• Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • San Francisco
  • Lifestyle
  • Real Estate
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn

Urbanista Girl

Eating Through Maui, Hawaii…The Foodie Guide

Food· Travel

2 Jul

After taking many trips to the Big Island last year, I was so excited to finally go to Maui! All of my west coast friends speak so highly of the island, and I was ready to get a taste of it myself. Luckily, my boyfriend has grown up going to Maui, so I didn’t need to do my usual week-long research. 😉 Just like most east coasters grow up going to the Carolina’s or Florida – Maui is the spot for the west coast residents. When they told me Maui’s food was 10x’s better than Kona’s, they weren’t kidding. We ate our way around the Island and barely made a dent in our list!

Located at the Hyatt right along the Kaanapali Path, Japengo is a sushi/Asian/Hawaiian fusion restaurant. The restaurant sits up on a rock which makes happy hour sunset views incredible. They offer happy hour 5-7pm, with discounted house wine and cocktails, along with half price appetizers – we definitely took advantage of this while enjoying a live band. The salmon was out-of-this world, and the sushi was extremely fresh.

Mala Ocean Tavern was my favorite of the trip. If you don’t know about it, it’s easy to pass up as a rundown fish n’ chips spot along, or more like ON the water when heading into downtown Lahaina. Luckily, my boyfriend’s family has gone to Maui for 25+ years and knows all hot spots! This place was OUTSTANDING! Make sure to reserve well in advance as the restaurant was packed with both locals and tourists, and is quite small inside. Plus, you’ll definitely want to sit on the “outside” portion, which is a screened in porch that has waves literally crashing onto the screens – serious waterfront dining! I had the special watermelon mint salad, fries, and coconut shrimp, while most people in our group had some type of fresh fish or seafood pasta. All the bites I snuck were deliciously fresh and flavorful. Don’t miss their complimentary “green sauce” and chips. I was warned by everyone beforehand how good this is – I think we asked the waiter six times for refills.

Monkey Pod Kitchen: We love going off property for lunch when we have a beach day at the hotel on vacation. It’s nice to get a quick change of scenery, and especially nice to get a few extra steps in on the way to lunch when you’re on a vacay diet. #hellofries We sat at the bar at Monkey Pod, which is located right in Whaler Village, and obviously had to order their award winning Mai Tai, along with a fresh caesar salad and a pulled pork sandwich. I rarely eat pork, yet I am still dreaming of that damn sandwich as I type this! So good. We also came here for dinner on our last night and had pizzas. I’d recommend it more as a lunch place than dinner.

Island Village Coffee: I know this isn’t some best kept secret, but this little coffee joint packs a punch in the food category! It looks like a boring café in Whaler’s Village, but after coming here the first morning, we returned everyday after that, then got the whole family addicted! Their cream cheese & veggie open faced breakfast bagel has so many unpredictable and fresh flavors, I’d fly back to Maui just to have it again. The acai bowls are also impressive, but make sure you order “The Original” as the other options had ice cream in them. Not what I’m going for when I order a health bowl! I wonder if they can ship that bagel to San Francisco…

Right next to Island Village Coffee was Choice Health Bar, where we grabbed fresh, locally sourced green juices. I made it a point to end my morning runs here. So refreshing in the Hawaiian heat, not to mention rejuvenating after said Mai Tais 🙂

Merriman’s has THE MOST INCREDIBLE BRUNCH! This place is a must stop. It’s a bit off the beaten path when staying in Kaanapali like we did, but right near a few other big name luxury hotels. We booked a Sunday lunch reservation here after the guys went golfing, and to our great surprise, they were serving Sunday brunch. The food was fantastic, and the mimosa flights were definitely memorable. The restaurant itself is indoor/outdoor with an open, airy floor plan that looks out to the sea. The perfect spot for a leisurely lunch. The Montage is next door, which is a great place to grab a post-lunch drink, because, well, you’re on vacation.

*Insider tip, the Marriott right on the Kaanapali path has $5 mimosas 9am-10am. Best way to start the day off right! Post green juice, of course!

Places on my list for next time:

  • Sansei
  • Duke’s (we go here in La Jolla all the time, OMG – the Hula Pie!)
  • Mama’s Fish House
  • Four Seasons Maui
  • Andaz Hotel

Where are your favorite hidden gems in Maui?

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Keep Reading

Leave a Comment

About Alexis Taylor

Hi! I'm Alexis, the self-proclaimed Urbanista Girl. My blog features chronicles of my travel destinations, weekend escapes from city life, and San Francisco lifestyle. I'm a born and raised New Englander turned West Coast girl, currently living in the best 7x7 city ever, San Francisco. I'm so excited that you stopped by!

« Memorial Day Weekend in NYC…How I Spent 72 Hours in The Big Apple
Planning The Perfect Girl’s Trip to Charleston, SC »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Me

Hi! I'm Alexis, and the self-proclaimed Urbanista Girl. My blog features chronicles of my travel destinations, weekend escapes from city life, and San Francisco lifestyle. I'm a born and raised New Englander turned West Coast girl, currently living in the best 7x7 city ever, San Francisco. I'm so excited that you stopped by!

Let’s Stay in Touch

You'll be first to know about the latest in San Francisco lifestyle and Travel Guides.

Popular Posts

Playa del Carmen Guide: Where to Eat & Drink
Eating Through Maui, Hawaii...The Foodie Guide
A Romantic Weekend in Charleston, SC..Where to Stay, Eat, & Play
Planning The Perfect Girl's Trip to Charleston, SC
The MASTER List..Praiano & Positano, Italy
Weekend Guide to Healdsburg, California
Mom & Daughter Spring Trip to Fort Lauderdale: Where to Stay & Eat
Carmel-by-the-Sea Weekend Guide
Life is peachy at the beachy.. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Quick Road Trips from the Bay Area
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • San Francisco
  • Lifestyle
  • Real Estate
  • Contact

misslexitay

chasing fall in mendocinoooo 🎃 🥃 chasing fall in mendocinoooo 🎃 🥃
Saturday ☀️rooftop☀️workout 👊🏼accomp Saturday ☀️rooftop☀️workout 👊🏼accompanied by my fiancé & wrist weights 😅..been loving @onepeloton HIIT classes & @melissawoodhealth flows! 🤍🤍
☁️ ⛱ ☁️ ⛱
My love 🤍 so special to be in K’s happy place My love 🤍 so special to be in K’s happy place with his fam. 🌊🌊#calibaby @surfandsandlaguna
Autumn foliage colors..California styleeee ☀️🍁🌊 #calibaby
I took some time this summer to reflect & spend ex I took some time this summer to reflect & spend extra time with fam. With that — Urbanista Girl went a little quiet. I’m BACK baby! 🍾🙌🏻💕Today I’m sharing my weekend guide to Napa (Pandemic Edition) on the blog! Link is in my profile, perfect pre-weekend read for my Bay Area babes. 😘
Snapped 📸 by my momma @justinetayyy on one of o Snapped 📸 by my momma @justinetayyy on one of our many strenuous kayak mornings at the lake this summer..these included a 5 minute paddle to the island with a mimosa in the cup holder, accompanied by us stopping & floating to chat about life.💘🚣‍♀️This summer brought lots of special memories despite the challenges the world has thrown. ❣️
✨🤍Our engagement party may have been postpone ✨🤍Our engagement party may have been postponed 3 times, but we sure did celebrate in an intimate, special way until we can actually have our party.🤍✨🍾Thank you mom & dad for hosting the most beautiful, thoughtful dinner party on a gorgeous summer night. You always notice every detail and go above and beyond. 🤍My aunt and uncle hosted us for dinner, fresh cocktails and oysters the following night at their home in the Adirondack mountains @thefernlodgeadk, it was a night filled with love & good wine.😉🤍🦪We are so grateful for good health, our beautiful family, and these memories to cherish!!🤍
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details.

Copyright © 2021 · Refined theme by Restored 316