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| Photo By Nancy Schretter |
While Maui is well known for its stunning vistas and beautiful beaches, it’s a fantastic destination for food lovers as well. Visitors will enjoy Maui’s delicious coffee, tropical fruits and farm-to-table produce, as well as the inspired Pacific Rim cuisine found at many of the island’s restaurants. Desserts and homemade baked goods are exceptional here, too.
If
you’re heading to Maui on your next cruise, make sure to try a few
of these tasty treats while you’re there:
1.
Don’t Miss Maui’s Shave Ice. Shave
ice is one of Maui’s true delights. Don’t call it “shaved ice”
– it’s so much better than the crushed ice snow cones that
mainland tourists often expect. Blocks of ice are finely shaved into
snow-like consistency and mounded into a huge ball atop a paper or
plastic cup, then topped with a variety of syrups such as coconut,
pina colada, mango, passion fruit, strawberry and melona. Local Boys
Shave Ice and Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice are popular Maui shave
ice spots and two of my favorites. If you go, make sure to get your
shave ice with a scoop of Roselani ice cream on the bottom and Kauai
Cream on top – it’s delicious.
2.
Sample Cheese and Chocolates. Located
in upcountry Kula, Surfing Goat Dairy is a great agri-tourism spot
for families and foodies to visit. Daily tours provide opportunities
to learn about how the dairy makes its award-winning goat cheese
spreads and scrumptious gourmet goat cheese truffles. Kids will enjoy
feeding the dairy’s cute goats here, too.
3.
Enjoy Outstanding Fine Dining. Cruising
foodies will be right at home on Maui. The island is filled with
superb restaurants spanning a wide range of cuisines. Some favorites
include the delectable dishes served at the Kapalua Resort’s
Pineapple Grill, small plates at Alan Wong’s Amasia at the Grand
Wailea, the elegant Pacific Rim fare at Lahaina Grill, the
“East-meets-West” cooking at Roy’s Kaanapali Bar & Grill,
and the delicious seafood and beautiful views at Mama’s Fish
House on
Maui’s North Shore.
4.
Smell the Coffee. Savor
Maui’s fine coffee during your visit and make sure to bring a bag
or two home to enjoy. You can find delicious organically grown
coffee at Grandma’s Coffee
House in
Kula. O’o Farm in Waipoli also offers its own Maui grown and
roasted Aina Gourmet Coffee for sale. Those stopping by O’o Farm
can take an informational tour, have a gourmet lunch, and learn more
about how the farm’s coffee and other sustainable “Farm to Table”
crops are grown.
5.
Try Sweet Crepes &
Local Fruit. Known
as “The Heart of Maui’s North Shore,” Pa’ia is filled with
cool boutiques, food stores and art galleries. Sit outside in the
courtyard at Café des Amis after shopping and enjoy a pure fruit
smoothie or one of their sweet crepes. Favorites include Kula
strawberries and cream, Nutella, Maui cane sugar with lime juice, and
banana and chocolate. Travelers will spot plenty of roadside stands
selling fresh fruit smoothies and delicious tropical fruits on their
drives around Maui. Make sure to stop and try such delights as
mouthwatering pineapple, papaya, and the hot pink and green dragon
fruit.
6.
Taste Lavender Scones. With
its lovely walking paths and vistas, Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm is a
great place to relax, unwind, and breathe in the rejuvenating scent
of lavender. Over 55,000 lavender plants grow here, along with
protea, hydrangea and
other flowers. Lavender is used to make all sorts of culinary
products at this farm, including lavender lilikoi jelly, lavender
herb tea, lavender flavored coffee, and even lavender scones. Make
sure to sample a few during your visit.
7.
Savor the BBQ. Located
right at Ma’alaea Harbor, Beach Bums Bar & Grill is the perfect
place to stop for lunch for those returning from a whale watching
cruise or a Molokini snorkeling trip. This seaside eatery should be
on the “must visit” list for barbecue lovers and anyone who
enjoys casual dining with a great water view. Beach Bums’ pulled
pork barbecue and beef brisket is finger lickin’ good and their
fish tacos are excellent as well.
8.
Stop for Fresh Banana
Bread. Drivers
along the Road to Hana will find numerous stands selling freshly
made banana bread, tropical fruits, coconut candies, Kalua Pig
barbecue, gelato, and more. Pull over and have a taste – it’s all
part of the experience. Check out Aunty Sandy’s Keanae Landing
Fruit Stand and Halfway to Hana for delicious banana breads – both
are excellent.
9.
Buy Baked Goods Like a Local. Cruisers
passing through the tiny upcountry cowboy town of Makawao are likely
to see residents hurrying into family-owned T. Komoda Store &
Bakery on Baldwin Avenue. Don’t let the building’s nondescript
outer appearance fool you – this place has some of the best baked
goods on the island. Join the long line of locals to purchase such
delicacies as chocolate or vanilla cream puffs, guava malasadas,
doughnuts on a stick, cinnamon raisin buns, long johns and butter
rolls. Get there early if possible – the cream puffs go fast.
10.
Splurge on Mud Pie. If
you’re a coffee ice cream lover, you’ve cruised to the right
place for dessert. Maui’s decadent Mile High Mud Pie, also called
Hula Pie, is a mouth-watering way to finish off a meal. At some
places, a slice of this pie can easily be a feast in and of itself.
The Sheraton Maui’s version of Mile High Mud Pie features Kona
coffee ice cream, oreo cookie crust and chocolate ganache. Leilani’s
on the Beach is another great place to sample huge portions of Hula
Pie. Another delicious choice is the Lahaina Grill’s Kauai Pie:
oreo crusted Kona coffee ice cream pie layered with chocolate fudge,
coconut flakes and macademia nuts.
By
Nancy Schretter Managing
Editor of the Family
Travel Network.
