Visitors arriving in Hawaii from afar could be wary of certain local foods, but if they’re given a taste — for free – they’re more likely to take a chance.

The Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort provides such complimentary samplings at a lounge set aside for guests of the Voyager 47 Club’s rooms and suites, which offer oceanfront and ocean-view accommodations.

Dianne Vicheinrut, corporate director of food and beverage services, says the Voyager 47 Club Lounge can help guests establish a comfort level with local flavors. They can try an unfamiliar food without the commitment of ordering a full portion at a restaurant, increasing the likelihood that they’ll order a similar dish while out and about.

In the mornings the lounge offers breakfast bites made of local ingredients, such as the sea asparagus mini quiches offered on a recent morning. That same day, Greek yogurt was served with a swirl of Big Island honey, and tropical-flavored syrups were offered as toppings for baked goods farther down the breakfast bar.

The $10,000 self-serve specialty coffee machine serves premium Hawaiian Paradise Coffee, in espresso, Americano or other formulations with the push of a button. Rather than regular iced tea, chilled Mamaki tea is presented in a large glass dispenser — a way for a guest to try the tea before taking a chance on buying some at a specialty store.

“It had to be 100 percent local,” Vicheinrut said. “It’s a good way for us to educate.”

The lounge is open from 7 to 10 a.m. for breakfast and from 5 to 7 p.m. for pupu and cocktails. The menu changes daily.

Sometimes, tofu poke made with Aloha Tofu, Ho Farms tomatoes and other local ingredients is among the offerings. Guests might also find lomi salmon, smoked ahi dip, taro or sweet potato chips from the Hawaiian Chip Co. or cheeses from Naked Cow Dairy Farm and Creamery.

A full bar also is open in the post-meridian hours, which gave Joe Mercieca, a visitor from Australia, a chance to try some local beers. “It’s not often people give you something for free,” he said, adding that he enjoys sampling local beers when he and his wife, Rosanna, travel.

The lounge’s location on the third floor offers an expansive view of the ocean, which the Merciecas were content to enjoy before setting out for a day of sightseeing.

The hotel also stages weekly meet-and-greet receptions at which local farmers and food producers can showcase their products, she said.

Kai‘ulani Spices is among the local companies that work with the hotel. “It’s a great opportunity because, you know, when you’re small it’s hard to pay for advertisements, and this helps us small businesses,” said founder Kai‘ulani Cowell. “It’s a form of advertisement that gets directly to the consumer, to the tourists who are looking for quality products.”

If hotel guests like what they sample through such exposure, they are more likely to reorder more once they get home, she said.

“When a hotel like Outrigger gives them a local product, it gives weight,” Cowell said, because “the hotel must really think this product is nice for them to recommend it, so it’s a win-win. It helps us in so many ways.”

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Kamaaina rates for Voyager 47 Club rooms and suites start at $390 and $679, respectively.