Maui, Hawaii
For a place that is so small you would not think there would be many food options but it’s quite surprising how diverse the food can be.
With only a few days in Hana we had to choose wisely so we asked locals where to eat in Hana:
Cafe Roamantica
When I first saw signs of this I thought it would be a tourist trap but while getting tropical fruits at Ono Farm’s Fruit Stand I saw the caravan and they explained it was fantastic vegetarian food.
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This is another fascinating story on Maui, Chef Hans was born in India, went to culinary school in Sweden and has worked everywhere from the Beverly Hills Hotel to the Four Seasons.
His wife Chef Lori Lee is from Texas and told me she came to Maui on vacation and never went home.
This place is that dangerous.
They make both vegan and vegetarian meals and you can bring your own wine at night.
The menu is limited but delicious.
I bought at zucchini strudel and roasted vegetable quiche to take back to Travaasa Hana for lunch and we had lots of food.
At first it seems a bit pricey with most dishes hovering around $10 but once you try it you will realize it’s a bargain to eat Chef Hans food.
Ka’uiki
The main dining room at the Travaasa Hana, the kitchen makes amazing soup and my mother cannot stop raving about these scallops she ate.
Unfortunately the dish was so complex I can’t quite decipher all of the ingredients so she’ll have to remain satisfied with her memories and this photo.
Thai Food by Pranee
I was hesitant to get Thai food here but it was recommended by Travaasa Hana.
It’s a bit hard to find, there are random signs all over town but basically look for the baseball field and you will see a covered area picnic benches and outdoor tables.
The word on the street is that someone from Anthony Bourdain’s team called Pranee and said they are coming over to check it out.
I would believe it. If you want to travel like Anthony Bourdain Get the panko crusted opakapaka (lead photo) for incredibly delicate fish – actually everything is good, just ask the staff what they recommend.
There were so many other little barbecue and burger stands we heard were great, sometimes you just run out of time!
oh gosh. that looks amazing! i’ve been avoiding Hana b/c the drive makes me want to hurl everything in my system…
that may be worth the drive. 🙂
It’s really not so bad, you have to go so slow anyway the turns are okay.
I’ll have the scallops at Ka’uiki! I loved Hana, including the scary drive to get there.
So delicious, and well worth the drive.
I haven’t been to Hawaii but now I’m curious about this Hana drive based on the other comments! LOL Your suggestion sounds good though. If I’m ever there, I’ll get it!
Hawaii is so much more than I thought it would be, definitely consider going.
Those diver scallops just made me hungry. Will have to make some sandwich now 🙂
The food here looks delicious. It has been year since I’ve been to Hana but I need to go back. I never stopped to eat in the area – just a quick drive through. Next time, I will make plans for a meal 🙂
You have never stopped? There are so many good places!
These posts are killing me…lol I already loved Maui but now you remind me of even more reasons to return.
I promise there are only 13 more!
Love scallops – those look super yum!
Zucchini strudel and roasted vegetable quiche…yuuuuuummy!!!!!! I’ll take seconds!
He was a pastry chef too, you can’t get any better.
Your Maui posts are killing me slowly! Home is calling…
But you get Europe right now, not bad at all!
I always trust your word because you always find the best places. 🙂 I’m glad to hear that there are options for veggies/vegans there too.
Haha, Maui is pretty veggie friendly a lot of people here try to have healthy lifestyles.
You had me with the very first picture! I’ll have to keep these in mind to try the next time I’m in Hana.
We are in Maui in August and have added Ka’uiki to the plans for places to eat. Thanks for that.
Like the ambience inside, and of course the “bring your own drink”
We’ll be going back to Hana this year and made the same mistake Jeremy B. made and didn’t stop to eat. We did that “drive all around the volcano” thing and barely had time to think when we weren’t screeching around turns, running back and forth to waterfalls, and flying over potholes on the desert side of the island, rushing to get home. (Why again?) That was before we (sort of) learned how to travel slower, I guess. But this time, we’re staying a couple nights in Hana, and we’ll check these places out. Thanks for the tips!
That looks absolutely amazing food! I can’t resist digging in!
It’s really so good.