For a stellar dining experience, you cannot go wrong in any of the restaurants in Maui.
Creative cuisine such as nori fettucine or poke salad made of broiled yellow-fin tuna in a blood orange dressing live up to the island’s reputation as the birthplace of the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine.
While this culinary movement has taken the entire state by storm and is now found on all the islands, it is almost a way of life in Maui.
Farmers have been encouraged to grow more fresh produce and fishermen know there is a market for their daily catch.
Maui is now home to award-winning cheeses from Surfing Goat Dairy and different types of culinary lavender from Alii Kula Lavender.
Fresh and Creative in Maui
With Kula tomatoes, Maui onions and Makawao mushrooms at their doorstep, it is no surprise that chefs of restaurants in Maui are endlessly churning out delectable dishes. This inventiveness is also supported by the presence of a number of the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine founder-chefs who still live on the island.
Legends abound of Peter Merriman, chef/owner of the Hula Grill in Kaanapali and Lahaina.
His passion for showcasing the best local products has led him to climbing coconut trees to find the right coconuts for his dishes or hitching a ride to a field of rare sweet corn at the island’s end.
There are yummy nightly specials at the Hula Grill. However, you are bound to be just as tempted by the traditional courses of lemon-roasted chicken with roasted Maui onions and red pepper sauce.
Alternatively, you can opt for organic steak from the Maui Cattle company served with shitake mushroom risotto and herb butter.
The Next Wave
A second generation of chefs is cooking up a storm in restaurants in Maui.
Follow the locals to find Jennifer Nguyen who produces the tastiest Vietnamese food in Maui at the Saigon Café. Elsewhere on the island, Café O’Lei in Kihei is earning a well-deserved reputation for great food and good prices in a sophisticated atmosphere.
The chefs Dana and Michael Pastula also own Ma’alea Grill on the harbourfront.
The grill has a warm atmosphere enhanced by the bamboo and teak furniture as well as a spectacular view of the coastline and live jazz from towards the end of the week.
Join the locals who flock to the Pastula restaurants at weekends for outstanding dishes such as chicken, mushrooms and chestnuts in Manoa lettuce wraps or baked clams from their roast oven.
A Paia Legend
Mama’s Fish House in the surfing town of Paia ranks as a legend among restaurants in Maui.
Look out for the tiny fishing boat perched above the entrance to the restaurant as you walk up a path liberally covered with shells. It has been the special occasion destination in Maui for more than 30 years, and despite high prices, is always packed.
You will dine to picturesque beachfront views and watch wind-surfers from all round the world glide on the waves.
Although the Mom-and-Pop eateries are disappearing from restaurants in Maui, you can find solid Hawaiian comfort food at the Aloha Mix Plate in Lahaina.
Situated right on the ocean under shady trees, this open-air restaurant is loved by the locals for Chinese roast duck, Korean barbecued ribs and Hawaiian laulau. You cannot beat the views, nor the prices. Eating in Maui is undoubtedly a culinary experience – enjoy every bite!
