The 20 Best Places To Eat And Drink In Maui

Renowned for its sun-soaked beaches, lush rainforests, and volcanic mountains, Maui is a world-famous wonderland for nature-lovers, explorers, and adrenaline junkies — but it's just as exciting for foodies. As outdoorsy as the Hawaiian island is, Maui is also a destination for travelers with palates are as adventurous as their appetite for hikes. In terms of population, Maui occasionally gets overlooked by Oahu in terms of restaurants and bars, making it more of a sleeper hit in terms of dazzling flavors, culinary culture, farm-to-table innovation, and even festival-going as the island attracts big-name chefs for the annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

Like any good tropical oasis teeming with tourists, Maui has its fair share of top-tier resorts and beautiful beaches. While plenty of hotel restaurants here are strikingly good, this is Hawaiian island requires a bit of off-the-beaten-path exploration. Throughout the island, you'll find iconic traditions like shave ice and Hawaiian-style plate lunches, along with plenty of meals where the food is matched by the view. This is a far-flung locale where tried-and-true poké and loco moco share menu space with novelties like tuna cooked with volcanic ash and malasadas dunked in lilikoi butter. Between the old and the new, and the tourist-trod to the old-school gems, we rounded up the 20 best places to eat and drink in Maui.

Nestled along the southwestern coast of Maui, Kā'anapali Beach is one area that exemplifies Maui's idyllic Venn diagram of food and fun in the sun. An area famed for its pristine, resort-lined beachfront restaurants like Waicoco have paved the way in making Kā'anapali Beach equally revered for its dining.

The modern restaurant is found within the Westin Maui Resort and Spa is the handiwork of celebrity chefs Chris Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou, who double-team a menu of contemporary breakfast and dinner fare, leveraging local ingredients in exciting new ways. Case in point: cornmeal-crusted calamari comes with bonito remoulade, Hawaiian purple cauliflower gets the coconut curry treatment, and ahi tuna steaks are seared with volcano spice. Don't sleep on the breakfast menu either with its lavender-kissed cinnamon rolls, bananas Foster French toast dripping in dark rum caramel and toasted macadamia nuts, and an excellent rendition of loco moco, a gravy-clad Hawaiian specialty of hamburger patties, eggs, and rice (via Ono Hawaiian Recipes).

Perched inside the ornate Hyatt Regency Resort, with a patio that's particularly well-poised for a sunset spectacle at dinner, Japengo is a show-stopper of a restaurant serving some of the best and brightest Asian cuisine on the island.

Sophisticated and sleek, with a rustic-chic facade that fosters a sense of warmth and welcome, the restaurant wows with its immaculate sushi presentations, modern Asian dishes, and sensational sweets. Along with pristine classics like spicy tuna rolls and Hawaiian amberjack nigiri, specialty sushi rolls include the Lahaina Sunset Roll filled with spicy tuna and cucumber, then topped with more tuna, king salmon, tobiko, Thai vinaigrette, and lime aïoli. For entrees, seafood udon, ahi tuna with wasabi beurre blanc, and Maui onion-glazed Kuobuta pork are stars (and don't miss the game-changing kimchi mashed potatoes). Dinner can be followed by decadent malasadas (a Portuguese-style doughnut tradition in Hawaii, per Hawaii Magazine) with chocolate sauce, vanilla macadamia nut sauce, and lilikoi butter.

With locations in both Wailea and Kāʻanapali Beach, Monkeypod Kitchen is the rare crowd-pleaser with equal acclaim from tourists and locals alike. The Whalers Village outpost in particular, nestled amidst a sea of shops, is perpetually bustling with customers visiting for some of Maui's most acclaimed Mai Tais, fish tacos, and nautical delights.

Be sure not to miss the exemplary Monkeypod Mai Tai, made with two kinds of rum, lime, house-made macadamia nut orgeat, orange curaçao, and a fluffy cloud of silken honey-lilikoi foam. From there, the menu bounces around the globe for culinary inspiration using seasonal and local ingredients for added Hawaiian flair, like ahi poké tacos, lobster deviled eggs, kalua pork pizza, and tempura-style fish and chips made with the fresh catch of the day. Pro tip: If you dine here in the fall, don't skip the surprising and amazing pumpkin ravioli filled with roasted local squash and strewn with walnut-sage pesto.

Another winning restaurant making Kāʻanapali Beach Maui's foremost dining destination, Huihui is a polished Polynesian-inspired all-day restaurant is in the Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel, offering inventive locally sourced cuisine in an airy, cottage-like space.

This is the type of restaurant where Hawaiian classics like poké, dumplings, and shrimp are all present and accounted for, albeit stylized and tweaked with an air of modernity. Start with venison poké, a hearty riff made with smoked meat from the nearby island of Molokai, or the dumplings stuffed with steamed lobster in a lemongrass cream reduction. Of the entrees, which range from tuna and pork to pasta and short ribs, the wok-fried shrimp with flying fish roe and abalone cream sauce is a real stunner. Come breakfast, the sleeper hit is the Hikina Bowl, a cocoa chia pudding with coconut, banana, and macadamia nuts that somehow tastes better than an ice cream sundae.

Located at one of the most historic inns on Maui, Papa'Aina at the Pioneer Inn now attracts tourists and locals alike for its farm-fresh cooking from local celebrity chef Lee Anne Wong. Despite the fact that the brunch-centric restaurant doesn't serve dinner, it's still one of the most sought-after seats on the island for its enduring oceanic views and envelope-pushing breakfast and lunch offerings.

At once cool and casual, the breezy restaurant serves grab-and-go comforts like breakfast sandwiches with pineapple chutney and coconut chia pudding, along with full-service dishes like fish and eggs with kimchi and rice, hoisin pork bowls, breakfast ramen with miso coffee butter, sweets like banana coconut pound cake, and riffs on island specialties like a loco moco variation made with Szechuan beef and tofu gravy, bok choy, white rice, and chile crunch.

Located in the center of Maui, a stone's throw from the volcanic wonderland of Haleakalā National Park, Mahalo Ale Works is the idyllic place for a post-trail beer. The sleek, hip, and funky brewery and taproom is a comfy space to hunker down with a beer or two, either on the patio, upstairs, or in the main bar area where live music provides recurring entertainment.

The ever-changing tap list runs the gamut in terms of style and seasonal offerings, from locally sourced pineapple lactose sours and black IPAs to tart dry-hopped saisons, oatmeal stouts, and golden ales that match the Maui sunset. While the brewery doesn't have its own kitchen, the lofty operation has Upcountry Sausage Co. parked on its patio, serving up superlative smash burgers and sausages.

Maui may be known for its fair share of classic cuisines and local specialties, but Neapolitan-style pizza — and Italian food in general — might not be the most obvious go-to for the Hawaiian islands. Until you visit Marlow, a chef-driven haven for exemplary sourdough pies cooked in a 900-degree kiawe wood-burning oven, a kind of sweet-ish Hawaiian mesquite, to ensure the utmost in soft, char-kissed crust.

The cozy, family-run restaurant is the work of chef Jeff Scheer, a Maui transplant who works closely with island farmers and ranchers to ensure each pie is topped with the freshest sauces, meats, herbs, and accoutrements. This means white pies come flecked with local oyster mushrooms, arugula, and zucchini, while red ones feature the likes of braised pork with lilikoi butter. Beyond pizza, other menu hits include wood-fired duck confit with mustard cream, roasted Kauai prawns with chimichurri, and gelato made with Kula strawberries.

In the north central part of the island, just down the road from Maui's main airport, Tin Roof makes for a convenient entry point for travelers arriving and hungry for an immediate taste of Hawaiian comfort food. That's the specialty at this casual counter spot from acclaimed chef Sheldon Simeon, who taps into his heritage to serve up some of the most soulful food around.

Follow the inevitable — and worthwhile — line to load up on local specialties like mochiko chicken (a Hawaiian fried chicken dish made by marinating poultry in mochiko flour batter), garlic shrimp, macaroni salad, saimin noodles, and chow fun noodles. One can't-miss, go-to dish is Tin Roof's Insta-worthy fish sandwiches, made with panko-battered kajiki (aka blue marlin) house-made tartar sauce, American cheese, and a fluffy brioche bun.

When it comes to deep-fried dough, malasadas are the Hawaiian-style doughnuts that take top billing, but there's much more crispy comfort food to discover at Donut Dynamite, a colorful and quirky bake shop in the quaint village of Wailuku.

Those requisite malasadas are, of course, on the menu, but along with the doughy classics, this is the kind of place that also slices them in half and fills them with ice cream for epic malasada ice cream sandwiches. The other non-malasada doughnuts are just as vibrant and flavorful, from menu fixtures like blueberry peanut butter crunch and Mexican chocolate to novelties like "Cheesy Hammy Savory Donuts" made with ham brioche, cheddar cheese "glaze," and house spice salt. Beyond doughnuts, though, other must-tries include macadamia nut crumble brioche bread pudding and loco moco "Brekkie Buns," aka warm brioche buns filled with egg, ground beef, and gravy.

In the charming, boutique-filled enclave of Lahaina, a community abounding with galleries (via Go Hawaii), Pacific'o on the Beach proves that paint and photography aren't the only expressions of art in the area. Here, culinary art is on full display, in the form of the some of the most unique, inventive Hawaiian cuisine in the state.

The contemporary restaurant is open for dinner, cooking up a farm-to-table and sea-to-table spree of dishes that are as photogenic — and artful — as they are delicious. Small plates like smoked kampachi rillettes and center-cut sashimi with nori puree are big on bold flavor, while signature dishes like mahi-mahi Wellington reign as bucket list-caliber dining for any Hawaiian itinerary. The dish, a seafaring riff on the meaty American mainstay, comes enrobed in golden pastry alongside a medley of lobster, duxelle, asparagus, and pea emulsion. Other standouts include lemongrass seafood curry with coconut rice and macadamia nuts and grilled fish "Mai Tai," wherein said fresh catch comes flavored with Mai Tai-inspired ingredients like pineapple and lilikoi beurre blanc.

In Hawaii, noodle dishes are as traditional and ubiquitous as poké, loco moco, and malasadas, and few spots in Maui are as hallowed as the aptly named Star Noodle. The longstanding hot spot in Lahaina has been slinging Asian small plates, noodles, and sake cocktails since 2010 in a cool, patio-clad space overlooking the ocean — and customers continue to flock here for quintessential Hawaiian comfort.

Shareable starter plates include smashed cucumber salads scorched with miso-chili sauce, steamed clams with miso butter, and adobo ribs splashed with black pepper vinegar, while house-made noodles come in ramen, saimin, and udon form. The former is exemplified by the Hot 'n Sour ramen in chili-lime dashi with smoked prosciutto, shrimp, cilantro, Thai basil, bean spouts, and fried garlic, while the classic saimin white noodle staple is served in dashi broth with Spam, as well as kamaboko, a type of Japanese fish cake, soft-boiled egg, and scallions. For something with a bit more chew and heft, the Star Udon combines the toothsome noodles with pork broth, roasted pork belly, and scallions.

The perfect balm for a blistering day, shave ice is a refreshing pastime in Hawaii that entails drizzling super-sized mounds of freshly shaved ice with all manner of tropical syrups (via Hawaiian Airlines). The quenching treat can be found all over Maui, from roadside stands to high-end beach resorts, each offering its own rendition and flavors. One such gem is the pint-sized Black Rock Shave Ice at the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa.

Located by the pool of the coastal resort, the diminutive counter-service spot doubles down on both quality and quantity, offering more than 30 syrup flavors to adorn its basketball-sized portions of shave ice. Each one is shaved to order from crystal-clear blocks of ice, ensuring a soft and fluffy texture that best absorbs the colorful syrups. The flavors range from banana and guava to pickled mango, ube, lilikoi, and piña colada (guests can also add ice cream or toasted coconut). For something a bit creamier, the shave ice counter also offers pineapple soft-serve ice cream in the form of Dole Whip, which blows Disney World out of the water.

An iconic fixture in Maui, in business since 1916 and now owned by Betty and Calvin Shibuya (via Maui Magazine), Komoda Store and Bakery is a quintessential stop for all your pastry, dessert, and malasada musts. The humble mom-and-pop is located in Makawao and offers an array of timeworn tasty traditions in a frills-free environment brimming with baked goods and recipes passed down through generations.

Among the endless offerings on-hand at Komoda Store and Bakery, fan favorites include cream puffs, fluffy malasadas, and something called "stick donuts," which are doughnut balls speared on sticks and served like sweet, doughy kebabs. It's all part of the sugary traditions that have kept this humble pastry shop a bustling tradition — and Maui essential — for more than a century.

Come for the seafood and seaside views, stay for the mile-high pie. That's the ethos at Kimo's Maui, an enduring island fixture in Lahaina since 1977, known for its hearty portions and even heartier desserts.

Seafood, cheeseburgers, and meaty entrees like prime rib, are signature items, along with Polynesian specialties like macadamia-crusted calamari, coconut shrimp with cider-honey mustard, and kalua pork lettuce wraps with barbecue plum sauce. The cheeseburgers and prime rib, both made from meat from island farms, are equally revered, but no dish on the menu holds a candle to Kimo's famed Hula Pie. The behemoth is a piled-high ice cream pie made with macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge, toasted macadamias, and whipped cream on a chocolate cookie crust.

Located in the lustrous south Maui enclave of Kihei Kalami Village, Kihei Caffe is a charming go-to for casual breakfast, pastries, and Hawaiian specialties doled out in hulking portions at affordable prices. The cute cafe sports a tiny interior, where customers place their orders before migrating to the spacious umbrella-lined sidewalk patio. It's a comfy place to rise and shine with freshly roasted Hawaiian coffee and savorous breakfast plates like loco moco, brimming with eggs, beef patties, rice, and brown gravy. 

There's also a kalua pork version of the loco moco and one with corned beef hash. There's even a chicken-fried steak plate that could hold its own in Texas. Other options off the surprisingly humungous menu include blackened fish and eggs, Southern fried catfish, and pork fried rice.

Filled with polished wood totems, tiki torches, thatched roofing, and bamboo, Mama's Fish House is the kind of real-deal Polynesian wonderland that exemplifies the tropical island vibe of Maui. Plus, it just so happens to serve some of the best seafood and fish dishes on the island.

The funky-cool restaurant, overlooking the ocean amidst a sea of palm trees in Paia, has been a Maui mainstay for decades, beloved for its fresh cooking and immersive ambiance. Menus rotate regularly, highlighting the freshest catch and what's in season, with an emphasis on fish plucked from the waters just off-shore. This includes seared octopus, ahi tuna ceviche, lobster and pumpkin soup, sesame-crusted kanpachi, and mahi-mahi curry with mango chutney, banana, and macadamia nuts. And don't worry: In case you'd like to try a couple cocktails, like the Celebration Champagne Punch or the bracing Mai Tai, The Inn at Mama's Fish House is right next door.

It doesn't get much more comforting than Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop, a Lahaina cornerstone where dessert takes top billing and decor inspired by Hawaiian plantations provides an atmosphere of tropical tradition.

Self-described "grandma comfort food" is the bill of fare at this counter-service spot, exemplified in both savory and sweet form. For the former, there are fresh tuna salad sandwiches, Reubens, and seared ahi on grilled rye bread, while the Lahaina Dog is a killer hot dog served in a house-baked bun with Maui gold pineapple chutney and poha berry mustard. Naturally, the sweets at this pie shop are essential. In addition to banana bread and cookies, the popular pies come in flavors like banana cream, chocolate macadamia nut, and guava chiffon, along with specials like purple sweet potato meringue.

The perfect pit stop on the famed Road to Hana, a staggeringly scenic drive that weaves along the northeast coast of the island, a snack from Aunt Sandy's Banana Bread provides the ideal road trip fuel. Banana bread is a sweet staple in Maui with roots dating back to early Polynesian settlers who brought bananas with them on canoes (via Road to Hana). The humble snack can be found all over Hawaii nowadays, with Aunt Sandy's ranking as one of the most beloved stopovers. 

In operation since 2003, building off home-grown recipes from Aunt Sandy Hueu, the casual cafe serves always-fresh loaves of fluffy banana bread, along with other sundries like coconut candy and passion fruit butter. Be sure to swing by early, though, because the shop only bakes a limited amount per day.

Family-run markets, fully stocked with local ingredients and local culture, are often the most prized hidden gems for the freshest, most authentic eats — frequently at the most affordable prices. Such is the case with Wailuku's Takamiya Market, a no-frills store filled with groceries and pantry staples, along with a curated seafood-centric menu of Hawaiian snacks and lunches.

Poké is the star attraction at Takamiya Market, and it doesn't get any fresher than the bright bowlfuls of shoyu ahi, kimchi tako (aka octopus), or sesame tako. For something burlier, there's even a meaty version made with smoked pork. As the market is also home to Dani's Catering, Takamiya offers sashimi and seafood platters, plus items like teriyaki beef, char siu pork, and kalua pig.

While Maui boasts many a high-end restaurant and celebrity chef-driven hot spot, the island is also rooted in humble, honest cooking in all manner of styles and price points. One prime example, proving that top-tier local ingredients are just as revelatory from a food truck, is South Maui Fish Company.

Anchored on the island's south shore, the casual eatery is all about sustainability, locality, and seafood at its very best. Options may change daily, based on what the fishermen reel in, but poké bowls, fish tacos (with spicy aïoli, slaw, and unagi drizzle), and bento boxes are reliable fixtures, each brimming with the likes of jewel-toned tuna or meaty morsels of kajiki (blue marlin) heaped over sesame-seasoned rice. Round it all out with a side of pineapple coconut slaw and devour in down-home digs right in the parking lot.