we all ordered. I don’t think there was any fault in anyone’s meal.
They do not take reservations. So sign in, wait for some tables to clear and your name to be called.
Customer service was great. Water was kept topped off and my beer glass didn’t have enough time to get warm before the next beer came. The parking lot is small so you will most likely have to find street parking if your not lucky enough to get one in from the place. Yes. I’ll definitely be Back. Mahalo Jennifer S for turning us on to this place.

Wow. That’s it. Can’t say no more about dis place… just, «wow».
Have been here once before for brunch at the raving of a friend and it was fairly good just not as memorable as tonite.
Dinner began with a few drinks and appetizers of their hummus and eggplant tapenade platter and smoked salmon bruchetta. Both were understated yet beautifully plated and even more delicious. They were exactly what they should be, a precursor, a tease, to the delightful dishes yet to come.
Our party ordered entrees and sides including the steak — seasoned and grilled to perfection, the MP fresh fish of the day served over a bed of citrus risotto, double cut pork chop, jidori breast of chicken served with a creamy polenta and grilled asparagus spears, extra sides of gnocchi, kabocha in maple butter, French onion soup. For dessert we shared the salted brown chocolate chip cookie warmed and served with a generous serving of ice cream (vanilla of course) and affogato served with di Saronno. Decadent? yes. Memorably delicious? Absolutely! Would I order these dishes again? Yes, yes, everything again yes!
Summed up beautifully by our friend who brought us here tonite, it’s like eating gourmet food in a casual atmosphere at more than reasonable prices. Sorry, no pictures this time… we were too busy eating.

In search of a nice lunch spot near Kailua and Lanikai Beach, we found great reviews online for Kalapawai Café & Deli. This café is known to specialize in a wide range of deli meats for cold and hot sandwiches, as well as breakfast meals, pizzas and salads. They also offer an extensive dinner menu from seafood gumbo to house made gluten free gnocchi. The Café looked like a mini market with menus hanging from the walls and many food items showcased behind the display cases.
I ordered the French Dip which was from their hot sandwiches menu. The baguette was soft and the roast beef was very tasty. The hot au jus that came on the side made the sandwich incredibly delicious! It was a light gravy with wonderful smokey flavours.
We had a nice lunch at Kalapawai Café & Deli and it wasn’t hard to find on the map. I recommend this Café for those looking for a great place to eat after enjoying their day at Kailua and Lanikai beach!

I came her for dinner and WOW. Had coffee in the morning and one of the staff members told me about their dinners and provided me with a menu. We tried it and all of the food was amazing
Appetizer: blue crab, artichoke bread with baguette
Dinner: rib eye steak over polenta and spinach. The steak was extremely tender, cooked perfect and was complimented extremely well by the polenta and spinach
Wife’s dinner: seafood gumbo. Scallops were cooked perfectly (extra points scallops are hard to cook). Shrimp, sausage all amazing
Desert: sea salt, Carmel gelato.

Stumbled into Kalapawai to grab a quick bite but arrived during dinner. I guess Sunday at 3:30PM is dinner to some. But we can’t complain because we have been dying to try the dinner menu — so it was destiny.
We started off with the Eggplant Bruschetta ($ 9).The bruschetta was stacked with goodiness. It was so yummt I could of eating three orders! For my main dish, I ordered the butternut squash ravioli ($ 16) that was stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with walnuts. Yums. Since I couldn’t decide if I wanted the ravioli or the gnocchi, I order both! Luckily you can order a side of the house made gluten free gnocchi ($ 7) The bf had the Shepard’s pie ($ 18) with ground lamb.
We left very happy. It’s my new favorite dinner and lunch spot in Kailua.

We had been meaning to come here for a long time but when in Kailua, we often have our doggie with us and we just assumed she would not be allowed. We decided to check with them about that and were pleasantly surprised by their reception.
Parking is in the lot adjacent to the restaurant and we were fortunate to find a spot because it was filling up fast!
The evening started off with a 15 minute wait for a seat (not bad for a Saturday night), followed by a very warm welcome from our waitress and big glasses of water. We sat on the front porch (or back porch, not sure which is which) near the steps so that our doggie could be out of the way. That is always helpful because we can relax knowing that she is not going to bother others. That was probably just luck, but I will go ahead and attribute that to really good seating on their part.
I still had to do some shopping at Whole Foods (and drive) so I didn’t order alcohol but hubby got a new beer offering, Fat Tire, on tap and thought it was so so. Not their fault. Just saying.
There were several vegetarian options to choose from on the menu and I went with a small Fall Salad with a side of gnocchi. The salad was a good size and tasty, the gnocchi side dish was enough for two. Lots of food! And they were pretty good. I think that the gluten-​free part was pretty unnecessary, and I make better gnocchi at home (traditional) but these were pretty good. Hubby got the endive and radicchio salad and said it was very nice. I tasted it and found it to be quite good. We finished everything off with a fruit cobbler of sorts. The name of it escapes me now but it was quite large and very cinnamon-​y. I like a little bit of cinnamon, but this was a lot more than I generally tolerate. Still, it was pretty good. I also ordered an espresso and asked for it to be short. I even showed the waitress how much coffee I wanted and yet got a full cup. Eh, not great, but not the end of the world, either. I let it slip.
The service was really good. All the staff was attentive with water fills and doggie even got a water bowl. I am always appreciative of that. And the waitress really loved our dog, so that is a positive.
We will definitely come back!

Okay, I was going to say it was a 4-​star because I had only tried one dish. But then I remember that I had one of the best meatball sandwiches ever here. And I judge places by their meatballs. Considering this isn’t necessarily an Italian place, its more of a deli, their homemade meatballs were pretty delish. I must have chosen a winner because the other couple we were sitting by ordered the same, and that couple informed us that the were frequent flyers and were especially in love with the Café’s coffee. I’ll have to be back for that.
I was kind of amazed at how long our food actually took, considering it was a deli, but I understand each order is freshly made. Based on what I had so far, I do want to be back again to try other dishes, perhaps their pizza.
Parking is decent considering there is street parking also available and the dinning area, at least at the off hours of 1 pm on a Sunday afternoon was pretty open, though I hear it gets crazy busy/​crowded during peak hours.
Updates to follow!

So happy I stumbled upon this little gem. I was at a midwife appt and Unilocaled best restaurants around Kailua and this popped up!
Their customer service is so on point, very friendly and fast service.
I ordered the yogurt, fruit and granola for my son along with a side of mac and cheese. Everything was yummy but I have to highlight the mac and cheese, which is by far the best I’ve ever had. You can taste the herbs and different selections of cheeses they used, mouthwatering!
I ordered the French dip which made my heart so happy lol :) one of the better sandwiches I’ve had.
Also got a few macaroons (chocolate and cardamom espresso) to go, very delisioso.

Tried the burger again but not the same wonderful juicy taste. They added pastrami which made it too salty and ruined that great angus beef. Even after removing the pastrami, the taste was still just OK and well done (I ordered med. rare). Not melt in your mouth fabulous. Consistency is critical for excellence and that change ruined it in my book. Won’t be ordering this again. Bummed about that.

I was a big fan of this place at first. Then I started experiencing some unpleasant things. The manager (owner?) is very nice. She talks to customers, remembers names, and is very sweet. Her employees… not so much. My wife and I agree the workers there are kind of snooty and rude. They don’t make suggestions or explain the menu.
They look at you like you’re dumb and act impatient. So if you go in you better be «super rad» know exactly what you want, even if you’ve never been. In addition, the breakfast burrito is hands down the worst breakfast burrito I’ve ever had. «Hey bro it’s fresh» yeah yeah, whatever you want to say. It’s dry, small, and just… gross. I could have made a better one myself! So if you don’t mind getting an Attitude from a college aged girl that makes 10.00 an hour and you DONT order the breakfast burrito you’ll be good!

Kalapawai Market is a cute little «five & dime» store that has been here since 1932. Although the faces of the employees have changed over time — the casual & laid-​back vibe probably has never changed. Sometimes in life change isn’t always for the better. The exterior is a plantation style building which makes perfect sense since during the 1930’s plantations led Hawaii’s economy, pre-​tourists, pre-​retail, pre-​fancy and pre-​this and that. A simpler time in Hawaii. As you walk-​in you’ll feel that caught-​in-​a-​time-​warp aura, however you will also notice things like wine, taro chips, and hippy lotions and potions. And If you walk further Inside… You’ll notice…
KALAPAWAI CAFÉ & DELI!
After scanning the customers (mostly hippies & surfers) and employees (mostly hippies & surfers) I scan the hand-​written menu. Since this wasn’t my first rodeo here I recall a turkey cranberry Sammie that wasn’t on the menu. I also recall how much I really enjoyed it a decade or so ago, well at least it seems that long. Like a minute x a minute. So I ask the clerk if they still had that memorable Sammie and to my delight she said they did… Sweet! Did she just wink? I request more cranny and no mayo and I also notice that the Sammie is listed on the take-​out menu. Oh well, as I thought it was being ‘specially made for moi. No hurt feelings. Oh, I also add a Cuties citrus drink;) Then after I order, I am handed a receipt to take to the «market side» cashier. You pay first as they make the orders. Okay. After paying the hippy. I head back to pickup my order from the other hippy. I also note how extensive the menu really is… Including: breakfasts, pizzas, salads, wraps, cold & hot sandwiches, soups, and a myriad of desserts. I see signs everywhere «vegan, vegetarians, gluten-​free», so I would assume it’s veghead friendly too… *winks*
The Turkey Cranberry Sandwich that wasn’t made especially for me was delicious. Not the best ever, but fresh and cranberry sloppy the way I like it. No real complaints. The Cuties drink was… well cute, but not sure if I picked it up for what was inside or the cute face on the recyclable bottle?! It was a nice post-​kayaking meal. I sat outside on the tables and felt for a moment I was Adam Sandler in 50-​First Dates. Sadly, no Lucy appeared, but I did feed a few pigeons…
KALAPAWAI CAFÉ & DELI!
The Dymond family has owned the Kalapawai Market in Kailua since 1992 and opened Kalapawai Café & Deli in 2006. The store (and at one time a general store) is located on the country-​side of O’ahu and on S. Kalaheo Ave. The people, both employees & customers, make this place work, a collection of hippies, locals, military, and the occasional loving vagabond… Yup, I’m a sucker for cute things. Peace-​out.
Tip: Shirt & Shoes Not Required.
SOLID. 4.2-STARS!

This place is amazing! A friend and I went in for Sunday lunch. The food was incredible and the service was amazing! We got coffee on the way out and it is the best coffee I’ve had in a long time. Do yourself a favor and stop in. You won’t be disappointed.

Excellent food at a good price. We had the squash pizza and gnocci, the flavors were perfectly paired. The chocolate cake wasn’t quite there. The space is either small or intimate depending on how you look at it.

I’m not sure how many times I’ve been here. It fails to disappoint every single time. All their steaks are awesome, sandwiches are awesome, breakfast sandwiches are awesome, all other entrees that i’ve tried? Awesome. Even the service is great. The only downside I can even think of is the fact they don’t take reservations and the parking is a little bit crappy (I don’t mind that because I’ll just park illegally everywhere I go). I’ve never had the same thing twice here and it’s been amazing every single time. Great date location and fantastic restaurant.

I was «fresh off» a massage session and was about to head back into downtown Honolulu for lunch when I mentioned to my chauffeur, er, husband to take a detour into Kailua since we were on the Windward side of O’ahu. As we drove through, my stomach began to growl rather loudly like «clockwork», it was 11:45AM…LUNCH TIME!
There are many dining options in Kailua but today, we were hungry for some good, not necessarily healthy, sandwiches. I suggested going to Timmy T’s for grinders aka submarine sandwiches or Fatboy’s or Teddy’s Bigger Burgers but my husband voted against the suggestions. Then, I suggested my ol’ standby (as I’ve been coming to this location off and on since 2006 with my masseuse) the Kalapawai Café. He had no idea of this café’s location so I got to play navigator. No, no, please don’t call me a «backseat driver»!
Within minutes, we arrived and got a parking space in their private lot fronting the restaurant’s entrance. This restaurant is architecturally designed as a traditional Hawaiian plantation-​style house. Its traditional dark green painted exterior walls are contrasted with white trim and the entry way resembles an open porch.
We entered and were cheerfully greeted by 3 female workers who were working the coffee bar and pastry case. They mentioned their new menu items as we read their menu boards — Breakfast, Hot Specialties and Cold Specialties. My eyes riveted on the Italian Sub (see, there was a reason for my Timmy T suggestion) and my husband chose the Hot Pastrami on light rye. We placed our order, paid at the cashier and took a seat outside, for a CHANGE (I don’t normally like to dine al Fresco).
Within a few minutes, a smiling female worker delivered our order.
–Italian Sub: half of a baguette stuffed with ham, turkey, salami, Provolone, lettuce, tomato, pepperoncini dressed with Italian Dressing and sun-​dried tomato pesto. This sando was packed and was reminiscent of a muffaletta from New Orleans’ Central Grocery and Deli. I almost started looking for a throw of beads and hollering «Laissez les bon temps roller»! An Abita Turbodog brew would’ve really killed it!
–Hot Pastrami: lightly toasted light rye bread sandwiched about an inch thickness of hot pastrami, a slice of melted Swiss cheese oozed in between the nooks and crannies of pastrami and yellow mustard was slathered on one side of rye bread. It was good… did it make me scream excitedly like the famous scene in «When Harry Met Sally» when Sally (Meg Ryan) in Katz’ Deli I? No, but one bite from my husband’s sandwich still had me asking to split and exchange a half of my sandwich with his.
I really like this café’s friendly service, flavorful food and creativity. Its local, easy-​going «plantation-​style» ambiance allows you to feel like you’re in someone’s home. You can get local-​sourced coffee-​based drinks, non-​alcoholic and alcoholic beverages all day but on certain evenings you can really kick back to listen to live music while enjoying their brews. Their dinner service is more creative with wine pairings for a comforting yet upscale feel.
Great job, Kalapawai Café for keeping the local feel and Aloha Spirit alive and well in Kailua!

#517

Darcie and I were shopping in Kailua at Salvation Army after talking with Nadine C. We found some terrific bargains. We spoke with some yokels in line and this was one of the places they recommended.
Kalapawai is the restaurant version of the grocery store located near Lanikai. It is tucked away behind Kaliua Road. Parking is at a minimum.
When we walked in all the staff seemed smily and in good spirits. When I went to the bathroom I found Paula in there sprucing up. I was glad to meet her. She gave us a dinner menu and told us that 2^nd Sunday’s was wine tasting night.
We ordered at the counter and got our number. Darcie decided to sit outside in the fresh air with our two Lemon waters and vinegar chips. The place actually was pretty large with two outdoor seating sections and a large indoor section. Next time I think we’ll sit indoors. There was an interested fly, what appeared to be homeless men, traffic and an ambulance.
The food cost was fairly reasonable, but we did share the meal. It came out to the table pretty fast. I felt the use of red onion overpowered their food. The mandarin orange salad would work better with Chinese parsley. It was much too simple for me. The turkey club was delicious. It would be nice if it were a triole decker. The roasted veggies were ok.
We then headed to The Local for shave ice by recommendation of a fellow Unilocalie.

We came here for lunch and got a bunch of different sandwiches — yum! The Turkey and Cranberry was great.
The atmosphere was also great very relaxed, you could sit either inside or out and out on the patio we were great by, what I’m guessing, was the owners dog.
Word of warning: the parking is really hard, the lot is super smaller, we got lucky and found a space but we would have been circling for a while if we hadn’t.

WARNING! Don’t let the punky kid with the bad tats make your latte. Made a cappuccino instead of a latte. Let the shots sit on the bar for a good minute while he attempted to steam the milk. Result, bitter coffee that’s more foam than anything else. Asked him about it and he acted like that’s how it is supposed to be. It’s a new year; time for a new barista! Waste of $ 8 for two cups of coffee. Don’t push your luck, go to Moke’s instead. Writing this from there now and much happier about my morning.
Note: the only reason I’m giving them two stars is because their dinner is delicious. I figured since they call themselves a café that their coffee might be good too… Wrong!

Great food, great atmosphere, and they were open Christmas Day! Bonus points in my book!. Took my out of town Ohana here for lunch after Zip-​lining. This was one of the few restaurants open on Christmas in the area. It also was affordable for all 8 of us to eat there. I would recommend this place to anyone wanting great fresh food.

I give this place 2 stars, 1. for the location (it’s in Kailua, a place I absolutely love), and 2. for the convenience (it’s located just down the street from our property rental, and very close to Kailua Beach).
Now overall, the staff could use a little training in customer service. They didn’t seem all that friendly to me, in a place that I perceive as a small town, Hawaiian island feel. Maybe they treat the «locals» better, and maybe they resent the tourists, but it’s the tourism that brings in the revenue for their community, so basic customer service skills are an absolute must. I’m not a very demanding person, really. And I’m very laid back, so if the customer service is bad, well… what can I say.
Product-​wise, I came here twice for the coffee beverages. I usually get my morning soy mocha from Starbucks, but for the sake of convenience and with a sincere to support local small businesses, I will go to a small business first. But, if the customer service isn’t happening, chances are I will go someplace else to spend my hard earned money.
Anyway, my soy mocha was just ho-​hum, and when I came back again I tried their almond mocha and it was way too sweet. Not a mocha but more like a very sweet hot chocolate. But I was expecting a much better mocha since I heard from a few sources that their coffees are better than Starbucks. Well, it could be that the actual coffee is better but the specialty beverages are sub-​standard.
All in all, I’m just inclined to go to the nearest Starbucks to get my soy mocha instead of going here again.
I’d like to try their sandwiches next time, but the poor customer service is just making it hard. Sorry. I just wasn’t that impressed.

We came here for breakfast, so we can only speak to that.
* Service is very good. Everyone was really nice.
* Ambiance is nice.
* Breakfast food is just OK, not bad, but just shy of good.
Cinnamon’s right down the street is way better if you are looking to have breakfast.

Came here for dinner and lunch over a 5 day stay so obviously it was a win with my household. For dinner my family and I split two of the specials a fish stew and ahi over lemon risotto and a side of Parmesan gnocchi. The gnocchi tasted like a dressed up fluffy pillow of a tater-​tot. Which is a compliment. The soup was very well seasoned and had large portions of shrimp, fish, and shellfish. Lastly the lemon risotto was the perfect compliment to the ahi. It was an absolutely stellar meal.
I also heard the deli for lunch was good so I stopped by and grabbed a French dip, a veggie avocado multi-​grain sandwich, and a house salad. All three were fabulous.

We had some friends who lived in Oahu before us, and told us many times that we had to try the Kalapawai Café once we had settled into our home. After driving by the one near the beach, we finally found the one in town, and gave it a try for lunch.
On our first meal there, I had just watched a Food Network show about French Dips, so that’s what I ordered (($ 7.99), and it was AMAZING. The baguette was chewy in the middle and crunchy on the crust, with the perfect amount of cheese, and a kiss of garlic butter. The jus was decent, but I think I’ll order an extra one next time since I love sauce. My husband ordered the special, which was a Pulled Pork on Taro Bun with coleslaw, and it was really good too ($ 8.79). We also ordered a side of their grilled brussel sprouts, which were good but over-​peppered ($ 4 I think).
We loved our lunches so much that we returned that night for dinner! We started with a glass of their Minervois red ($ 12), and dove right into entrees. My husband ordered the Auction Fresh Fish ($ 27?) of the day over risotto, which was a butterfish, and delicately prepared, and I had the Potato Gnocchi ($ 16) with veggies and Manchego, which was also very good. Much like the veggies at lunch, the veggies at dinner were over-​peppered to my tastes, but everything else was delicious.
Service was prompt and friendly, and prices were good for the portions. I appreciate their drive to locally source their ingredients, and support local agriculture and businesses. I can’t wait to try more of their menu, and am super excited to explore their diverse and pretty expansive wine selection.

Okay place. I don’t know why the ratings are so amazing. There are so many other great places on the island. The coffee drinks seemed more premade than being made on the spot. The deli is okay (some items look great and others looked like leftovers). I really think you need to brave the line and order something from the menu to make sure it is fresh.

Lesley wanted to take me to another one of her favorite places, and I’m all about the local experience. The inside setup is a little confusing, as you have to order at one counter, and then turn around behind you, stand in line at another counter, and repeat your order from the first counter.
But dang, the food be slammin mon! That kahlua pork slider on a taro bun, is meal affirming. Yes please, may I have another, and another, and another! There’s just something fun about a bun that looks like purple play*doh… and it tastes great. I should have ordered one for each of my personalities

Nothing says, «Hello and welcome to Kailua Town!» like Kalapawai Café & Deli. Located at the start of this magical, friendly, and unique town, it’s a great place to grab a bite. Some say it’s a «hidden gem» but I say it’s not that hidden since it’s like the mayor of Kailua just waving at you from the sidewalk at the beginning of Kailua Town. Yes, it is covered in vines and behind a few palms, but you can’t miss it. You mustn’t miss it!
Honestly, when I close my eyes and dream of a deli, it’s pretty darn close to what Kalapawai C&D has to offer. So when we finally made our way there for lunch after moving to the Windward side, I was pleasantly surprised and now it has become my weekend staple for lunch when we do our errands to Target or head to the beach. Mostly, I love their sandwiches (cold or toasted)…some I’ve tried and would have again: Kailua Club (avo, turkey pepper, monterey jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, & sprouts), French Dip (french baguette with garlic butter, roast beef, provolone served with delish au jus), Toasted Turkey & Bacon Club (no explanation needed), and the Italian Sub (french baguette with ham, turkey, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, pepperoncini, italian dressing, and sun dried tomato pesto)… I’ve also tried their Greek Salad which was yummy but, most of the time, I’ve just gotten sandwiches. I also really like their Italian Sodas which I crave every time I’m there. (I think it’s a nostalgia thing, I fell in love with Italian Soda as a little girl when the Honolulu Zoo used to offer them. Gone are the good ol’ days! #yesiamold)
The staff is friendly and I’ve never had a problem with parking. Might I suggest calling in your order to save time? It works best for my family and we usually just have someone jump out of the car to pick up the food so we don’t worry about parking. Here’s the number: 262-​DELI or 262‑3354. The pricing at Kalapawai C&D is pretty darn reasonable, so let’s hope they keep their menu priced just the way it is! And in case you didn’t know, at night it turns into its «café» self and they have a separate menu for that. All these things make Kalapawai C&D like my dream deli and a staple for my Windward side faves. Ahhhh, just another great place in Kailua!

Love KALAPAWAI! Both locations. But this one is GREAT for breakfast, lunch, and/​or dinner. Highly suggest trying it at any time, you will not be disappointed with the quality and taste of food here.
Just got the English muffin breakfast sandwich with bacon and it’s absolutely toasty and delicious and perfectly portioned and so on and so forth! Also had an iced soy dirty chai with two shots and I’m ready to get this day started! Don’t forget to get a stamp card!
Have tried dinner here multiple times and always get the bacon wrapped figs. Highly recommend.
Service is always friendly and pretty quick. I can never wait to come back!

LOVE THIS PLACE…
Pregnant here, and my cravings include sandwiches. No, not a sandwich from Subway (eeeek), but a real, hardy sandwich. And this place has them!
My favorite: Grilled chicken club with ranch. Every ingredient is quality.
The service is quality, the place has a great vibe, their food is topnotch, & I love their location. Parking is tricky like every other establishment in Kailua, but it’s worth the hassle :)
They definitely offer a lot more than just sandwiches, but that is what I have tried & that is the reason why I have eaten here on so many occasions!