The answer is yes, this deserves an entire post.
I already posted about our time in Maui and about our favorite things we did on our babymoon. We used the Wailea area and the fabulous Kea Lani hotel as our base.
BUT, one of our absolute favorite parts of this trip was driving 10 minutes over to the sleepy little town of Kihei and hitting one of the holes-in-the-wall from the list below. We’d take our food over to the beach because it’s super easy to find a stretch of beach to enjoy to yourself in Kihei.
Kihei has SO many awesome places to eat and drink. We didn’t get to everything we wanted to try, but we fell in love with way too many spots. Hence, an entire post dedicated to where to eat in Kihei.
I’ll get right to it. And yes, after reading this post back, it was so clearly written by a pregnant person. Enjoy.
I’ve been on a real fruit kick this pregnancy. I know I’m supposed to watch the sugar intake, but as the weather gets warmer and my body gets, well, bigger, all I want is a nice bowl of cold, fresh fruit.
And I’m here to report that, thanks to the goddess who owns and runs Brekkie Bowls, every acai bowl is ruined forever. Just last week in Australia, I tried two different spots and was disappointed in both (I mean, I was really sad– a truly disproportionate “incident to reaction ratio” situation). My sister and Tyler did their best to take me seriously and gently suggested that I stop comparing every bowl I eat to the heaven of Brekkie Bowls.
Please go here the next time you’re in Maui. I recommend following them on Instagram which is where they keep their schedule the most updated.
I love a fish taco. LOVE ONE. Several credible sources pointed to Coconut’s Fish Cafe as the place to grab a delicious cheap fish taco in Maui.
Order the fish tacos and try to refrain from requesting any modifications. They use 17 (maybe more, can’t remember) fresh ingredients in their tacos and BOY can you just tell how much love and care they put into these babies. I was happy as a clam and insisted we go back once more on our last day.
Upon writing this blog post, I’ve discovered that Coconut’s recently opened a location down the road from us in Cupertino. The jury is still out on if I will persist with my “I only eat macarons in Paris” type of personality or if my pregnancy cravings will drive me to settle for a Silicon Valley version of my favorite fish taco ever. Stand by.
I’m not really a shave ice person, although I know it’s starting to seem like I’m an “everything” person. However, a lot of people talked about this place, and it was hot out, so when in Rome.
Ululani’s is really fun because they have about 100 flavors to choose from. It’s a fun, cold treat to bring to the beach and make your travel buddy’s mouth turn bright red/blue/orange. My standards are uncalibrated, but this was definitely the best shave ice I’ve ever had.
Akamai was our favorite coffee shop in Maui. They had cold brew for Tyler, and really fun, flavored iced lattes for me.
They also have a drive-through, in case you’re like Tyler and feel the need to disregard island time and rush as fast as you can from beach to beach. Don’t worry, I made him park.
The vibes are great in here, too, and I will certainly be decorating my house with the occasional strategically-placed pineapple from here on out.
Tyler and I live for an in-room pizza night. It’s a tradition. About once a trip, we get take out pizza and bring it back to our room and watch a movie. It’s so fun.
Pizza Madness hooked it up for our Maui Babymoon Pizza Night. Their pizza is awesome, and trust me when I say that a size large will more than suffice for two people.
Listen, I’d be lying if I said that the cute mason jars weren’t 95% of the reason I wanted to check out Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade. Can you blame me??
Conveniently, it just so happens that a jar full of strawberry-pineapple lemonade is just the thing you’d want while lying on the beach on the hottest day of the trip. They make the lemonade fresh in front of you here which is just so lovely. Definitely a must-stop. And full disclosure: the mason jar was $5 extra, but it’s now holding cotton balls under my bathroom sink, so you tell me who wins here.
We stopped at this unassuming bakery and split a cinnamon roll one morning, per the suggestion of several posts I discovered on Pinterest.
This place is unassuming, tucked in the center of a little shopping center. And you might have to wait for the next batch to come out because it’s always crazy busy, but it’s WORTH IT. A cinnamon roll might not be the first fare you think of before you set off in a bikini for the beach on a hot day. If, however, your husband’s gluttony nearly matches your pregnancy-induced ravenous appetite, maybe this is the place for you.
If you’re into beer, heading to Maui Brewing Co for happy hour (or any hour). They have a huge patio at the restaurant and brewery location which provides a really fun dining experience if you have a big group. And don’t forget to order the bbq pork sliders from the dinner menu. So. Good.
We loved Kihei so much. Next time we do, I definitely want to hit Nalu’s South Shore Grill, a bar grill spot that serves local food and sometimes has live music. Also on my list: the plate lunches at Southshore Grindz. And I need to try a poke bowl from South Maui Fish Co.
Let us know if we missed any of your favorites!
The Best Hotel in Maui: Hotel Wailea
It’s a pre-weekend pick me up: just a little note with links to the latest blog posts, what I’m reading lately, and products I’m obsessed with. Think of it as a friend dropping off a surprise latte in the morning--you know?