Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
For a place the size of Maui, there’s a lot going on when it comes to the dining scene, from ethnic holes-in-the-wall to stunningly appointed hotel dining rooms, and from seafood trucks to oceanfront fish houses with panoramic views. Much of the food is excellent, but some of it is overpriced and touristy. If you’re coming from
For a place the size of Maui, there’s a lot going on when it comes to the dining scene, from ethnic holes-in-the-wall to stunningly appointed hotel dining rooms, and from seafood trucks to oceanfront fish houses with panoramic views. Much of the food is excellent, but s
For a place the size of Maui, there’s a lot going on when it comes to the dining scene, from ethnic holes-in-the-wall to
For a place the size of Maui, there’s a lot going on when it comes to the dining scene, from ethnic holes-in-the-wall to stunningly appointed hotel dining rooms, and from seafood trucks to oceanfront fish houses with panoramic views. Much of the food is excellent, but some of it is overpriced and touristy. If you’re coming from a "food destination" city, you may have to adjust your expectations.
Follow the locavore trend, and at casual and fine-dining restaurants choose menu items made with products that are abundant on the island, like local fish, beef, venison, onions, avocados, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, hydroponic tomatoes, myriad herbs, salad greens, kalo (taro), bananas, papaya, guava, lilikoi (passion fruit), coconut, mangoes, strawberries, and Maui pineapple. You can also look for treats grown on neighboring islands, such as mushrooms, purple sweet potatoes, and watermelon.
"Local food," a specific and official cuisine designated as such in the 1920s, is an amalgam of foods brought by the ethnic groups that have come here since the mid-1800s and also blended with the foods native Hawaiians have enjoyed for centuries. Dishes to try include lomilomi salmon, laulau,poi, Portuguese bean soup, kalbi ribs, chicken katsu, chow fun, hamburger steak, and macaroni salad. For a food adventure, take a drive into Central Maui and have lunch or dinner at one of the "local" spots recommended here. Or get even more adventurous and take a drive around Wailuku or Kahului and find your own hidden gem—there are plenty out there.
Chef-restaurateur Beverly Gannon's first restaurant remains a culinary destination after more than 30 years, serving exquisite dishes like Bev's Famous Crab Pizza, sashimi napoleon, BBQ pork sandwich, and the macadamia nut--crusted fresh catch. There are daily and nightly specials, hand-crafted cocktails, and local beers as well. The big, rambling former plantation store has two dining rooms; both are usually full, so reservations are encouraged.
900 Haliimaile Rd., Haliimaile, Hawaii, 96768, USA
This signature restaurant at Maui's most stylish luxury resort, Andaz Maui at Wailea, has it all: ingredients sourced within the Islands, marvelous wine list, stellar service, and spectacular views from every table. The whole space has been masterfully designed with the gorgeous exhibition kitchen as the focal point of the restaurant and both indoor and outdoor seating wrapping around the space. The breakfast buffet includes endless, tasty options and dinner presents the perfect opportunity to linger over unique fish, seafood, and steak preparations.
3550 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, Hawaii, 96753, USA
The menu at this oceanfront standout features interesting local-style Hawaiian food fusions. There's a focus on ingredients that promote local sustainability, and the cocktails and wine list are great, too. Daily brunch and happy hours keep guests happy all day, and a late night menu on Friday and Saturday features raw fish and wagyu plus discounted cocktails.
Perched above the postcard-perfect Kapalua Bay, this is the place to impress your date, as Chef Peter Merriman highlights the Islands’ bounty by using fresh seafood and ingredients from local farms. A nightly changing prix-fixe menu ($120) features stunning dishes that represent land and sea options and a vegetarian option that abounds with local produce. A keiki (children's) menu is also available for $30.
Roy Yamaguchi is a James Beard Award–winning chef and the granddaddy of East-meets-West cuisine. His eponymous Maui restaurant, located next to the golf course clubhouse near Kaanapali's main entrance, features signature dishes like fire-grilled, Szechuan-spiced baby back ribs, Roy's original blackened ahi, and hibachi-style grilled salmon, as well as an exceptionally user-friendly wine list.
2990 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
Celebrity chef Sheldon Simeon has taken the fame he earned on Top Chef and opened this trendy lunch counter in a small Kahului warehouse. You can't miss this spot; look for the line of people waiting in the parking lot. While there are only a couple of stools in the restaurant, many people dine on the curb or take it to-go. Locals and visitors swarm in droves for the affordable and ono (delicious) plates of mochiko chicken, pork belly, ulu mac salad, beet box, and garlic shrimp. Don't forget to ask for some chili pepper water!
The spot's the thing—the view is amazing—at this casual eatery just steps from the beach on the grounds of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa. The food is reliable—fresh fish is a good bet—the style all surfer-dudes and little grass shacks, and the signature cocktails big and pineapple-garnished.
Honua Kai Resort & Spa, 130 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
A bustling, family-oriented spot on Kaanapali Beach, this restaurant designed to look like a sprawling ’30s beach house serves large dinner portions with an emphasis on fresh local fish. But if you're just in the mood for an umbrella-adorned cocktail and some tasty, more casual fare, head to the popular Barefoot Bar, where you can wiggle your toes in the sand.
2435 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
This Polynesian-style thatch-roof, open-air restaurant "floats" atop a saltwater lagoon, which gives it an exotic romantic feel that's suited for special occasions. Daily breakfast features hearty, yet elegant options. The restaurant is named for Hawaii's state fish, so it's wise to try at least one seafood dish at dinner. There are also flavorful options like prime beef and lobster, unique combinations like ahi (yellowfin tuna) and foie gras, and a not-to-be-missed dessert menu.
3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, Hawaii, 96753, USA
The menu at Ko—which means "sugarcane" in Hawaiian—features dishes from the many cultures of the plantation era, some of which are local family recipes. Executive Chef Emeritus Tylun Pang created a menu featuring modern, innovative twists to Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese dishes. Their new Sunday brunch is somehow both inventive and authentic, featuring Asian-inspired and local-style dishes, live music, and a massive "Big Kahuna" Bloody Mary for four. Private dining experiences are available in Ko Garden.
4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, Hawaii, 96753, USA
Sophisticated outdoor dining on the beach (yes, truly on the beach) and creative Island cuisine using local, fresh-caught fish and greens and veggies grown in the restaurant's own Upcountry Oo Farm (and, quite possibly, picked that very morning)—this is the Maui dining experience you've been dreaming about. Start with a variety of fresh vegetable dishes on the appetizer menu, move on to any of the fantastic fresh fish dishes, and for dessert, finish with the banana bread ice cream sandwich.
It's a marriage made in Hawaii heaven: the California cuisine of celebrity-chef Wolfgang Puck combined with Maui flavors and served lobby-level and oceanfront at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui. Try the spicy ahi (yellowfin tuna) poke in sesame-miso cones to start and then see what the chef can do with some of Maui's fantastic local fish. It will cost you, but the service is spot-on, and the contemporary interior allows the food to claim the spotlight.
3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, Hawaii, 96753, USA
Executive chef Tom Muromoto is a local boy who loves to cook modern, upscale Hawaiian food, and he augments the various fresh fish dishes on his menu with items influenced by Hawaii's ethnic mix. This casual, open-air restaurant is the only place on Maui—maybe in Hawaii—where you can have a Native Hawaiian combination plate that is as healthful as it is authentic. Sunday brunch, complete with strolling Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers, is renowned here; and if you're around for any holiday, chow down at the amazing holiday brunch buffets.
2525 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
Enter a sight, restaurant, hotel, or other place to find restaurants nearby.
Neighborhoods Some neighborhood filters have sub-neighborhoods that can be selected individually in a dropdown by clicking on the icon to the right of the name.
I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails.
Thank you for your interest!
Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
By signing up for the newsletter, I agree to the Privacy Policy. You must check the box to subscribe
Thank you for your interest!
Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers.
