11 Favorite Maui Spots to Eat

Great food options on Maui are never lacking, thanks to visitors and residents alike who appreciate good food without a fuss. Enter 11 of our Favorite Maui Spots to Eat and take some time to enjoy the best flavors of the Pacific on your next trip to the island.

 

Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice – Lahaina, Kihei, Kahului

You may wonder what’s so special about yet another shave ice stand on Maui, but you won’t be thinking that after you try Ululani’s. Priding themselves on offering flavors made with premium purees, fruit juices, extracts and concentrates, they keep it local with flavors and toppings you’ll only find here, including Roselani’s ice cream, li hing mui, pickled mango, lychee, melona, and passion orange. They even make their own azuki beans, tapioca pearls in coconut milk and li hing mui drizzle. Yum! Try one of their recommended combinations, like the Haleakala (coconut and sweet condensed cream) or Sunset Beach (guava, mango, passion orange), and you’ll fall in love. 

 

Mill House Restaurant – Waikapu

Unlike any other location or restaurant found on the Hawaiian Islands, The Mill House Restaurant has a prime seat at the Maui Tropical Plantation with unparalleled views of the Waikapu Valley.  Centrally located, you can get to the Mill House within around a 30-minute drive from almost anywhere you might be staying on Maui. With organic farms on the property, produce and protein are brought into the kitchen daily, which helps these award-winning chefs cook seasonal, fresh and delicious food. 

 

Flatbread Company – Paia

If you say you don’t like pizza, maybe you just haven’t tried the right pizza. Using only local and organic ingredients, Flatbread is a great place to stop for dinner and sample some of the best flavors of the island, including the kalua pork pizza, homemade maple-fennel sausage pizza, and organic salads made with Maui pineapple vinaigrette and veggies from local farms. We love the wood-fired, clay oven pizza and fun atmosphere, not to mention the great selection of local beers. Go early to watch the surfers nearby and head here for dinner afterward. 

 

Paia Fish Market – Paia

Paia has quite a few great food picks, but we love Paia Fish Market for their fresh, delicious mahi-mahi tacos and fish burgers. The line to the counter usually starts at the door, which is always a good sign when you’re looking for tasty local favorites. Grab a seat at one of the benches and hang out in this relaxed restaurant in Maui’s surfer town. If seafood isn’t your thing, they also offer chicken plates as well as beef from the Maui Cattle Company. You may even want to grab a local beer (or two) while you’re there.

 

Ku’au Store- Paia

One of many changes in Paia Town is the new Kuau Store, just a mile east of Paia Town.  They have a full delicatessen, gourmet coffees, all kinds of local Maui products, and will be getting their liquor license soon.  It’s nice to have a place in Paia that you don’t have to worry about finding parking for.  You can grab a quick, delicious plate lunch, and be out of the door without struggling for a parking spot.

 

Leoda’s Pie Shop – Lahaina

Most people miss this cozy spot on the drive into Lahaina but look for Leoda’s Pie Shop on your right-hand side (if coming from Kihei or Kahului) the next time you’re headed to Front Street. Using only fresh Maui ingredients, Leoda’s offers what they call “glorified grandma comfort food,” including sandwiches, salads, pot pies, burgers, hot dogs, and an assortment of delicious personal-sized dessert pies like Apple Crumb, Olowalu Lime, Banana Cream, Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Praline, Berry, Pumpkin and Coconut Cream. Support local food providers while eating pie. It’s a win-win.

 

T. Komoda Store and Bakery – Makawao

Generations of the Komoda family have worked in and run this charming bakery in Makawao. Serving up fresh baked goods, there’s no wonder this place often has a line, especially early in the morning (around 7 am) right after everything comes fresh out of the oven. If you’re heading back down from a beautiful Haleakala sunrise or are on a scenic drive through the cowboy town of Makawao, make sure to stop here to relax and enjoy a cup of Kona coffee along with one of their famous cream puffs, stick donuts or butter rolls. Or all of them.

 

Kihei Caffe – Kihei

Located directly across from Kalama Park, Kihei Caffe is a great place to grab some breakfast on your way to the beach. Informal outdoor seating, inexpensive, large portions, and local twists on breakfast favorites make this place memorable. Try the Banana Macadamia Nut or Pineapple Coconut french toast made with Maui sweet bread and you’ll stop wondering why this place is always so busy. Enjoy people-watching from the patio with a cup of coffee and take it easy for a nice morning, island-style. 

 

Coconut’s Fish Cafe – Kihei

Also in Kihei, you’ll find some of the highest-rated fish tacos on the island at Coconuts. Located in a walk-up setting in an underwhelming strip mall, don’t let the lack of fanciness fool you. This place is worth it. Using only local fish, including Ono (Wahoo), Mahi-Mahi, Ahi, and Opakapaka (Crimson Snapper), get an order of two huge fish tacos, made fresh daily on warm corn tortillas with their famous mango salsa. Messy but delicious. Fresh-made fish burgers, coconut shrimp, and fish & chips are also popular choices. 

 

Mama’s Fish House – Paia

We’re finishing off our list with a fancy, well-known favorite called Mama’s Fish House, which was the first fresh fish restaurant on the island. Tucked into a beautiful cove in Paia, people flock from all over the world to experience the beauty of both the restaurant and food at Mama’s, which includes Polynesian artifacts, local woodwork, beautiful flower arrangements, and wild fish caught by local fishermen. While you’ll definitely pay the bill for this memorable experience, you won’t find much better in terms of a quality, local Maui meal. Treat yourself and get the lobster and crab stuffed Mahi Mahi followed by the Black Pearl mousse dessert. 

 

Da Kitchen – Kahului & Kihei

With two locations on Maui, Da Kitchen has made its way into the heart of locals all over the island, and it’s not difficult to see why. Serving up a mixture of traditional Hawaiian dishes with a flare, expect big portions and delicious flavors in a relaxed, BYOB setting. The location in Kahului is larger and newly redecorated while the Kihei location is a bit more informal, but neither will disappoint. Try the Kalua Pork Sandwich, Chicken Katsu, Fried Spam Musubi or Loco Moco for a heavenly food experience fit for paradise. And maybe wear stretchy pants.