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Hours
Sun
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Mon
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tue
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wed
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thu
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Fri
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sat
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Food and ambience
Dessert, Gluten free options
Is this an ice cream shop?
Details
About
Papalani Gelato is a family-owned and operated purveyor of the finest quality daily handmade, in-house Hawaiian and gourmet traditional Italian style artisanal Gelato and Sorbetto. Papalani™ Gelato (Papalani means "Heaven" in Hawaiian) offers a variety of local flavors, plus gelato cakes for any occasion, treats, and shakes and freezes. Since we are on Kauai, we have access to some of the world’s finest ingredients, allowing us the freedom to create Italian style gelato with a Hawaiian twist. Our gelato is made with the spirit of Aloha and we are dedicated to sharing our hand-crafted Gelato with our customers. We have a very large repeat customer base and many customers rave that Papalani™ has the best Gelato (Italian style ice cream) in the nation!
PRICE RANGE
$0.00 – $10.00
Special Diets
Gluten free options
FEATURES
Takeout, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Wheelchair Accessible, Accepts Credit Cards, Gift Cards Available
Contribute
4.5
674 reviews
Excellent
436
Very good
172
Average
56
Poor
9
Terrible
1
milril44
809 contributions
Dec 2019 • none
Good service especially since they were open in the evening on Christmas Day for us tourists (and they had a good amount of customers). I had the Chocolate Coconut and was very satisfied. They have edible spoons for 50 cents to prevent the one time use of plastic spoons.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trek179156
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • none
The store is relatively small, but there are benches just outside. The owner was very friendly and informative. Quality ingredients made for a quality product. A double scoop of gelato in a chocolate waffle cone for less than $10.00. Not small by any means. Very filling. Unlike some places, the gelato went all the way to the bottom of the cone. It was our second trip there during our visit. Went for two different flavors this time. A third will happen shortly
Written August 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve L
Peoria173 contributions
Jan 2020 • none
Had dinner at Plantation Gardens and really weren't interested in the desserts on the menu. My wife wanted gelato, and Papalani was directly across the street. Perfect! I got a scoop of Dark Chocolate Coconut gelato which was great. My wife got a scoop of Lemon gelato, which was extremely tart, and she LOVED IT! Best place in Poipu for gelato!
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicolette L
2 contributions
Mar 2023 • family
BEYOND, BEYOND, BEYOND!!! This place is in a whole nother league. We originally tasted their gelato at one of my favorite and one of the best restaurants on the island, JO2 in Kapaa. We had to come over to their shop for more! With a full case of gelato and another full case assortment of sorbet, my mind was blown! The owner was fabulous, humorous, and a great host as he kept handing us samples, with every one being so delicious it was hard to chose! Several flavors that we ended up ordering were the Macadamia Nut (quite literally the best on the planet!), Kauai Crunch, Hawaiian Cheesecake, and Kona Coffee. One bite of the Cookies and Creme and the kids said it was the best they've ever tasted! Fantastic shop and a real experience... I personally love that it is 1 group at a time!
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa S
Moab2 contributions
Apr 2022 • solo
I have eaten more than my weight in Gelato across Italy and Europe and can honestly say this is the best I have ever tasted since being there! When I walked in the shop, it smelled heavenly (they were making fresh waffle cones!). So many flavors to pick from and it was very hard to chose from the visual eye candy, so I settled on three, in the waffle cone of course: the Mac Nut Butter, the Hawaiian Cheesecake, and the Pistachio Ricotta. I don't think my vocabulary is large enough to describe the levels of flavor explosion the was sent from my mouth to my brain! I received much Aloha from the worker during my visit. Needless to say not only was it worth the wait, but I will undoubtedly be back tomorrow!!
Written April 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Drkatie_11
San Diego8 contributions
Oct 2021 • couples
When visiting poipu we usually frequent Laperts ice cream. Their freezer went out so their selection was quite limited. We decided to venture out to try a new place (at least for us). Someone suggested papolani gelato. Boy am I glad they did! We came back every day for four days straight! Their flavors are unique and delicious! We were able to speak with the owner who told us a bit about what goes into making each flavor. Needless to say we were impressed. This is definitely a small business you want to support.
Written October 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bridgetstx
22 contributions
Jan 2022 • family
Don’t worry if there’s a line outside-it’s because they only let one family in at a time. Unlike Lapperts, which closed at 7:30 ( even though sign says 9), we sought out a nearby gelato place. Kevin (the owner I think) was friendly and patient with us. So many great flavors to choose from!! Coffee, Dk chocolate and Hawaiian cheesecake flavor were all delish!
Written February 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The D
2 contributions
Nov 2022 • family
As someone who was born and raised in Italy, and knows how it is made there, I can tell you that this gelati is superior, fresher, and truly artisinal! We own on Kauai and come back to Papalani every visit. They are worth the wait no matter how long the line. Very flavorful, smooth and two of our favorites include the Pistacchio Ricotta and the Macadamia Nut. The serving size is very generous, definitely more American sized than European. Best homemade waffle cones! We can't wait for our return!
Written December 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carolyn M
6 contributions
Feb 2023 • none
I’m lactose intolerant and usually have only a few flavors to choose from. This place has 12 and the scoop sizes are generous. While fruit flavors dominate, they also had chocolate.
At this time,they only allow one family group inside at a time, so you can expect a line.
Written March 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karla B
2 contributions
Jun 2023 • family
This place has the best gelato and sorbet I’ve ever had. I left Kauai wishing there was a way to ship it home! I tried several flavors and really loved them all but the coconut and lemon sorbet was my favorite since I can’t have much dairy. For dairy lovers, the gelato is amazing! Biscotti was my family favorite!
Written June 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ticoalra
Jefferson301 contributions
Jun 2023 • family
After dinner, we stopped by for a sweet treat! They have a wide assortment of gelato and sorbet. Everyone in our family got something different and were happy with their selection. The policy of one family group at a time made the experience much less hectic and we appreciated it. The young woman working the counter was friendly and efficient.
Written July 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HEATHER M
Novi22 contributions
Jul 2024 • family
The gelato was great and the one girl who was working deserves a raise! Although there was a wait, it was clearly stated that they were looking for staff and to be kind while waiting. They allow one family in a time so it makes it less hectic! The gelato was awesome and they had lots of choices for my son who has a dairy allergy!
Written July 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lawrence S
Poughkeepsie26 contributions
Mar 2024 • family
Great little shop very good gelato. Like most of the island of Kauai under staffed but doing a great job. They ask you to wait outside and only one group at a time. People outside like to complain but that’s unfortunate because it’s worth the wait.
Written March 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JimW551
San Clemente3834 contributions
Mar 2024 • couples
My wife and I stopped here a few days ago for a cup of ice cream. I had wild berry and my wife had a chocolate chip mint. Both were excellent - and I eat a lot of ice cream. Why only 4 stars? Very expensive! $5.95 per small cup!
Written March 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CookieNeenah
Kelso298 contributions
Apr 2023 • couples
This is the most amazing gelato and sorbet store. The cones were a little stale but my chocolate waffle cone was great. We had the dark chocolate gelato with pineapple sorbet. Yum! The store is on a out door mall. Little boutiques thru out. Go try it!
Written April 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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