Moku Roots

Moku Roots – Farm-to-Table Delicacies Served with Craft Cocktails in Lahaina
Local Expert's Rating:
5.0 / 5
The Bottom Line:

At Moku Roots, they always take a zero-waste approach to serving farm-to-table deliciousness and craft cocktails. Located in the heart of Lahaina, this eatery focuses on creating imaginative vegan fare without compromising on flavor. They’re always happy to make your meal to go, but you’ll need to pay a deposit if you want secure to-go containers.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

When you want scrumptious farm-to-table fare served alongside craft cocktails, you just have to jet on over to Moku Roots. At this Lahaina eatery, they make it their mission to create imaginative vegan fare that never skimps on the flavor. In fact, all but one of their menu items is 100% vegan. The only items that slide into the vegetarian realm are the OG Breakfast Burrito and Loco Moku due to the addition of eggs.   

To create all their amazing dishes, they source Maui-grown ingredients from trusted local farms. Using those ingredients, they create wonderful meat substitutes, like their taro patty and coconut bacon. Then, they combine all the right veggies, spices, and more to build a big flavor in every bite. Just as much care goes into the creation of their craft cocktails, many of which have a tropical kick.

Their zero-waste approach is second to none, showing all the other island restaurants just how it’s done. For starters, they do not have any single-use containers, utensils, or even napkins on site. Instead, they use taro leaves to wrap up all their menu items in a beautiful package. If you’d prefer something a little more secure, you can pay a deposit for a reusable stainless steel to-go container. Want to take your drink on the road, too? Just pay an extra fee to take your mason jar with you.

When you come back, you can turn in your food and drink containers to get your money back. As for forks, spoons, and knives, only the real thing will do. If you’re taking your food to go, you’re on your own, however. And while dining in house, you also get clean cloth napkins to use while enjoying your meal.

Try out the:

Gauc on the Rocks!
For a flavor journey unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, go with the Guac on the Rocks! cocktail. This innovative drink starts with local avocado, pineapple, and jalapeno. Once those are blended up, fresh mint joins the party along with a hefty dose of organic tequila to bring everything together.

Taro Burger
If you’d like to see what happens when taro takes the place of ground beef, treat yourself to the Taro Burger. This dish centers around their famous taro patty, which has the perfect tender texture and so much flavor. The patty hits the grill to get lightly browned and steaming hot, and then goes on a wheat oat bun. Then, they put lettuce, tomatoes, and onion on top, slather mac-nut aioli on the top bun, and put it all together.

Jerk Mushroom Tacos
Whenever you’re craving tacos galore, you can trust the Jerk Mushroom Tacos to come through in a big way. This popular menu item starts with three organic corn tortillas loaded with black beans and jerk mushrooms. Over that, they pile on the roasted veggies, cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado, and sour cream.

No matter what you end up ordering, their Moku Love Sauce is an absolute must. With its perfect balance of sweet heat, this sauce goes great on tacos, burgers, and everything in between. Missing their sauce upon returning home? That’s not a problem. Just go on their website to order a bottle for your home. Don’t forget to get one of their sustainable stainless steel lunch boxes as well to round out your order.

Insider Tips: 
-Need to skip the wheat? Ask them to use gluten-free bread when ordering a sandwich. Or go with the lettuce wrap instead of a tortilla.
-When getting food to-go, there’s no good way to bring sauces with you. Their zero-waste philosophy means no sauce cups. So, you’ll have to go without unless you’d like the sauce put in a hollow avocado peel.
-Want to swing by for happy hour? Plan your visit for 3pm to 5pm Monday through Saturday. Sunday is all about serving up their delicious brunch, so no happy hour specials on that day.