Eat your way around Maui

There's no question that Maui's hotels and resorts offer some truly excellent dining experiences. But to find what the locals call ono grindz (delicious food) we are going to take you off the beaten path, too. What might look like a dive in the middle of a strip mall will be the one meal you are bragging about for months.

Compared with Oahu, where a new restaurant is opening every week, the pace is slower on Maui, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

I've been covering restaurants in Hawaii for more than 15 years, and I'm always on the look out for new spots. But when I visit Maui, a short 40-minute flight from my home on the island of Hawaii, I know exactly where I'm going to eat—and I rarely deviate from my list.

Whether you're looking for something high end or affordable, Maui's restaurants seriously deliver. These are my picks.

Mama's Fish House in Paia is all about the aloha spirit with its friendly servers and island-inspired décor of outrigger canoes, pineapple motifs, and tiki torches. The menu is anchored by meat sourced from the Hawaiian Islands, locally grown produce, and seafood harvested from nearby waters. Some dishes even spotlight the name of the fisherman who caught that evening's entrée (thanks, Corey Apo). Reservations are hard to get, so make them as soon as you plan your Maui trip.

What to order: Start with the meaty crab cake or the tender Maui octopus. Their Hawaiian kanpachi crusted with macadamia nuts is a solid bet, but if you're willing to splurge, Mama's Bouillabaisse is a yummy saffron fish broth brimming with scallops, clams, lobster, shrimp, and fish. Try the Polynesian Black Pearl, a chocolate mousse and tart lilikoi in a seashell cookie for the perfect sweet ending.

Located at the Fairmont Kea Lani, Kō is an open-air restaurant with impeccable views of the Pacific Ocean. As a special treat, each evening at dusk, diners can witness the blowing of the conch shell and the lighting of the torches around the pool area. The Hawaiian-style menu at Kō pays homage to the diversity of the 19th-century sugar plantation workers, who brought with them the ingredients and cooking techniques from their home countries of the Philippines, Korea, China, Japan, and Portugal.

What to order: You can't go wrong with the ahi, but my other favorites are the lavender honey shrimp, the lobster tempura with a trio of dipping sauces, the Korean braised short ribs with kimchi fried rice, and the garlic shrimp and scallop pancit, a Filipino comfort food of noodles and veggies. For dessert, the icy melon bingsu is a light, refreshing end to the meal.

In 2022, Top Chef alum Sheldon Simeon and his wife, Janice, took over the ownership of Tiffany's, a Maui mainstay for nearly 20 years. Chef Simeon cooks the food you crave, and Tiffany's revamped menu of Hawaiian classics has already attracted a new legion of devotees. The atmosphere is fun and lively, and the décor, with blue vinyl booths, is like an old-school diner. The sharable, family-style plates are great for families and large groups.

What to order: The spicy miso eggplant with tongue-tingling Sichuan peppers, boneless short rib bites, and crispy garlic Mochiko chicken all pair well with the kimchi fried rice. Don't miss the Ovaltine Champorado, a bowl of warm Ovaltine sweet rice porridge, mochi, evaporated milk, and Nutella ice cream, a combination guaranteed to instantly transport you to your childhood.

Pie isn't the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Maui, but Leoda's has been a beloved institution in Lahaina since 2011. Residents breathed a sigh of relief when Leoda's, which closed for four months after the Maui fires, reopened last December to continue serving their "glorified grandma comfort food." There's often a line that snakes out of the green wooden building, with hungry beachgoers patiently waiting for their turn to order a hefty sandwich, burgers, salads, and, of course, their pies. The pies come in personal sizes, so most folks order a variety to share.

What to order: Since we're talking pies, go with the banana cream pie, the coconut cream pie, and the Olowalu lime pie. For sandwiches, my favorites include the pastrami, roast beef, or seared ahi between fluffy, fresh-baked slices from Maui Bread Company.

Tucked in a nondescript building, Sam Sato's is like a time capsule. Sam Sato's started as a store in 1933 before becoming an eatery in 1963. Inside the small and often packed restaurant, a glass case displays trays of turnovers, donuts, manjus, and Japanese confections filled with red or lima beans. Framed photos of the Sato family line the walls, while a cluster of Lucky Cat figurines next to the cashier wave at diners as they pay for their meals.

What to order: Follow the locals' lead and get the signature soup-less dry noodles—chewy egg noodles topped with sliced barbecue pork and scallions—a couple of skewers of grilled beef or chicken and flaky manjus.

You'll be spoiled by the options at the Kihei Food Oasis in South Maui Gardens, a lush, landscaped nursery and garden shop hosting more than a dozen food trucks and eateries. Most of the food trucks are parked by Alahele Place, while a couple of food trucks and stores, like Da Green Coffee Bar and Blue Door Bakery, are out by Auhana Road. After you pay for your purchases, make your way to the picnic tables and enjoy your dinner al fresco, surrounded by palm trees and native floras. On select nights, you'll be able to listen to live music, and every Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m., you can even catch a hula show.

What to order: I really like Burger Boys Hawaii's classic smash burger and beer batter fries, the drunken noodles and crispy garlic shrimp from Thai Mee Up, and garlic-parmesan wings and Nashville hot chicken sandwich from Wing Kings. For dessert, try the snow-like Chinese shave ice with toppings of your choice at Bling Bing Maui.