Maui Restaurants

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.

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  • 1. Da Kitchen

    $

    This extremely popular purveyor of all food "local" is bright, shiny, comfortable, and just minutes from Kahului airport. Try the signature mahimahi tempura, loco moco, Hawaiian plate, chicken katsu, and daily mixed bentos; and rest assured that everything on the menu is delicious and portions are gigantic. There's an "express" location in Kihei, but we recommend the happy, always-crowded Kahului location.

    425 Koloa St., Kahului, Hawaii, 96732, USA
    808-871–7782

    Known For

    • Fried spam musubi
    • Enormous plate lunches
    • Polynesian paralysis moco with fish tempura, kalua pork, two eggs, onion, mushrooms, and gravy—all served over fried rice

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 2. Tin Roof

    $

    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!

    360 Papa Pl., Kahului, Hawaii, 96732, USA
    808-868--0753

    Known For

    • Decadent treats such as mochi birthday cake bites
    • Fresh poke bowl
    • Plantation-inspired "kau kau tins"

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Sun.
  • 3. Aria's

    $$

    Dinner and lunch items are affordable and delicious at this Asian bistro, but Sunday breakfast is equally tempting. At lunch, try the flavor-packed char siu bao (barbecue-pork-filled bun) sliders and the gigantic crab club sandwich, and favorite dinner options include the Asian-braised pork belly and the vegetarian putanesca.

    2062 W. Vineyard St., Wailuku, Hawaii, USA
    808-242--2742

    Known For

    • Location in Wailuku's Old Town
    • Upscale dining at affordable prices
    • Braised chocolate chipotle lamb shank

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.--Wed.
  • 4. Bistro Casanova

    $$

    The location of this Mediterranean restaurant is smack-dab in the middle of Kahului, making it a convenient choice for lunch or dinner. The menu features everything from salads to pasta, and the tapas menu (available from 4-9 pm) changes weekly and always has an excellent selection of dishes.

    33 Lono Ave., Kahului, Hawaii, 96733, USA
    808-873–3650

    Known For

    • Paella with saffron rice, scallop linguine
    • Beautiful desserts
    • Perfect place for dinner before heading to the airport

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 5. Fork & Salad

    $

    Healthy, fresh, fast. This busy eatery is the second restaurant for chef-owners Jaron Blosser, Cody Christopher, and Travis Morrin, the first being Three's Bar and Grill in Kihei. You can order a signature salad or create your own with the impressive selection of add-ons, including many grown on Maui. Sandwiches and soups are also featured, as are fresh-squeezed juices. The line can get long, but it moves quickly; order online and skip the wait altogether. Sit-down dining is available, though this bustling restaurant can get noisy.

    120 Hookele St., Kahului, Hawaii, 96732, USA
    808-793–3256

    Known For

    • Healthy grab-and-go
    • Locally sourced ingredients
    • Kombucha on tap
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Marco's Grill & Deli

    $$

    One of the go-to places for airport comers and goers, this popular Italian restaurant also draws a steady crowd of local residents, mostly for business lunches. Meatballs, sausages, and sauces are all made in-house, there's a long list of sandwiches that are available all day, and the affordable salads are big enough to share; substitutions or special requests are not recommended.

    444 Hana Hwy., Kahului, Hawaii, 96732, USA
    808-877–4446

    Known For

    • Gluten-free options
    • Chicken Parmesan
    • Great selection of breakfasts
  • 7. Poi by the Pound

    $
    Closed Permanently

    If you're looking for authentic Hawaiian food, this local favorite near Kahului airport is the best place to find it. The luau leaf is grown here on Maui and you can pick up the taro-based snack, kulolo, as well as staples like laulau, lomi salmon, poke, squid luau, and poi; this is distinctly different from "local food" of the typical mixed-plate variety, which usually draws from a mixed heritage background and technically isn't Hawaiian.

    430 Kele St., Kahului, Hawaii, 96732, USA
    808-283--9381

    Known For

    • Huge portions of Hawaiian food
    • Hawaiian plate with laulau, kaulua pork, chicken long rice, lomi salmon, poke, poi, and mac salad

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.

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