Maui's food scene blends Native Hawaiian staples with plantation-era immigrant influences from Japan, China, the Philippines, and Portugal. Must-try dishes include poke (cubed raw fish marinated in soy, sesame, and seaweed), kalua pig (slow-roasted underground in an imu oven, often served at luaus), loco moco (rice, hamburger patty, fried egg, and gravy), and malasadas (Portuguese-style fried doughnuts, a Maui specialty). Plate lunches - a scoop of rice, macaroni salad, and a protein like teriyaki chicken or kalbi - are the island's quintessential casual meal.
Don't miss Maui-grown coffee from Upcountry farms, fresh pineapple, and shave ice topped with tropical syrups and condensed milk. Farmers markets and roadside fruit stands along the Hana Highway offer some of the freshest, most affordable local produce on the island.