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Lahaina Coolers
Whether you swing by early in the morning or after the dance floor has emptied, this eclectic open-air restaurant always has a crowd. You can mix and match an endless variety of omelet options and opt to have breakfast any time of the day. Other top choices include the tasty kalua pig tacos, creative pizzas and Kula green salads.
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Lahaina Fish Co
Sit on the deck above crashing waves and enjoy some of Lahaina's freshest fish. And there's no slack on the serving size either - so it's little wonder this place packs a crowd. Lots of fish preparations to choose from, but if you want to walk away with the best value, order the fish-and-chips for just $13. Come early for a good table at sunset.
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Lahaina Store Grille
Classy and contemporary, this grill and oyster bar specializes in briny delights from the sea. Tequila-glazed shrimp, raw oysters, poke (cubed raw fish mixed with shoyu, sesame oil, salt, chili pepper, inamona or other condiments) - you name it, they've got it. Come after when the rooftop garden opens and watch the lights twinkle over Lahaina.
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Longhi's
This upscale Italian restaurant with its art deco decor and koa-wood dance floor has live music and dancing on Tuesday and Friday nights from . It tends to draw an older, well-heeled crowd.
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Ma'alaea Grill
This place has it all: a fantastic harbor view, attentive service and excellent food. Fresh seafood, organic salads and tasty focaccia sandwiches shore up the menu. At dinner the blackened mahimahi with fresh papaya salsa and the coconut-fried shrimp are favorites. And it's family friendly, with a $5 kids menu.
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Main Street Bistro
Upbeat decor and sumptuous bistro fare make a winning combination at this downtown eatery that's a favorite of the business-lunch crowd. Innovative salads and sandwiches, juicy steaks and tempting dishes like pan-roasted fresh catch with asparagus shore up the menu. Save room for the homemade banana cream pie.
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Makawao Garden Café
If you're in the mood for a taro salad or perhaps fresh mahimahi on homemade focaccia, seek out this owner-run café tucked into a courtyard at the north end of Baldwin Ave. The place to have lunch on a sunny day.
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Mala
It may be a new kid on the block, but this waterfront bistro is already winning awards. Mala fuses Spanish and Pacific influences in dishes like 'opakapaka (pink snapper) ceviche and black-bean Manila clams in a ginger sauce. Save room for the delightfully decadent 'caramel miranda' dessert. The best time to come is at night, when the tiki torches on the ocean lanai add a romantic touch.
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Mama's Fish House
Maui's most celebrated seafood restaurant pairs a fine ocean view with impeccably prepared fish. Just what's on the menu depends on the day's catch, but you'll always find superb options. For a local favorite bursting in Hawaiian flavor, order either the 'opakapaka or the onaga (mild-tasting red snapper) sautéed in coconut milk and served with grilled bananas. When the beachside tiki torches are lit at dinner the scene is oh-so-romantic. Mama's is at Ku'au Cove, along the Hana Hwy, 2 miles east of Pa'ia center. Reservations are essential.
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Mañana Garage
A favorite with the theater crowd, this sizzling place sports a splashy Caribbean decor and delicious Latin-influenced dishes. The blackened-fish tostada and guava-glazed barbecue ribs are Hawaiian-accented house specials. Vegetarians can spice it up with the roasted veggie enchiladas with mole dulce. There's live salsa and Hawaiian music a few nights a week - call for the schedule.
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Mango Grill & Bar
Overlooking the golf course, Mango brings them in with huge servings and a menu that covers the gamut from local grinds to New York steak. People come from miles around for the breakfast fare, especially the French toast smothered in tropical fruits.
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Maui Brewing Company
This microbrewery sports a classy pub atmosphere with a glass wall overlooking the brewing operation. The food goes way beyond the usual pub menu, with oysters on the half shell, Cajun crab cakes and raspberry-glazed duck. Beers range from the light, crisp Honolua lager to Wild Hog, a robust, full-bodied black stout with a creamy finish - sample them all with six 3oz glasses ($6). Live music nightly.
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Moana Bakery & Café
Since Moana's French pastry master left to start his own restaurant, the pastries here have lost their edge, but everything else remains right on at this hip restaurant. The blackened 'ahi wrap sandwich served with mango-pineapple salsa and Moloka'i sweet potatoes is a sure winner.
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Olowalu Juice Stand
Getting thirsty? Fruit smoothies made with fresh-squeezed sugarcane juice are whipped up at this food truck parked at the north side of the Olowalu General Store. Fresh coconuts, pineapple and papayas are for sale, too.
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Pa'ia Fish Market Restaurant
Come mealtime the tables here pack like sardines. Fish just doesn't get any fresher - you even get to see your options on display at the counter, where the day's catch is lined up. The local favorite is fish-and-chips, but the menu includes plenty of tempting fish preparations, from wine-sautéed to unbeatable tacos.
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Pacific'O
Terrific contemporary cuisine pair with a renowned wine list at this stylish seaside restaurant. The menu is bold and innovative - where else can you try a crispy coconut roll with seared scallops and arugula pesto? Lunch is a tamer affair, with salads and sandwiches, but the same in-your-face ocean view. Live dinnertime jazz on the weekends cranks the hip atmosphere up a notch.
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Penne Pasta Café
It's a simple place on a side street rather than the main drag, but that helps keep prices low, and you can dine alfresco at streetside tables. Think Italian without the hefty calories - fresh salads, tasty flatbread pizzas, gluten-free brown-rice pasta are the highlights. All in all, it's excellent value.
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Piñatas
Simple and cheery, this serape-draped cantina won the Maui News readers poll for the best Mexican food on Maui. The surfer's favorite is the 'kitchen sink burrito,' oversized and stuffed with beef, beans, guacamole, sour cream and just about everything else you'd find in a Mexican kitchen but the sink.
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Pineapple Grill
Hot and fresh off the grill, this smart place is edging out the competition with its innovative fusion fare. Tantalize the tastebuds with the likes of lobster-coconut bisque and Maui-coffee roasted duck breast. A well-matched wine list and a grand hilltop view make this a prime dining choice. Come before to take advantage of the three-course ($32) sunset dinner specials.
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Pita Paradise
Enjoy Mediterranean fare at this patio café. The lamb kebab with herb-roasted potatoes is a great choice and the baklava ice cream is to die for. It also serves an excellent Greek salad and there's a kids menu.
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Polli's
Locals flock to this old standby Tex-Mex restaurant to down a few cervezas (beers) while munching away on nachos, tacos and sizzling fajitas. Nonstop surf videos and plenty of spirited chatter keep the scene high energy.
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Roy's Kahana Bar & Grill
A branch of Roy Yamaguchi's renowned empire, the restaurant centers around an exhibition kitchen and rakes in a crowd with its outstanding Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Specialties include sashimi-like blackened 'ahi and hibachi-grilled miso steak. The hot chocolate soufflé is pure decadence - ask for two spoons and share it with a friend.
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Sam Sato's
Don't even think of coming during the noon rush - islanders flock here from far and wide for the dry noodles (not really dry, but cooked with a soy-based sauce) and saimin noodle soups that are the specialties at this bustling eatery. Sato's also makes manju (Japanese cakes filled with sweet bean paste), which Honolulu residents rave about and are sold at the counter until .
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Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Although Sansei gets lots of attention for its innovative sushi, don't overlook the non-sushi house specials, which are designated on the menu with an octopus. The tempura rock shrimp in garlic aioli flawlessly blends Japanese and French flavors and the spicy dungeness crab ramen with truffle broth is another winner. Order before and all food is discounted 25%.
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Sea House Restaurant
Alfresco seaside dining is enhanced by tiki torches and an extensive selection of Pacific and American fare. Stick with the seafood and you won't go wrong. A good choice is the coconut shrimp with Thai chili sauce or go purely Hawaiian with taro-crusted sea bass.
