Best Maui Vegan Guide: Restaurants, Sights, & More

Maui is well known for its beaches, laid-back attitude, and diverse beauty. It’s even been voted the Best Island in the US by Condé Nast Traveler readers for over 20 years! I think it has a lot to do with its diversity — every area of Maui is different. If you like lush, jungle-like landscapes, then be sure to hit central Maui and the Hana Highway region; if you’re interested in seeing how Mars may look, make sure you check out Haleakala.

I’ll confess before we went, I thought it would naturally be a vegan paradise. While it does have some delightful gems hidden among the fish stands, it took some work to find them. Don’t worry; you don’t have to work at all! I’ve done it all for you. This Maui vegan travel guide is filled with the best vegan food, things to do, and more.

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Tip: In order to get around the island well and see everything you want to see, you’re going to need to rent a car. Make sure you add additional time to your drive, everything moves a little slower in Maui.

Vegan & Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in West Maui

Things are spread out in Maui, so I have divided the restaurants up by area. West Maui is the most popular and probably where you will spend a significant amount of time.

a’a roots

5095 Napilihau St #103, Lahaina, HI 96761
This 100% vegan café is tucked into a small strip mall and if you weren’t looking for it, you’d miss it! This is why we didn’t find it until the end of our trip. They are open for breakfast and lunch but not dinner. The adorable café serves the most colorful and savory dishes — it is a treat for the eyes and mouth. Their menu features things like waffles, avocado toast, lemongrass tofu bowls, all washed down with house-made smoothies and fresh juices.

Choice Health Bar

1087 Limahana Pl, Lahaina, HI 96761
This is a great vegan spot for breakfast or lunch, and there are two locations in West Maui and one in Paia, which is 4 miles into the drive on the Road to Hana. They have a large selection of smoothies and cold-pressed juices — all the produce that they use is produced locally in Maui. As for food, I highly recommend the kale Caesar — the dressing has a terrific zip to it. They also have tacos, burgers, raw pizza, and acai bowls. For dessert you can’t leave without trying their shortbread bomb.com bar — the flavor that they achieve with minimal ingredients is truly bomb.com!

Earth Aloha Eats

1221 HI-30, Lahaina, HI 96761
An eye-catching assortment of organic and plant-based tacos, burgers, wraps, and bowls. It is also very gluten-free friendly.

Moku Roots

335 Keawe St #211, Lahaina, HI 96761
This award-winning plant-based restaurant focuses not only on serving healthy and locally grown dishes but also strives to be zero-waste! Their menu features a little bit of everything to please it’s guests from a savory BLAT (coconut bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato) to bowls of marinated young coconut noodles. There are so many awesome things to try, you’ll want to come more than once!

Vegan & Vegan-Friendly Restaurants on Maui’s North Shore & By The Airport

That’s a Wrap

2395 S Kihei Rd #118, Kihei, HI 96753
Vegan-friendly bowls filled with coconut and acai for breakfast and sweet potato, chili, tofu, and more for lunch! Definitely check out the Sweet Power Boat!

Nutcharee’s Authentic Thai Food

1280 S Kihei Rd #124, Kihei, HI 96753
Delicious Thai restaurant with many vegan and gluten-free friendly dishes!

Maui Kombucha

810 Kokomo Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
Raw, vegan fusion café that is home to Maui’s original and largest kombucha brewery.

Veg Out

810 Kokomo Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
A vegan-friendly café with a wide variety of dishes like Mexican, curry, and more!

Paia Bowls

43 Hana Hwy, Paia, HI 96779
A great breakfast spot for smoothies, coffees, avocado toast, and of course, acai bowls.

Down to Earth Organic & Natural

305 Dairy Rd, Kahului, HI 96732
A vegetarian grocery store with baked good and  prepared foods.

Vegan Food Trucks in Maui

Rainbow Kitchen + Rebel Tonics

2250 Hana Hwy, Haiku, HI 96708
If you love golden waffles, BBQ jackfruit, or rainbow soft serve, then you need to hunt down this fantastic food truck! This menu will have you fueled and ready to tackle whatever you have planned!

Maui Ono Donuts

1819 S Kihei Rd Building E, Kihei, HI 96753
A vegan donut truck in Maui — hooray! Everyday this sweet little truck is frying up an assortment of irresistible cake donuts covered in sprinkles, chocolate, peanuts, and more! They can even take special requests for gluten-free donuts.

Coconut Caboose

Honolua Bay Lookout, Lahaina, HI 96761
This food truck or the “world’s first mobile coconut elixir bar,” as they call themselves can be found throughout West Maui. This is the go-to place for all your coconut dreams! Of course, you can get fresh coconut water or a coconut soda but what you must try is their coconut gelato or coconut shave ice. The coconut gelato is 100% vegan, organic, and so creamy. The chocolate tasted like a rich mousse — such a treat! They also have coconut candy, cold brew, jerky and more!

Vegan-Friendly Markets in Maui

Whole Foods Market Maui

70 E Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI 96732
The Maui Whole Foods is right by the airport, the perfect location to pick up snacks before heading to the hotel!

Farmer’s Market Maui

3636 Lower Honoapiilani Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
A small market that also serves smoothies, salads, wraps, burgers, and more. A great place to pick up prepared food and things to take back to your rental or hotel!

Vegan-Friendly Hotel in Maui

Whether it’s your first-time or 100th time visiting Maui, the most popular area to base yourself is in West Maui. Here you’ll find all of the major resorts, miles of pristine beaches, and be in a good location to explore the island.

Lumeria Maui Retreat

1813 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, HI 96768
If you’re interested in taking wellness classes or being part of a retreat, you’ll want to check out this spot. This beautiful educational retreat is located near Maui’s North Shore in a very peaceful setting. All guests must either participate in daily classes that include yoga, Ayurveda 101, breath work, or participate in one of their hosted retreats. On the dining front, much of the food is created using ingredients from their on-site garden, and accommodating vegans is no problem!

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Hotel Suggestion in Lahaina

Aston at Papakea Resort

3543 Lower Honoapiilani Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
This was a great spot — right on the water (it’s not on the beach) and only 1 mile from Ka’annapali Whaler’s Village Shops, and 4 miles from Old Lahaina Town. This location was ideal for exploring Maui and getting around to other parts of the island. The biggest bonus to staying here is that all of the studios and suites have kitchens, making prepping a few meals and snacks a breeze.

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Top 5 Things To Do in Maui

Catch views of migrating humpback whales during the winter

Whale watching in Maui was my favorite part of the trip! Lucky for us, we caught the whales once during a snorkel excursion and another on an actual whale watch tour. We booked the whale watch and snorkel excursion with Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF). PWF did a great job sharing information about whale conservation, whale behavior, and we got a chance to listen to the whales sing! Just make sure if you’re getting in the water that you bring reef-safe sunscreen with you or purchase it from them.

Carefully Drive the Road to Hana

The road to Hana is 52 miles of beauty but it is also slightly terrifying! There are countless curves, hairpin turns, and one-lane bridges, but it was exactly what I thought Hawaii would look like (If you decide you’d rather not drive, check out this tour, they do all the work for you).  

Along the way, there are plenty of dramatic waterfalls, gorgeous island views, and interesting flora and fauna to check out. The drive can take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day, depending on how many times you stop. One of the best stops on the Road to Hana was the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park.

The crashing waters on the black rocks and sand were like a dramatic movie set. During your adventure, drive slowly and carefully, and when you see someone behind you who seems like they have driven this a few times just stop and let them pass. If doing the whole drive in one day sounds like too much there; consider staying overnight — there are plenty of things to do in Hana!

Hike the Waihe’e Ridge Trail

You will definitely earn an extra coconut gelato after this! This steep trail is about five miles round-trip. In the end, you are rewarded with beautiful lush mountain views — it’s one of the many hidden gems in Maui. Make sure you bring water and take breaks, not only to catch your breath but to also enjoy the lush, jungle scenery. It doesn’t appear to be a tourist hot spot, so it’s a great place for a little peace while you enjoy nature.  It unfortunately got really foggy when we finally made it to the top, but when it’s clear, it’s a gorgeous view!

Enjoy Maui’s gorgeous beaches

Maui is home to over 30 beautiful beaches on its 120 miles of coastline. There seems to be a beach for everyone, and it’s also one of many romantic things to do in Maui! If you’re looking for a relaxing spot, you’ll want to check out, Maui’s signature beach, Kaanapali.

For windsurfing make sure to hit one of the many beaches on the north shore. If you’re looking for something a little unique, don’t miss Honokalani Beach in Waianapanapa State Park, it is a beautiful black sand beach, or Kaihalulu Beach, known for its red sand. Both beaches can be found off of Hana Hwy.  

Explore Haleakala National Park

Haleakala National Park is home to the world’s largest dormant volcano and the highest peak in Maui. The desert landscape looks like something you would find on Mars — not Hawaii. Plan to visit the summit early in the morning (best option is to take a guided tour) to watch the sunrise. Make sure you dress in layers, the higher you climb, the cooler it gets. 

Want to learn more about Hawaii before you go? Check out this great lineup of books to read before a trip to Hawaii!