Maui’s tropical beauty is matched by some truly fabulous cuisine. Eating your way around the island—from sit-down restaurants to tucked-away roadside food trucks—is really the best kind of touring, if you ask us.
But you don’t want to break the bank, right? As it happens, the Valley Isle has no shortage of high-value menus that don’t sacrifice quality and flavor for affordability. We’ve rounded up a representative sample of some of the best cheap eats (and drinks) on Maui below!
Maui Bread Company (Kihei)
This Kihei bakery whips up some amazing Hawaiian Artisan Bread—melding Hawaiian, American, and Asian influences—as well as German Artisan Bread, a lovely combination focus that celebrates great global bread-making traditions.
Load up on loaves for a surfside picnic, or tuck into some of the many sweet and savory baked goods on offer: from croissants, apple turnovers, and cinnamon rolls to bacon-cheese twists, macaroons, biscuits, and brownies.
South Maui Fish Company (Kihei)
The veteran-owned and family-run South Maui Fish Company puts the spotlight on the bounty of regional waters, with 100% Hawaiian fish caught by local fishermen anchoring its “sea-to-table” menu. Located in the Aloha Open Marketplace, this fishmonger and eatery offers fresh-catch plates cooked to order, poke, and fish tacos as well as fresh fish filets for whipping up your own dinner back at the pad.
808 Deli (Kihei)
Get your breakfast or lunch on in a major way at 808 Deli! Here you can kick off a jampacked island day with a breakfast egg sandwich or maybe some bagels and lox, or recharge midway through all of that sightseeing and beachgoing with a panini, specialty sammy, or salad. Or maybe take a crack at one of the joint’s boldly assembled gourmet hot dogs: from Pizza and B.L.T. dogs to the Kim Chee Dog and Avocado Mango Salsa Dog. (Not your average dawgs, in other words.)
Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice (Multiple Locations)
From Lahaina to Kihei to Paia, you’re never too far away from Ululani’s Gourmet Hawaiian Shave Ice outpost on Maui—and that’s a very good thing indeed. Cool off with this classic Hawaiian refreshment, including such beloved signature combinations as the Na Ka Oi (mango, passionfruit, and coconut) or Sunset Beach (passion orange, guava, and mango).
Uluhani’s—which stands by its motto “All Shave Ice is Not Created Equal”—makes its syrups with pure cane sugar, ultra-purified water, and high-quality natural fruit purees, juices, or concentrates.
Hawaiian Village Coffee (Napili-Kahana)
Steer your way to the Kahana Gateway Shopping Center for the perfect West Maui fuel-up at Hawaiian Village Coffee! Open daily, the cafe serves all manner of coffee drinks (with oat, coconut, almond, and other alternative milks available), plus made-to-order breakfast goodies: from bagel sandwiches to avocado toast.
Huli Huli Chicken (Hana)
This little oceanfront shack doles out plate lunches of the heavenly variety, thanks to its exceptional spin on Hawaiian barbecue. Your grilled huli-huli chicken (if you’ve never had it before, have it ASAP) or BBQ ribs come accompanied by rice and either homemade macaroni, potato salad, or a green salad. They also make a mean kalua-pork sandwich, though, admittedly, it’s hard not to go the huli-huli route.
And you can savor this scrumptiousness while gazing out over some gorgeous coastal Hana scenery, including Alau Island, a cliffy green isle just offshore that’s topped with a little cluster of coconut palms.
Paia Bay Coffee & Bar (Paia)
From morning coffee and tea to evening cocktails, mocktails, and brews, Paia Bay Coffee & Bar comes by its simple, straight-to-the-point name honestly. Along with these libations, this friendly, casual hangout maintains a diverse menu of affordable nosh, including all-day breakfast treats (breakfast sandwiches, bowls, bagels, biscuits-and-gravy, etc.), poke and acai bowls, waffles, burgers and sandwiches, ceviche, Hurricane Fires, and various bar bites.
Eating Out on the Cheap, Maui-Style
Are you a cost-conscious eater touring Maui’s splendor? Well, you can’t go wrong with any of the above establishments: They give you a lot of bang for your buck, that’s for sure!
