Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza and Burgers – Kauai

Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza and Burgers at the Shops at Kukui’ula in Koloa, Kauai serves one of the best burgers that I have ever eaten.

On my visit in February 2016 I had the B.K.E. (Beef, Kalua & Egg) burger. The burger consists of Grass-Fed Makaweli Meat Company Beef, House-Roasted Kalua Pork, Fried Local Farm Egg, Slow Cooked Onions and House-Made Kim Chee, served on a handcrafted whole wheat bun.

The only way for me to tackle this meal on a bun was with a knife and fork.

Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza and Burgers is located just below Merriman’s Fish House, one of Peter Merriman’s signature restaurants. In 1988 Peter Merriman opened his first Hawaii restaurant, Merriman’s in Waimea on the big island of Hawaii. All of Merriman’s restaurants are known for featuring fresh, local ingredients.

With the opening of his Gourmet Pizza and Burgers Chef Merriman has expanded his concept to a casual food environment that features artisan gourmet burgers and sandwiches, organic handcrafter pizzas and fries. You can also find many other items on the menu, as well as wine and cocktails.

During Happy Hour, 3:30pm to 5:30pm daily, you can order from selected menu items at reduced prices. There are also special drink prices during those hours. One of the local favorites during Happy Hour is Garlic Truffle Fries served with truffle oil, parsley, parmesan and sea salt. The perfect accompaniment for one of their Merriman’s Mai Tais.

With my B.K.E Burger I had their regular fries with sea salt which are served with homemade ketchup and a special sauce that has just a little heat. The fries were cooked to perfection for me – hot, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.

If you are looking for a casual dining experience featuring food made by hand with fresh, local ingredients and served by a thoughtful staff, stop by Merriman’s Gourmet Pizza and Burgers between 11:30am and 9:00pm any day of the week.