The Local Kauai Kitchen + Bar

4-1380 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa; 431-4926; www.thelocalkauai.com

Chef Erin Keller and General Manager Jose Cortez first conceived of The Local as a pizzeria, “but when we bought the place we couldn’t get a big enough pizza oven through the door,” Keller says.

Instead, The Local serves up a variety of plates that capitalize on meat and produce that are Garden Island-grown. Sweet corn empanadas, for example, with Okinawan sweet potato; and steak bruschetta made with grass-fed Kauai beef. All local products are underlined on the menu.

The Local, just a few months old, is already known for neon-bright cocktails with no artificial colors — all the tints come from fruit and other natural sources.

A few pizza choices are on the menu. Dinner-plate-size pies include a Margherita, a tuna confit with arugula and a killer kale pizza. The kale is fried up crisp and served atop a pie also dressed with truffle oil and Parmesan cheese.