33 Best Restaurants in Maui, Hawaii

You'd never guess by the nondescript exterior and the location in an old pineapple cannery-cum-strip-mall, but this restaurant has the feel of a hip urban eatery and is popular with locals for breakfast and lunch, as well as happy hour and dinner—when the bar side opens, the candles come out, and it's time for martinis and fresh fish.

While the rest of Makawao Town eases into the day, fuel up with a hearty breakfast at this garden café in the shade of a sprawling Argentinian coral tree. With options like huevos rancheros, French toast, and house-made biscuits and gravy, it feels like Sunday brunch every day.

This signature restaurant at the stylish Andaz Maui at Wailea resort has it all—ingredients sourced from the islands, a marvelous wine list, stellar service, and spectacular views from every table. The whole space has been masterfully designed with a gorgeous exhibition kitchen wrapped by indoor and outdoor seating. The breakfast buffet includes endless, tasty options, and at dinner you can linger while enjoying unique seafood and steak dishes.

This unassuming but popular spot across the street from Kalama Beach Park has a breakfast menu that runs the gamut from healthy yogurt-filled papaya to the local classic loco moco, with two eggs, ground beef patty, rice, and brown gravy. Unique menu items include corned beef hash and catfish at breakfast and a calamari sandwich at lunch. There are two additional locations in Lahaina Gateway (just outside the fire zone) and at Maui Coast Hotel.

This small, humble storefront is the place to try one of Maui’s most famous baked goods—the giant King David cinnamon roll. Although there are scones, croissants, and breads on menu, and there's pizza available most nights, the breakfast pastry is the big draw. It and other popular items tend to sell out, so although there are usually no lines later in the day, it's best not to wait till then to stop by. In fact, some eager patrons get in line around 6:30 am to ensure they leave with their favorites.

One of Hana’s only sit-down dining options serves frittatas and pancakes at breakfast and everything from salads and sandwiches to hearty steak, pork, or fish entrées at lunch and dinner. Local produce and Maui beef feature greatly on the menu.

Open for lunch and dinner, Sam Sato's is a local favorite for noodles, manju (Japanese pastry filled with sweet bean paste), and plate lunches. The menu includes favorites like "dry noodles," beef tomato, omelets, and fried rice, and the dry mein, saimin, and chow fun come in different-size portions with add-ins to satisfy every noodle craving; try a teriyaki beef stick or two while you wait for your bowl. When it's busy—which is almost always—you will likely have to wait for a table or a stool at the counter; write your name on the little yellow pad at the takeout window.

Built in the 1960s at the Napili Kai Beach Resort, before there were laws forbidding construction so close to the beach, this restaurant is literally footsteps from gorgeous Napili Bay. Wear your beach wrap to breakfast and enjoy the signature oven-baked pancakes or the beautifully delicious Molokai sweet potato egg frittata; the menu also offers fish from Hawaiian waters and fresh local produce.

The desserts on display will surely make you drool at one of Maui's best bakeries, where every day is cake day, the strawberry Florentines are outrageously good, and the cream horns are renowned. Other more-substantial and equally exceptional breakfast and lunch offerings include everything from mouthwatering pancakes to gourmet sandwiches on house-made bread.

The meals at this charming vegan restaurant are almost too gorgeous to eat (don't be surprised to find edible flowers or a rainbow of fruit adorning your meal). Choose from hearty soups, salads, sandwiches, and smoothies, plus rice bowls piled high with healthy ingredients. The welcoming staff are happy to answer questions or offer suggestions, making this a great option for non-vegans.

This longtime Lahaina oceanfront classic is run by the same group of wonderful folks who bring you Old Lahaina Luau. This is the place to try a "plate lunch"—a protein served in Asian-style preparation, along with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad—and also features Hawaiian favorites like laulau, kalua pork, and poi from the restaurant's own farm. Take your plate to a table so close to the ocean you just might get wet. Oh, and don't forget the mai tai!

Its proximity to Maalaea Harbor means this joint is always jumping, and the look is funky, beachy, and kitschy. The draw here is definitely the barbecue—ribs, chicken, and prime rib, all smoked on-site—but so is the Tuesday night lobster fest and the Wednesday night ribs fest. In West Maui, there's another location in the Napili Plaza shopping center.

The menu at this budget-friendly café features French, Mediterranean, and Indian dishes, and the food is fresh and tasty. Expect flavors and preparations not easily obtainable at other island eateries, with a nice selection of sweet and savory crepes, curry wraps, and salads complemented by cocktails, wine, and beer. Primarily open for lunch and dinner, the cafe opens for breakfast hours on the weekend.

The food is so fresh at this Waikapu standout that you can see the fields where it was grown while seated at your mountain view table. This family-owned restaurant creates rich cuisine from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean), boasting seasonal produce. With every bite, you know it was made with aloha. Reservations are encouraged.

Smack-dab in the middle of town, this restaurant has a brick, wood-burning oven, which was imported from Italy and which has turned out perfect pies and steaming-hot focaccia for more than 20 years. Ingredients are local and fresh, and portions are generous.

A Maui institution since 1969, Charley's is known for satiating your cowboy-size breakfast appetite: omelets, pancakes, and sausage biscuits with country gravy lure customers in. Charley's also serves hearty portions for lunch and dinner, including handmade pizzas and awesome burgers.

Chef Christian Jorgensen left fancy hotel kitchens behind to open a casual place serving simple, delicious food—mango-glazed ribs, burgers, and classic Reuben sandwich—at reasonable prices including a vegan menu and kombucha on tap. If you're staying in a condo, the Chefs to Go service is a great alternative to picking up fast food (run-of-the-mill and usually lousy) as everything is prepped and comes with easy cooking instructions.

Though it may seem like a tourist trap, this ocean-side restaurant does not disappoint, thanks to the quality of its food and an ambience steeped in Hawaiian history, with memorabilia that nods to famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku throughout. The seafood menu is downright astounding, and the famous Hula Pie—macadamia nut ice cream on a cookie crust served with hot fudge—might have you rushing to get to dessert. Resist the temptation to eat and run, though, so that you can linger over dinner and drinks while enjoying nightly live music.

An open-air lanai offers a breathtaking view of the golf course and the majestic backdrop of Iao Valley and the West Maui mountains at this fantastic addition to Maui's culinary scene. The menu takes you on a trip to Buenos Aires, with an assortment of emparedados (sandwiches); house-made chimichurri; and tomahawk, ribeye, sirloin, and skirt steaks, as well as lamb and chicken.

Breakfast is the reason to seek out this restaurant located poolside at the Napili Shores Resort. The food is standard diner fare, but the portions are big, the prices are low, and many folks think the pancakes—with bananas, macadamia nuts, or white chocolate chips—are the best in West Maui. The ambience is a little funky but the oceanfront setting and views are spectacular, affording opportunities to spot turtles, spinner dolphins, and, in winter, humpback whales. Expect a long line any day of the week.

The Franco family has been perfecting its organic coffee since 1918, growing and handpicking the beans, drying them under the Maui sun, and then roasting them at the coffeehouse. Pop in or order takeout online—the food here truly reflects local culture, with dishes that tutu (grandma) would make for the ohana (family) and baked goods, bagels, and burgers that all hit the spot.

The only full-service restaurant in Maui's largest shopping center, the well-established Koho's serves things like sandwiches, burgers, and fried chicken, as well as fajitas and other Mexican dishes. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there's a happy "hour" from 2 to 6 pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Nestled on the slopes of Haleakala, this bistro evokes trattorias in northern Italy, serving homestyle food with a dash of Italian. Start the day an egg dish or the indulgent white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes; opt for a panini at lunch; or, for dinner, enjoy anything from specialty pasta dishes and signature pizzas to prime rib to the local favorite loco moco.

It's been a popular casual spot with locals since it first opened in 1989, and to be around that long, it's got to be doing something right. You can get everything from huevos rancheros to local-style fried rice at breakfast; plate lunches, salads, wraps, and more for lunch; and fresh fish, chicken, steak, and pasta for dinner; plus there are separate pizza, pupu, and bar menus. Since this restaurant buys its fish from Lahaina Harbor anglers, the catch of the day is always a good bet.

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

Momona is the Hawaiian word for "sweet," and this place definitely lives up to its name with the variety of flaky treats that are available every morning. The bakery is especially known for its cinnamon rolls and its medialunas, Argentinean croissants with sweet or savory fillings such as Nutella, dulce de leche, custard, lilikoi (passionfruit), or ham and cheese. In addition to baked goods, you'll also find sandwiches and dishes like avocado toast. The coffee is available with your choice of four types of milk, various sweeteners, and cinnamon or other toppings that perfectly complement the confections.

A stop at this popular coffee spot, tucked just behind the main buildings on Hana Highway, is a great way to start or end the day. Grab a coffee or tea along with avocado toast or banana bread for breakfast or lunch, or come during happy hour (2 to 5 pm) for a reasonably priced, island-fresh cocktail followed by live music (four nights a week) or trivia (Wednesday night).

Fresh gelato made with locally sourced ingredients is the big draw here (try Surfing Goat Dairy's Lilikoi Quark flavor and thank us later). You'll also find jams, jellies, and dressings from Jeff Gomes, coffees from Maui Coffee Roasters, and picnic lunches from Hana Lunch Co.

It's a bit of a drive, but when you get to this beautiful, comfortable restaurant, you'll find expansive views of the ocean below and the majestic mountains above. Chef Jared Krausen sources as many ingredients as possible locally, offering up an eclectic and elevated menu. Desserts are not to be missed here.