Visitors to Maui Island are captivated with the variety of Maui exhibits. Raw beauty encompasses snow-covered mountain peaks and warm subtropical beaches. The culture of Maui is a intermingling of Polynesian and Hawaiian. History and modern life mix inside the village of Lahaina. Maui visitors going through these harmonious combining of opposites will find delight in the abundance of dining alternatives that compliment the mood of Maui.



The Hawaiian luau is considered an important part of every Maui vacation. A luau is the most fun way to experience the food and culture of Maui. Traditional luau food includes Kalua Pig, Chicken Luau, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, Poi and Poke. Nightly luaus are hosted throughout Maui but the most authentic is considered to be the Old Lahaina Luau on Front Street in Lahaina. The Feast at Lele offers a more gourmet luau menu.

Haliimaile General Store in Upcountry Maui offers the best in local Hawaiian cuisine. A lunchtime favorite is the crab boboli and daily fish specials are always a good choice. While not necessary for lunch, dinner reservations are strongly recommended.

The ocean surrounding Maui provides a bounty of fresh seafood for the restaurants located on Maui. There are very few local crabs and their meat is generally eaten raw as a kind of Poke. Diners are most likely familiar with Ahi and Mahimahi but other local fish often appear on the menu such as Moi, Monchong, Onaga, Ono, Opah, Opakapaka and Shutome. The freshness of these fish makes for outstanding dining. Seafood is on the menu of nearly every restaurant on Maui.

Fusion-food flourishes on Maui. The fusing of Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Swiss, Korean, French, Italian and American cooking styles appear on menus through Maui. The premier fusion restaurant on Maui is Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar featuring Japanese Fusion. Sansei features 2 locations on Maui, one in Kapalua and another at Kihei. Sansei is popular on Maui and reservations are extremely advisable.

When in the village of Lahaina, diners can enjoy a great meal at Aloha Mixed Plate on Front Street. Located next to the Old Lahaina Luau gardens, this casual restaurant seats diners in beach and oceanfront shaded gardens. Many Maui luau favorites are served here and the plate lunch is always popular.

The Maui food experience should always include fresh seafood and locally grown fruit. For a truly unique Maui treat, visitors can purchase potato chips made from Maui grown onions and russet potatoes and produced in local factories. These chips have been referred to as the "noblest" of all potato chips.

Maui hotels and resorts generally feature several restaurants catering to the needs of their guests. Because of local regulations most Bed and Breakfast Inns do not provide more than a fresh fruit basket for breakfast. Maui visitors are welcome to visit other resort properties for dining.

Visitors to Maui will have no problem discovering foods to fill any craving. Island restaurants specializing in Italian and American food as well as pizza are not hard to find. Maui guests yearning for a taste of home will enjoy Cheeseburger in Paradise or the Hard Rock Caf for a mainland American dining experience.

Maui restaurants boast cuisines unique to the island in addition to foods more familiar to the American visitor. The variety of dining experiences is merely a different dimension of the paradise that is Maui.