Vegetarian Restaurants on Maui, Hawaii

There's plenty of vegetarian food available on the island of Maui! The hotspot would have to be the little town of Paia on the north shore (at the beginning of the road to Hana). Our most recent visit to the island was in February of 2008. Most restaurants that we visited on the island had a veggie entree or two. Visit Maui Menus to see some menus online. By the way, the best time to visit Maui is January or February. That's when the humpback whales are there - an awesome sight.

Thanks for email tips to Jack Hoehn, Pradeep Nathwani, Nora Thoren, Gregory Newby, Pooja Amith, Jane Poole, Laurelee Blanchard, Darren Jones, Krista & Konrad Sherinian, Kjbev1, Margie Goodwin, Lois Raynor, Marilyn Avila, G.W., Nessie, Michele Malchisky, John & Mary, Celiste Sea Avina, Dianne Tatro and Sheryl Kaplan.

Vegetarian Restaurants

• Abundant Aina Cafe, 333 Dairy Road, Suite 101 Kiosk, Kahului, (808) 893-AINA
  A vegan/raw foods cafe
• Curry-in-a-Hurry, 840 Wainee St. Suite I, Lahaina Square, Lahaina, (808) 661-4370, Open Monday-Friday Lunch and Dinner 12 noon to 8 PM
  Though the name suggests that it is a curry place, it is actually a vegetarian place with a variety of vegan and vegetarian entrees. It is run by Chef Hans & Chef Lori Lee. The take-out place has a variety of soups, desserts, gourmet entrees and chilled gourmet entrees. It was convenient for us to do a take-out and go to the beach and do a picnic. We liked the food. (PA)
• Alive & Well, 340 Hana Hwy, Kahului
  Alive & Well near the airport was great. It was right on the way. Organic salad bar items and prepared salads, but the best is the vegetarian pate's they make. They have some brazilian specialties also. Good quality food. (DJ)
• Fresh Mint Vietnamese Vegetarian Restaurant, 115 Baldwin Avenue, Paia, 808-579-9144
  also 199 Dairy Road, Kahului, 808-873-6468
  The Vegan on 115 Baldwin is now an Asian spot, Fresh Mint. The prices were good & we enjoyed our meals & all the veggie options. I think it was Thai and possibly Vietnamese with some curries and lots of noodles. (KKS)
  The Fresh Mint Vietnamese Vegetarian Cafe is no longer open for lunches (it opens at 5 pm daily). (JH)
• Down To Earth, 305 Dairy Road, Kahului, 808/877-2661, also 1169 Makawao Avenue, Makawao, 808/572-7910
  We didn't eat here, just bought a bottle of mineral water. It's a large grocery/health food store, and in addition there is a buffet of prepared food that you can buy. Upstairs is an area with tables and chairs where you can sit and eat. (RG)
  I mostly got food from Down to Earth in Kahului. Down to Earth is also located at 1169 Makawao Ave., Makawao. Hot food bar and salad bar. (SK)
  We also visited Down to Earth in Kahului. It was a huge health food store. We found their store prices similar to anywhere else in the USA. The hot and cold food bars had lots of great tofu dishes and many vegan selections. We also visited Down to Earth in Makowao- it was smaller but had the same food as the one in Kahului. (GW)
  We got a picnic for Hana from the salad bar and amazing deli & we stored it in the hotel mini-fridge at Down to Earth, a chain like whole foods. They have three locations: Kahului: 808-877-2661 at 305 Dairy Rd. (across from the Kmart). In Lahaina: 808-667-2855 193 Lahainaluna Rd. In Makawae, 808-572-1488 1169 Makawao Ave. (KKS)
  Mid-size health food store with a similar profile to mainland chains such as Whole Foods, but a little smaller. Extensive hot and cold food bar with many vegan options, plus some made to order stuff, and a selection of baked goods. Several vegan cookies, but no vegan pastries. This is the place to go for visitors who are used to their home town health food stores. Close to the airport. (GN)
• Westside Natural Foods, 193 Lahainaluna Road, Lahaina, 808/667-2855
  This is a small health food store with a salad bar and hot food buffet, sold by weight. Off to the side is an area with a few tables where you can eat. I had a wonderful lentil paté sandwich. (RG)
  A good spot if you're cooking for yourself, very much like all the other natural food stores you've been in, though small. I had the tofu chicken, which was OK, not super, but good enough for me. (N)
  They had a good hot and cold buffet with many raw food items. They made fresh fruit smoothies and sandwiches. (GW)
• Mana Natural Foods, 49 Baldwin Avenue, Paia
  A health food store down the street from the Vegan. (RG)
  Hot food bar and salad bar. The selection at the hot food bar was negligible. Most of the food trays were empty the few times I checked. (SK)
  Manna Natural Foods in Paia also had a food bar but the food was fair. It didn't seem fresh. (GW)
• Veg-Out, 810 Kokomo Road, Haiku, 808/575-5320
  Upcountry Maui.
• Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods, 2411 S. Kihei Road, Kihei, 808/875-4356
  Salad bar. (SK)
  Hawaiian Moons in Kihei is still open and going strong. (MG)
  Lots smaller than Down to Earth, but a bit more vegan focus versus trendy health food. We tried some items from their hot bar, and it was just fine. (GN)

Restaurants with Vegetarian Entrees

• Moana Bakery and Cafe, 71 Baldwin Ave, Paia, 808/579-9999
  We tried MOANA BAKERY AND CAFE for our vegatarian party of 4. We were delighted with their Asian Potato Cakes served with greens and sweet chilli sauce, and they made up a Thai Red Curry with a peanut sauce that was very satisfying. They also made up the Thai Chicken Salad without the chicken for me, and while it is just a huge and tasty fresh salad, the presentation is fantastic with a backdrop of crispy fried noodles and a wonderful large salad in the front. Get it just to see it if your are in the mood for a large salad for lunch. Finally they do make the best housemade passion fruit cheesecake in Maui, we all agreed. (JH)
• The Plantation House Restaurant, 2000 Plantation Club Drive, Kapalua, 808/669-6299
  Drive North beyond the turnoff to the Ritz-Carlton to the Golf Course, turn right (towards the mountain, and follow the signs to the Plantation House Restaurant. Beautiful views over the extensive ground of the Plantation Golf Resort, and excellent views of West Maui in general would make it a place for a splurge even if they weren't vegetarian friendly, but they are. They have wonderful vegetarian appetizers (Onions and Mushrooms with Plolenta) superb salads (The Organic Beet with Goat Cheese was splendid, the Watermellon with Walnuts, slivered onions and greens was wonderful with soy ginger dressing, and there are more choices). They have vegetarian side dishes that you can combine with the above (Sugar Peas, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes were great). But their house specialty is a whole page of fish specialties dishes that you can select, but they will make any of them with Tofu! They were excellent. And although the fish dishes listed for $34 for fresh fish, the same dish with tofu was only charged at $18, a real bargain for this quality of a meal. Parking it by Valet, free exept for the tip. Service was top notch. For lacto-ovo vegetarian who doesn't mind a little cheese or butter with their dishes this may be your best meal in Maui. Reservations necessary. (JH)
• Shangri-La By The Sea, 760 S. Kihei Road. Suite 109 - Menehune Shores - 808/875-4555. Indian food.
  This restaurant has good Vegetarian variety of food for reasonable prices, and excellent service It's located in Kihei. (PN)
• Stella Blues, 1279 S Kihei Road, Longs Center, Kihei, 808/874-3779
  Stella Blue's is awesome for breakfast. I ordered the tofu scramble and have tried to duplicate it at home in Ohio with mediocre results. My non-vegetarian friends were happy with the pancakes and traditional breakfasts. We are going back to Maui this month and I told them we MUST eat breakfast at Stella Blues - despite the free continental breakfast at the hotel. They agreed!!! (KJB)
  Stella Blues has moved! It's now at: Azeka II Strip Mall (off Pikea), 1279 S. Kihei Rd., 808-874-3779 & open 7 days from 7:30a to midnight with fun rock decor, friendly service, and excellent veggie options for all three meals a different menu. Try the phyllo bowl pot pie! (KKS)
  We loved Stella Blues when we visited in June and told my dad to eat there on his annual 6 week trip this year. He loved it as did my sister from Montana. Neither are vegetarians but thought the ambiance, service, and quality of food were just what you'd want on Maui. (JP)
  Went for dinner. Our waiter, who seemed to have been quized deeply several times by vegans, told us the pizza sauce has pork, that the tofu teriaki stir fry was made with a beef-based sauce, and that the veggies in red curry had a cream base. In short, almost nothing on the dinner menu was vegan. We ordered off-menu, and had some good salads (hold the creamy dressing), a hummos appetizer and a tofu "tia" wrap. (GN)
• Cafe Mambo, 30 Baldwin Avenue, Paia, 808-579-8021
  Cafe Mambo is a vibrant cafe with great tapas appetizers, and vegetarian sesame tofu fajitas we came back for twice. The spinach falafel sandwich is also quite good. They do $9 Hana box lunches and open at 8 am. There is also a good natural foods grocery across the street. (KKS)
• Hecocks, 505 Front Street, Lahaina
  Ocean front, listen to the feast at lele. Food is mediocre, but always something meat free. Medium price range. The ocean, the stars, the moon, palm trees, unpretentious, no sterile hotel decor. (LR)
• Lahaina Coolers, 180 Dickenson Street, Lahaina, 808/661-7082
  Our 2008 visit was not as pleasant as in years past.  The waiters were visiting students and not so good at waiting tables. (RG)
  This got good reviews from all my family, who is not veggie, and I liked it too. I had the soba salad with grilled tofu, which was excellent, kinda like zaru soba with green noodles. Then I had a boca burger on a nice homemade roll. That was as expected (good) and the fried turned out very well too. They were pretty accommodating about any weird requests you might have. Of course, my flavorite was the mango sorbet, which was very 'ono (delicious). (N)
• Hirohatchi, on South Kihei Road in Kihei, 808/875-7474
  Its a nice little family Japanese place. Not solely or predominately veggie, the dishes were pretty typical, but they had some island variations, like Nagaimo Maki, which is Sushi made with taro (or kalo in Hawai'ian), which was surprisingly good, not that I have anything against taro (in fact I have a craving for poi right now :) (N)
• Thailand Cuisine, in the Kukui Shopping Center at 1819 South Kihei Road in Kihei, 808/875-0839
  Had a large vegetarian selection, and most was vegan as well. They had something called "Evil Prince Tofu" which I had to regrettably take their word at, as it had coconut milk in it which I can't stand. Instead I had the less adventurous (but very good) cashew nut tofu. They also had pretty good prices as well. (N)
• Polli's Mexican Restaurant, 1202 Makawao Road, Makawao, 808/572-7808
  Very veg friendly. there is even a note to vegetarians on the menu that says they will make any dish vegetarian by using tofu or vegetarian taco mix (TVP with spices). I had a dairy-free burrito with veg taco mix. This was by far the best burrito I have ever eaten. The food was so good, we ate there two days after our first visit. I ordered a vegan chimichanga with the TVP on the second visit. It was fabulous. The salsa is especially tasty, with tons of fresh tomatoes and veggies. (MM)
  Very good. The vegan taco filling is quite tasty, and no lard in the beans. The guac has sour cream, but our waiter brought a few fresh avocado slices instead. Makawao is a funky little hillside town. Recommended. (GN)
• Swiss Café, 640 Front Street, Lahaina, 808/661-6776
  Just had my best vegetarian sandwich of my life at the Maui Swiss Cafe in Lahaina. (JM)
• Pacific'O, 505 Front Street, Lahaina, (808) 667-4341
  I recommend Pacific'O in Maui. They have one gourmet vegetarian meal on their menu at all times. (DT)
  We had the one vegetarian dish at Pacific O's. The restaurant is right on the beach and was quite romantic. The vegetarian dish consisted of white rice topped with quinoa, lentils, a carrot ginger sauce and sprouts. The cost for the entrée is $12 for lunch or $19 for dinner. I far preferred The Vegan in Paia for good food, but this place did win for atmosphere. (GW)
• Maui Tacos, 2411 S Kihei Road #B6, Kihei, 808/879-5005, also 840 Wainee Street, Lahaina Square, 808/661-8883 and other locations
  Maui Taco carries something called Haiku Burrito and other vegie options, which are delicious. (DT)
  Maui Taco seemed the only reasonably affordable place to eat in the Kaanapali area. Their fresh made salsas were delicious- a big step up from Taco Bell. They were fast. (GW)
• Picnics, 30 Baldwin Avenue, Paia, (808)579-8021
  I just bought a cola here. Deli food and picnics to go. (RG)
  I tried the spinach nut burger at Picnics-- very good! Picnics is most definitely NOT all vegetarian. you can get massive chicken/meat picnics to go (feed four or more people). They had the spinach nut burger and a tofu burger. I believe that's all for veg options. Picnics was not my fave but it opens at 7AM. This is a plus if you are taking a trip to Hana, or need a lunch to go. I don't think there's anywhere else to get a sandwich that early. (MM)
  Stopped here early in the morning, on the way to Hana. They only had like 3 vegan things on the menu, but they were pretty helpful. I got the spinach nut burger w/o cheese, which they said was good hot or cold (as things can cool off a bit on the long drive). It was 'ono cold, atleast, might be even better hot. My sister got the Chicken Salad (she is not veggie) and said it was "good." (N)
• Joy's Place, 1993 So. Kihei Rd. in the Island Surf Bldg. (enter on side street - Auhana), Kihei, (808) 879-9258
  8 A.M. - 4 P.M. Mon. - Sat., 6 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. Tues. and Thurs. local and organic food, vegan, vegetarian and natural meat (sic), cooked and live foods (SK)
• Ferraro's, Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui, Wailea, (808) 874-8000
  Like any of the upscale hotel restaurants, there's almost nothing vegetarian (and literally nothing vegan) on the menu, but they aim to please. The Four Seasons hotel has a special vegetarian menu shared across the restaurants, but it's replete with dairy so we ordered off-menu. We got a nice meal of risotto with mushrooms, tomatoes and other veggies, also a salad, bread and bruschetta. Pricey and labor-intensive, but tasty. (GN)
• The Ka'anapali mall Whaler's Village is well worth checking out. It's just north of the Westin, and a fun beach walk from any of the Ka'anapali hotels. They have a food court with many veggie options. Right on the beach (literally) is the Hula Grill which has a number of vegetarian options on the menu. While not exactly cheap, Whaler's Village is a break from the high prices at the hotel restaurants.
  If you want to park free at Whaler's Village mall on Resort Dr. in Kaanapali Beach buy $10 of Haagan Daaz ice cream in yummy Hawaiian flavors or eat lunch or dinner at Hula Grill.

Here are two pages with good Maui travel information: BossFrog and Maui Travel Tips. There are more chances these days to hear real Hawaiian music.. One concert venue is the Maui Arts & Cultural Center - give them a call at 808-242-7469. Also, check out Auntie Maria's Hawaiian music page and Alternative Hawaii. Fans of slack key guitar - don't miss the Wednesday evening concerts at the Ritz Carlton, with George Kahumoku, Jr. and guests.  The Napili Kai hotel has been hosting Hawaiian music concerts, but beware, there is only street parking there and hardly any of that, so best to take a taxi rather than be disappointed.

Krista & Konrad Sherinian write: Out of all the hotels in Kaanapali the best dinner show with veggie options is Kupanaha in the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, a combo hula show/magic show from 4-7p Tue-Sat. Mention code DM for $10 off $70 each which includes four course dinner when you call 808-667-0128 They even have part of the show where puppet pigs and fish commend the vegetarians!! The hotel menu also has good fancy veggie food, an amazing chocolate banana dessert, and a free hula & Hawaiian music show nightly from 6-9p.

Additions welcomed - send email.