Hawaii is the place to go to escape it all — the unrelenting speed of everyday life, from the litany of laundry to the weekly “to and fro.” But by far, one of the best parts of going on vacation is slowing down to experience a destination’s local delicacies. And there’s almost no better place to do so than Maui — the Valley Isle has many beloved restaurants and markets, some of them right on the beach.
Here are nine restaurants not to miss in This magical locale from fine-dining establishments to casual-yet-gourmet snack stops.
1. Mama’s Fish House in Paid
Founders Floyd and Doris Christensen spent years sailing and exploring the islands of the Pacific before they opened this North Shore restaurant in 1973. Today, it’s considered one of the best Fine-dining establishments in the country. The menu and decor pay homage to Polynesian culture and cuisine. And hence its name, seafood is the star of the show. Try a fish like Stakataka (Hawaiian pink snapper) or Mali — the menu will tell you the name of the fisherman who caught it and from where on the island. For dessert, try the Often-photographed Polynesian Black Pearl Composed of a liaison chocolate mousse “pearl” in a pastry “shell.” And don’t forget to leave time to stroll the palm-shaded paths between the restaurant and the sand. Note that reservations should be made in advance, as demand for a table here is high.
2. Star Noodle in Lahaina
For more than a decade, Star Noodle has served Asian-inspired dishes on Lahaina’s Front Street. All noodles are made fresh daily at the restaurant, including ramen and upon, plus the noodles for Saipan soup, a staple of contemporary Hawaiian cuisine.
Order a drink, too — sake, or an Asian pear cocktail, perhaps — so you can slurp soup and sip a libation from the ocean-view patio.
3. Tin Roof Maui in Kahului
Chef Sheldon Simeon was raised in Hilo, Hawaii, and became known widely after being named “Fan Favorite” on season 10 of “Top Chef.” Soon after, he opened Tin Roof, a laid-back, walk-in-only eatery in a busy commercial area in the north Maui town of Kahului. We highly suggest you make your own key tin, which is white or brown rice or Simeon’s famous garlic noodles topped with your choice of protein. The Mochica chicken is a favorite Bathed in a marinade of ginger sake show, battered and twice fried. It’s a teeny place, so you may wait for a seat or opt to eat in your car in the parking lot.
4. Kimono Maui in Kihei
Japanese fusion is the theme at this
Newish food truck
Brought to you by Cole Hinderer,
A former executive pastry chef
At Sago Maui. Kimono’s menu includes focaccia sandwiches — consider the AHI Reuben — and bento boxes topped with swordfish or braised beef mock loco.
Given Hinderer’s pastry background, of course there are also sweets. Think: liaison brown butter almond financiers, banana bread and sorbets made with island produce. You’ll find the truck in a parking lot dotted with multiple snack shacks. Eat here or walk a couple of blocks to the shoreline to enjoy your meal with your toes in the sand.
5. Leona’s Kitchen and Pie Shop in Local
This Casual, counter-service restaurant offers “glorified grandma comfort food.” You’ll find it on your drive from Lahaina to Ganapati. There’s a bevy of sandwiches on the menu, plus dishes like chicken pot pie and mac ‘n cheese topped with Parmesan pinko crumbs. Of course, you cannot skip dessert — pie is in the name for a reason. Depending on the day, you’ll find Local lime pie, chocolate mac not pie, banana cream pie and more.
6. Phalanx Separate in Makaton
Pukalani Superette is self-described as “The easy-does-it place” — and isn’t easy what we want in a vacation? The family-owned market has served Maui for more than 60 years. Don’t let the simple exterior fool you; inside you’ll find an abundance of choices.
Pick up ingredients to cook a meal in your in-suite kitchen or opt for grab-and-go options like spam must (Another Hawaii must-have or bento boxes with pork LAU or fried Mali.
7. Eskimo Candy Seafood Market & Café in Kihei
This fresh seafood purveyor arrived on Maui in the 1980s and has since grown into A café and marketplace. Amidst the cheeky nautical decor, you’ll find some of the island’s favorite easy eats.
Try a poke bowl — a quintessential Hawaiian dish — made with your choice of fresh fish, show, wasabi and frigate over rice. There are also hot and fresh fish tacos, as well as fish and chips. If you’d rather play chef in your suite at the Maui Bay Villas, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club (just a six-minute drive away), peruse the market aisles for Maui-made sauces, marinated meats ready to cook and local produce galore.
8. Humuhumunukunukuapuaa in Wailed
This Restaurant at the Grand Wailed Maui a Waldorf Astoria Resort, it is set in a sprawling thatched-roofed pavilion on an oceanfront lagoon.
Given that it’s named after Hawaii’s state fish, it’s no surprise that the menu features plenty of selections from the sea, from diver scallops and AHI to crab and miss butterfish. Reservations are suggested for dinner — and barring a night of less-than-magical weather, your meal is likely to come with incredible sunset views.
9. Lineage in Wailed
In 2018, Chef Sheldon Simeon of Tin Roof opened the award-winning Lineage Maui. Though Simeon has since left, the restaurant continually Garners great reviews from guests with its inspired dishes. Local ingredients fuel the menu, including seasonal vegetables and pork from Maui’s Lopes Farm. Try the crispy Kauai shrimp and scallop toast on milk bread and the Korean fried chicken — the order is half a bird. Pair it with the sake and whiskey-centric Auntie Kine Tings cocktail, and they’ll deliver your drink in an adorable ceramic Lucky Cat mug. Read “3-Day Getaway: Maui” for more aloha inspired Maui vacation ideas.