Maui restaurants are the birthplace of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement which put the island state on the culinary map. Fans of Maui, the Magic Isle say, “Maui no ka oi” which means "Maui is the best" - a description that could apply just as well to Maui restaurants.
Drawing from fresh local ingredients such as Kula onions and Lokelani tomatoes, the twelve founder chefs added a contemporary and innovative twist to dining in Hawaii.
A General Store Gone Chic
A must for every visitor to Maui is the award winning Hail’imaile General Store. Owner-chef Bev Gannon was one of the founders of the culinary movement, and turns out inspired menus in what she describes as “eclectic American with Asian overtones.”
One of the best known of Maui restaurants, the Store is twelve hundred feet above sea level on the slopes of Mount Haleakala.
Housed in a 1925 general store which Gannon and her husband restored, the restaurant retains much of the original architecture including its Philippines mahogany floor.
You can now dine in a plantation-era atmosphere while surrounded by pineapple and sugar cane fields. Join fans who turn up for blackened ahi wraps for lunch or come in droves at dinner for sashimi Napoleon and szechuan barbecued salmon.
Upcountry Big Kahuna
Local favorite Café 808 is adored by its upcountry fans. Its motto “The Big Kahuna of Local Grinds” summarizes its appeal. Come breakfast, lunch or dinner, regulars know this is the place for unpretentious home cooking.
A penchant for burgers? Look no further. They serve teriyaki, hamburger, garden burger, cheeseburger, taro and mahi-mahi burgers in a room decorated with linoleum-tile floors with plastic chairs and hardwood benches. Altogether, very pleasing and a wonderful addition to the vast variety of Maui restaurants
Hip on the Waterfront
Several years ago, Mark Ellman and his wife bought a small space on the water near Mala Wharf to create a light-filled restaurant.
Their mission was to create small plates with organically grown fresh food, fresh fish and whole grains. With a small grouping of tables out on oceanfront lanai and several more in the cozy interior, Mala Tavern has earned kudos for being “the hippest casual eatery” in Maui.
Start with seared ahi bruschetta and attempt to choose from delicious entrees that include seared sashimi in ginger sauce with shitake mushrooms, Balinese stirfry with fresh island sauce or the freshly ground ahi burger.
If you are in the mood, ask for their menu of exotic martinis. Mark is also the owner of the Maui Tacos franchise and the Penne Pasta café in Lahaina.
Whales and Pancakes
To combine whale watching with the best of restaurants, you cannot go wrong with the Sea House in Napili. In a traditional Aloha setting feet away from the water, you can enjoy a brunch of Crater Pancake – a plate sized baked pancake with a light topping of lemon juice and powder sugar – while enjoying the sight of whales breaching and frolicking in the ocean. Sit back, sip your mimosa or bloody mary and enjoy. You are on island time!
But apart from these, you can eat out every day in Maui. With a tremendous variety of Maui restaurants, you can opt for a local lunch plate, a taco filled with fresh fish or go swanky with haute cuisine in slick surroundings. Whatever your choice, you are assured of a mouth-watering experience.
