5 Best Restaurants in Napili, Maui

Chef-owner Joey Macadangdang, who has been at the helm of fine-dining kitchens for most of his career, brings his good taste to the masses with this unfussy restaurant featuring Filipino, Asian, and American fusion dishes. A longtime champion of local producers, many of his recipes highlight ingredients grown on Maui. Don't be fooled by its under-the-radar location in a strip mall; there's a good chance you'll find yourself returning here several times during your trip.

Built in the 1960s at the Napili Kai Beach Resort, before there were laws forbidding construction so close to the beach, this restaurant is literally footsteps away from gorgeous Napili Bay. Wear your beach wrap to breakfast and enjoy the signature oven-baked pancakes or the beautifully delicious Molokai sweet potato egg frittata; the menu also offers fish from Hawaiian waters and fresh local produce.

Though it may seem like a tourist trap, this oceanside restaurant does not disappoint in the quality of its food, paired with an ambience steeped in Hawaiian history. The restaurant is named for famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku, and guests can learn about his life through memorabilia throughout. The seafood menu is downright astounding, and the famous Hula Pie—macadamia nut ice cream on a cookie crust served with hot fudge—might have you rushing to get to dessert, but you’ll definitely want to linger over dinner and drinks while enjoying nightly live music.

Breakfast is the reason to seek out this restaurant located poolside at the Napili Shores Resort. The food is standard diner fare, but the portions are big, the prices are low, and many folks think the pancakes—with bananas, macadamia nuts, or white chocolate chips—are the best in West Maui. The ambience is a little funky but the oceanfront setting and views are spectacular—including the turtle, spinner dolphin, and, in winter, humpback-whale sightings. Expect a long line any day of the week.