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What would a Hawaiian getaway be without experiencing the best local food? From eating poke overlooking the Maui
South Maui Fish Company
22 Alahele Pl, Kihei, HI 96753
This was my favorite place and it should be a must on your list as well as the first place you go to for lunch when on Maui. It’s located in Kihei which was a little far from where we stayed in Lahaina, but the drive was totally worth it! South Poke Maui Co is a food truck located in a huge parking lot just a few feet away from the beach. They also have different food selections like fish tacos and fish plates, but the poke here was stellar and the best I had on Maui. The fish here is super fresh and tender – unbelievably good. On my next visit, you can be sure I will come here straight from the airport! Since it’s a food truck, they have limited quantity, so they open every day until they sell out. Just make sure to not come too late or they might be out of poke or other menu items.
Tamura’s Fine Wine Liquors
226 Kupuohi St, Lahaina, HI 96761
Yes, poke in Hawaii can be found in the most random places like liquor stores. The poke here is so good! They have another location in Kihei. So many different flavors to choose from. I loved the Shoyu and Tamura’s. We came here twice and both times it didn’t disappoint. We devoured our poke bowls outside on the parking lot benches that overlooked the mountains. I couldn’t have asked for a better poke eating experience!
Eskimo Candy
2665 Wai Wai Pl, Kihei, HI 96753
Another amazing poke spot! Eskimo Candy also doubles as a seafood restaurant. They brought the poke bowls to our tables super-fast and the poke was… you guessed it, heavenly! Giant cubes of perfectly marinated fresh fish satisfied our empty stomachs after a long morning filled with activity at the beach.
Road To Hana
Be aware that Road To Hana’s eating spots are really easy to miss, so pay close attention if you don’t want to drive at least two more miles before finding an open space to make a U turn. There is no phone reception here. Road To Hana felt like a time machine.
A very nice woman gave us directions to Huli Huli chicken and further confirmed that indeed, we had made it to the quaint town of Hana.
Huli Huli Chicken
If you want to have the best chicken of your life, Huli Huli chicken on the road to Hana is a must. Part of the reason I wanted to go Hana, was because I found Huli Huli chicken on a forum thread where everyone and their uncle swore by it.
It was a great way to refuel after the long drive and gather ourselves up for the way back. Like Hana and most of Hawaii’s food joints, this place is a no-frills food stand. The chicken breast was the most tender chicken breast I’ve ever had in my entire life – no joke. There are picnic tables and benches for you to watch the ocean on Koki Beach and listen to the waves crash into the shore while eating – astoundingly good. I would endure the tedious drive to Hana again. Once you get there, you will see an open space with a handful of food trucks. I say skip all these altogether and keep driving straight until you see the Koki beach sign and turn left to enjoy this unforgettable chicken. It’s off the beaten path but worth every mile and only three minutes past Hana.
The plate comes with a mac salad and two generous delicious scoops of rice. I’m crying just thinking about how good this was.
Pay close attention to the signs!
Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream
Another Road To Hana must-stop. We stopped there on our way back after having had the amazing Huli Huli chicken. It’s located in a beautiful colorful van. Coconut Glen’s ice cream is vegan and dairy-free. It was super refreshing, not to mention the big scoops with coconut chunks. It filled us up pretty well for our way back and our later challenging trek into the bamboo forest. They have different flavors but it would be a crime to go there without at least trying the signature coconut flavor. With colorful chairs to sit on, enjoy your ice cream and watch the people in the cars slowly passing by the narrow road rubbernecking to check out the colorful van parked on the side of the road.
Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread
210 Keanae Rd
Keanae, HI 96708
We missed this spot! They close at 2:30 pm every day. On Road To Hana you’ll come across fresh fruit shacks as well as many banana bread spots, but this one is the most famous for a reason. They say the banana bread there is served fresh and warm, right out of the oven. Next time I’m back, and I most certainly will be, I will definitely stop here.
Cuatro
1881 S Kihei Rd #111, Kihei, HI 96753
Best hidden gem on Maui! It only sits 30 people, so make sure you go very early or at least call ahead to make reservations. I can’t believe it was located in the most unassuming place: a strip mall just right across from Foodland, Hawaii’s biggest grocery store. The ambiance is very intimate and you could tell there was a sense of camaraderie between the host and the regulars who walked in.
The quality of the food at Cuatro is unparalleled. You order your fish of choice and choose the method of cooking. We picked the Mahi Mahi with the classic dressing style. The fish was cooked to perfection and the sauce was so light yet full of flavor in every bite. We sat next to a recent widow, who was from Camarillo but had been living on Maui on and off for twenty years with her husband. She was dining solo and said she had been coming to Cuatro for many years and was perfectly acquainted with the staff. The service was outstanding and this is another great spot that should be on your restaurant list.
Ululani’s Shave Ice
790 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761
We went there after dinner three nights during our stay and it was only a six-minute drive from our hotel, so there was no excuse to miss Hawaii’s most famous shaved ice spot. I never would have thought of myself as a shaved ice person. Whenever I used to think of shaved ice, the first thing that popped in my mind were artificial flavors and chemical sweeteners.
It’s very difficult to get authentic shaved ice made with
All the syrups are made from pure cane sugar and natural fruit juices. My favorite was the sunrise combo with the macadamia ice cream at the bottom! Get the macadamia ice cream! They have another location in Kihei but the one in Lahaina is the original location and is in the perfect spot to take a nice relaxing stroll in Lahaina’s buzzing Historic district among the art galleries and restaurants.
Nalu’s South Shore Grill
1280 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753
Great food and great ambiance! They have live acts playing every night on stage. This was our dinner spot after the long day in Hana. It’s super casual and they have tons of options. From acai bowls, to burgers, to different salads, all the options are pretty solid.
Located in the same parking lot as Nalu’s, we went to Peace Love Shave Ice to satisfy our shave ice cravings instead of driving another 36 minutes to Ululani’s in Lahaina. The woman at the stand was super lovely and this is another great alternative to Ululani’s.
Paia Bay Coffee & Bar
115 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI 96779
My favorite breakfast spot. You won’t see this place from the street. You have to go through either a bikini store or through the café alley. You order at the counter and they give you a number. The atmosphere was 100% beachy vibes which is something I see more and more often in LA these days: very laid-back and casual. The coffee place is on a patio with beautiful greenery and a wooden pergola. The coffee was great and they had tons of vegan options.
Maui’s Best Banana Bread + Coffee
180 Dickenson St #115, Lahaina, HI 96761
I don’t think I will ever have a better avocado toast in my life. Outstanding coffee and really good, albeit not best, banana bread before heading to the beach on our last day. The banana bread comes in different flavors. I loved sitting outdoors sipping iced coffee right across from a church in this quiet area of Lahaina. The service was fast and friendly. If you’re looking for a fast breakfast alternative and you don’t want to pay full price for a giant plate of breakfast or wait in line, this place is the best alternative.
Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar
600 Office Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
Nice sushi and outstanding specialty dishes! We went there after a long day on Slaughterhouse Beach. It was a very short drive from the beach.
The sushi was really good and even locals recommend this place, but I think the winner for my dad and I were two of the award-winning dishes: Sansei’s Mango Crab Salad Hand Rolland the Panko Crusted Fresh Ahi Sashimi. Both plates were out of this world. My dad absolutely loved the mango crab salad hand roll. The combination of the mango sauce and crab got our taste buds revved up.
Because Maui doesn’t have an international fish port, sushi fish has to be imported from Honolulu (Oahu). The sushi was scrumptious but I can’t say it reached perfection like last year when we went to Mitch’s Fish market, a sushi place located right next to the Honolulu airport, where the fish was caught in the waters of New Zealand and came straight from the plane to the restaurant. Whereas with poke, fishermen on Oahu and Maui catch the ahi tuna
Call ahead for reservations. They’re easy and very accommodating. It was jam-packed when we got there, but we were seated right away. It’s not a hidden gem by any means but the sushi and the rest of the plates were pretty solid.
Places on our list for the next time:
Kaohu Store (Wailuku) Another highly recommended place for poke. Located in the northern part of the island, It’s a sixteen-minute drive from the airport. Since we spent most our days in the south (Kihei) and the southwest part of Maui, our schedule was too tight to drive for almost an hour to go there.
Kihei Coffee (Kihei) This place is rated as Maui’s best breakfast place. We drove all the way from Lahaina at 8 am before heading to the beach but to our surprise, there was a very long line, which put us off. I later found out that the line moves pretty fast and that the majority of times, you’re bound to find a line there.
Sunrise Café (Lahaina) We woke up super early on our last day and went there. However, we waited for thirty minutes given the fact that there was only one old woman in the kitchen cooking all the orders because the other cook hadn’t arrived yet. Traffic in Maui is no joke. After thirty minutes, we reluctantly decided to leave and find another spot. We came across Maui Coffee Best Banana Bread and Coffee but to this day, I still crave the fresh papaya with granola I ordered at Sunrise (picture below). Oh well 😭😭😭. The café is an authentic Hawaiian breakfast spot. Tips: Try to get outdoor seating and don’t forget to come extra early if you don’t want to wait.
Koiso Sushi Bar (Kihei) We needed a reservation here. No walk-ins accepted. The next two days were completely booked and they recommended calling at least one week ahead. It was no problem because we ended up dining at Cuatro, which was stellar and Sansei, which is said to also have the best sushi on Maui.
Monkey Pod Kitchen (Lahaina) This one was on my list. We passed by this place in Whaler’s Village on our first day right after the sunset. The
If you’ve ever been to Maui and are acquainted with the restaurants listed above, please let me know in the comments below! Are there any specific places missing here?
