Have hours of shopping and kicking back at the beach left you hungry? Luckily for you, Maui is known for quite a few restaurants that serve the best local foods! These locations may be a short journey from your Kahana Village rental, but the food will be worth the drive! Don’t be shy and dive into the delectable dishes across central Maui, all served with aloha.

1. Sam Sato’s
This old-time restaurant is known for its dry mein by the whole island of Maui. Being the only location, crowds of locals are always waiting outside for a table. A Japanese-American plantation worker named Sam Sato opened this restaurant in 1933 and has made this local favorite a success ever since. Today, Sam’s friendly family and staff members never let the people of Maui down! Stop by Sam Sato’s while in Wailuku to try out one of the island’s favorite dishes. Don’t forget to pick up a box of warm, soft manju before heading back!

2. Da Kitchen
Listen to this restaurants name! That’s how you know it’s local. With two locations in Kahului and Kihei, this is the perfect restaurant to visit after landing on Maui. Your taste buds will instantly become attached to the appetizing foods that Hawaii is happy to serve to you. Find a little bit of Hawaii in every dish, which all come in big and satisfying portions. Da Kitchen never disappoints when serving local favorites like the loco moco or chicken katsu. Taste tradition with their Hawaiian Plate, consisting of pork lau lau, chicken long rice, kalua pork, and lomi salmon. Your taste buds will get to enjoy their own luau!

3. The Bamboo Grille
Come by for local style breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Drive down to Lower Main Street and make your way into The Bamboo Grille for a taste of another one of Maui’s best stops for local food. Take a bite into warm, fluffy banana macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast or try out a plate of fried rice for lunch or dinner! The menu offers such a variety of Hawaiian meals that you will want to try them all! This is where you’ll find local food done right and with aloha.

4. Tasty Crust
Tasty Crust is known as the neighborhood diner. Once you reach Wailuku, take notice of the “World Famous Pancakes” written on the Tasty Crust sign. Don’t be surprised if you walk into a full house of locals, each with their own stack of pancakes because the sign doesn’t lie! The restaurant serves so much more and at great prices too, so come on by this local diner for any meal of the day!

5. Zippy’s
Founded by Frances and Charles Higa in 1966, Zippy’s has grown to multiple locations across the state! When visiting Maui, you need to try out Zippy’s original chili recipe. This famous chili is used in multiple dishes from spaghetti to chili cheese fries, so it is safe to say that you really can’t go wrong with chili! Zippy’s Kahului includes Napoleon’s Bakery, where you can grab fresh malasadas after a meal from either takeout or dine in. Zippy’s also serves many local foods like Korean chicken and spam musubi for those of you looking for more local style foods. Heading to the beach? Stop by and grab a bento on your way to the sand for a great beach picnic.

These are just a few highlights of Maui’s local eats. Enjoy some of Hawaii’s most well-known foods on your next vacation with Kahana Village, we invite you to explore with us!