2020 ʻAipono Maui Restaurant Awards

Maui Nō Ka ‘Oi Magazine presents the 2020 ‘Aipono Restaurant Award Winners

What’s in a name? In Hawaiian, ʻai means “to eat,” and pono means “excellence.” Put them together, and you have an awards competition that honors the island’s best restaurants as voted by the readers of Maui Nō Ka ʻOi. The ‘Aipono Gala raises funds for the University of Hawaiʻi–Maui Campus Culinary Arts Program, and creates real-world mentoring for tomorrow’s chefs. The ʻAipono Wine Dinner Series also benefits the program, while inviting you to explore a world of outstanding wines paired with special menus at ʻAipono Award-winning restaurants.

SPECIAL AWARDS

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Lahaina Grill

CHEF OF THE YEAR

Taylor Ponte – The Mill House

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT 

Peter Merriman

MAUI COUNTY FARM BUREAU’S FRIEND OF AGRICULTURE

Chef Greg Gifford, Duke’s Beach House Maui

EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABILITY

Kuʻia Estate Chocolate

MOST SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT

Moku Roots

“BEST OF” CATEGORIES

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Gold Lahaina Grill
Silver TIE Kō and The Mill House
Honorable Mentions: Fleetwoodʻs on Front St., Mamaʻs Fish House, Moku Roots, Japengo, Sea House Restaurant, Merriman’s Kapalua

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Gold Fond
Silver Tight Tacos
Honorable Mentions: Bap Paia, Vana, All Kaina Grindz, My Thai

MOST “MAUI-EST”
Gold Sea House Restaurant
Silver Joey’s Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Mama’s Fish House, Kō, Monkeypod Kitchen, Da Kitchen

BEST SERVICE
Gold  Lahaina Grill
Silver Kaʻana Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Mama’s Fish House, Kō, The Mill House, Monkeypod Kitchen, Sea House Restaurant

BEST OCEANFRONT DINING
Gold Merriman’s Kapalua
Silver Sea House Restaurant
Honorable Mentions: Mama’s Fish House, Mala Ocean Tavern, Kimo’s Restaurant, Honu, Hula Grill

MOST ROMANTIC SETTING
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea
Honorable Mentions: Lahaina Grill, Fleetwoodʻs On Front St., The Mill House, Japengo, Merriman’s Kapalua

BEST CHEF’S TABLE
Gold
The Mill House 
Silver TIE
nyloS & Ka’ana Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Fond Maui, Lineage

BEST LOCAL FLAVOR
Gold Kō
Silver Da Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Monkeypod Kitchen, Lineage, Tin Roof Maui

BEST HEALTHY FARE
Gold Choice Health Bar
Silver Moku Roots
Honorable Mentions: Fork & Salad Maui, Down to Earth, Whole Foods Market, a‘a Roots Maui

MOST INNOVATIVE MENU
Gold Ka‘ana Kitchen
Silver Lineage
Honorable Mentions: Moku Roots, Star Noodle, Lineage, nyloS, Mauka Makai

BEST BREAKFAST
Gold The Gazebo
Silver  Sea House Restaurant
Honorable Mentions: Kihei Caffé, Down the Hatch, Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop, Akamai Coffee, Aloha Mixed Plate (now closed), Sarento’s On the Beach, Pa’ia Bowls

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver The Mill House
Honorable Mentions: Café O’Lei, Fleetwoodʻs On Front St., Seascape, Taverna, The Plantation House

BEST HAPPY HOUR
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver Down the Hatch
Honorable Mentions: Sea House Restaurant, The Mill House, Hula Grill, Three’s Bar & Grill, Pioneer Inn Grill & Bar

BEST ASIAN CUISINE
Gold Star Noodle
Silver Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Honorable Mentions: Miso Phat Sushi, Nuka, Japengo, Tanpopo Restaurant

BEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN
Gold TIE Nutcharee’s Authentic Thai Food & Thai Chef Restaurant
Silver A Saigon Café
Honorable Mentions: Lineage, Joey’s Kitchen, Thai Mee Up, Vidad’s

BEST BURGER
Gold Cool Cat Café
Silver TIE Teddy’s Bigger Burgers & Cheeseburger In Paradise
Honorable Mentions: Moku Roots, The Mill House, Taverna, Mala Ocean Tavern

BEST HAWAI‘I REGIONAL CUISINE
Gold
Silver The Banyan Tree
Honorable Mentions: Mauka Makai, Hali‘imaile General Store, Merriman’s Kapalua, The Mill House, Lineage, Spago

BEST PACIFIC RIM CUISINE
Gold Japengo
Silver TIE Humuhumu & Roy’s
Honorable Mentions: Star Noodle, Mama’s Fish House, Lahaina Grill, Kō, Vana

BEST LŪ‘AU
Gold Old Lāhaina Lū‘au
Silver  Drums of the Pacific
Honorable Mentions: Feast at Lele, Myths of Maui, ‘Aha’Aina Wailea, The Feast at Mokapu

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE
Gold Frida’s Beach House
Silver Amigo’s
Honorable Mentions: Maui Tacos, Roasted Chiles, Pinata’s, Acevedo’s Hawaicano

BEST ITALIAN
Gold Sale Pepe
Silver TIE Taverna and Matteo’s Osteria
Honorable Mentions: Bistro Casanova, Casanova Restaurant, Fabiani’s, Pulehu Grill & Bar, Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante, Sarentoʻs on the Beach 

BEST MEDITERRANEAN
Gold
Pita Paradise
Silver Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill
Honorable Mentions: Mala Ocean Tavern, Café Des Amis, Flatbread, Habibi on Maui 

BEST PLATE LUNCH
Gold Aloha Mixed Plate (now closed)
Silver  Da Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Tin Roof, Honokowai Okazuya, Maui Fresh Streatery, All Kaina Grindz, Nalu’s

BEST PIZZA
Gold Flatbread Company
Silver Prison Street Pizza
Honorable Mentions: Sale Pepe, Monkeypod Kitchen, Lahaina Pizza, Fabiani’s, Pizza Madness

BEST NOODLES
Gold Star Noodle
Silver Thai Mee Up
Honorable Mentions: Thai Chef, Sam Sato’s, Aloha Mixed Plate (now closed), Umi Maui, Nutchareeʻs Authentic Thai Food

BEST FISH & SEAFOOD
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Honu Seafood & Pizza
Honorable Mentions: Japengo, Fleetwoodʻs On Front St., Mauka Makai, Kō, Sea House Restaurant, Pa’ia Fish Market Restaurant, Lahaina Fish Co.

BEST STEAK
Gold Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Silver Duo
Honorable Mentions: Lahaina Grill, Sonʻz Steakhouse, Merriman’s Kapalua, Fleetwoodʻs On Front St., Cane and Canoe

BEST SUSHI
Gold  Miso Phat Sushi
Silver Japengo
Honorable Mentions: Nuka, Umi Maui, Morimoto Maui, Sushi Paradise, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar

BEST COFFEE SHOP
Gold  Akamai Coffee Co.
Silver TIE Maui Coffee Roasters & The Coffee Store in Napili
Honorable Mentions: Honolulu Coffee, Mill House Roasting, Wailuku Coffee, Bad Ass Coffee, MauiGrown Coffee

BEST FOOD TRUCK
Gold Maui Fresh Streatery
Silver Thai Mee Up
Honorable Mentions: Ono Tacos, All Kaina Grindz, Keyakiya, Geste Shrimp

BEST POKE RESTAURANT
Gold Aloha Mixed Plate (now closed)
Silver Auntie’s Kitchen
Honorable Mentions: Eskimo Candy, Kō, Monkeypod, Japengo, Star Noodle

BEST SHAVE ICE
Gold Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice
Silver Breakwall Shave Ice Company
Honorable Mentions: Local Boys Shave Ice, Gus’s, Kō, Down the Hatch, Peace Love Shave Ice

BEST DESSERT
Gold Mama’s Fish House
Silver Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop
Honorable Mentions: Kimo’s, Lahaina Grill, Monkeypod Kitchen, Ka’ana Kitchen, The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea

BEST BAR
Gold Down the Hatch
Silver Fleetwood’s on Front Street
Honorable Mentions: The Mill House, Umalu, Sea House Restaurant, Taverna

BEST HANDCRAFTED COCKTAILS
Gold Monkeypod Kitchen
Silver TIE The Mill House & Taverna
Honorable Mentions: Lineage Mala Ocean Tavern, Merriman’s Kapalua, Luana Lounge, Down the Hatch, Fleetwoodʻs On Front St., Lahaina Grill

BEST LOBBY LOUNGE
Gold Alaloa Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
Silver TIE Lobby Lounge at Four Seasons Maui & Botero at Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea
Honorable Mentions: Luana Lounge at Fairmont Kea Lani, Lehua Lounge at Andaz

BEST WINE LIST
Gold Lahaina Grill
Silver Fleetwoodʻs on Front St.
Honorable Mentions: The Mill House, Mala Ocean Tavern, Merriman’s Kapalua, Taverna, Sonʻz Steakhouse, Ka’ana Kitchen, Banyan Tree

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING
Gold Down the Hatch
Silver Pint & Cork
Honorable Mentions: Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Mala Ocean Tavern, Umalu

BEST FARM-TO-TABLE CUISINE
Gold The Mill House
Silver Pacific’O
Honorable Mentions: Fork & Salad, Moku Roots, Banyan Tree, Merriman’s Kapalua, Ka’ana Kitchen

BEST GOURMET GRAB & GO
Gold TIE  Tin Roof Maui & Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop
Silver Island Gourmet Markets
Honorable Mentions: Whole Foods Market, Choice Health Bar, Honolua Store, Down to Earth

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Get more info on the ʻAipono Awards & ʻAipono Winemakers Dinner Series.