Best Restaurants for Foodies in Paia

Our return visit to Monkey Pod was a wonderful experience. Our server was attentive and kept our water glasses full. The mahi mahi was excellent as were the lobster deviled eggs. One member of our party had the steak and he was impressed with the flavor and seasonings. We had one member of our party allergic to fish and they were out of the only non fish dishes, but enjoyed the pizza. Highly recommend this restaurant—although it was noisy for our sensitive grandson.

Merriman’s has never let us down. We had meatless entrees and we both ate every bite. B ordered pasta from the Starters/Apps menu and I had a mushroom pot pie special. I struggle finding words to adequately describe the flavors, textures, and beauty of the pot pie. A blend of mushrooms and each flavor stood out. The crust was brilliant; absolutely perfect. The dough was stretched over a cast iron pie plate and it had risen probably 4” over the mushrooms inside. And the pastry was delicious. Honestly, a top 5 dining experience of a lifetime of fine food. But salads, yes. Off of the menu, but perfect. Generous portion of very fresh everything. I had the blue cheese crumbles on mine and B went without dairy. Mango, avocado, tomato, greens dressed with subtle citrus dressing. Perfect.

We always make it a point to eat at Star Noodle when we come to Maui. It never disappoints. We had miso butter fish, short ribs, and the vegetarian version of the Vietnamese crepe. Everything delicious. We were there for dinner after it was dark, so while we couldn’t enjoy the beachfront views, we could hear the waves crashing. So relieved this happening spot survived the fire.

Our best food experience on Maui. Lovely comfortable atmosphere, great service and delicious food! We had the crab pizza, Caesar salad and pork buns for appetizers to share and all were awesome and came out in a flash. Then the special fish of the day(manjang?), curry(panang style with fish and big prawns annd yummy vegetables) and the bbq ribs. Everybody loved their dish and we shared bites because it was so tasty. Wine was good and reasonable. The Banana cheesecake and vanilla ice cream were great. Service was fast and friendly. We highly recommend this restaurant.

Amazing meal, worth a Michelin star or more. The chef is a master who creates unique yet amazing courses that challenge your previous perceptions of food combinations. The time and care that he and his wife put into serving this experience is phenomenal. We have eaten in many top Michelin restaurants and this is as good if not better than all. Highly recommend making the drive to Pa’ia to experience this delicious celebration of food, both local and international- all of the highest quality.