Seven wonderful vegan food trucks and cafes await Maui residents and visitors interested in exploring amazing plant-based dishes. Sometimes people want something fancier.
As of early 2026, the island still does not have a 100% vegan fine-dining restaurant, but some of its top chefs increasingly treat plant-based cuisine as a serious, chef-driven experience rather than a begrudging accommodation. For vegan and plant-forward diners, that means you can now plan true special-occasion meals in beautiful settings instead of “making do” with side dishes.
For this guide, “upscale” means a combination of elevated technique, attentive service, thoughtful beverage programs, and memorable settings, often with tasting menus or chef-driven à la carte offerings and a price point that reflects that. The focus here is on venues where omnivores and vegans can dine together while vegans still feel genuinely catered to.
The Platinum List: Where Vegans Can Truly Dine
These restaurants offer the most cohesive, fine-dining–caliber experiences for plant-based guests, even though their menus are not entirely vegan.
Spago Maui (Four Seasons Resort, Wailea)
The Experience
Set above Wailea Beach inside the Four Seasons, Spago is polished but relaxed, with sunset views, a lively bar scene, and service that moves with quiet precision. For vegans, it is one of the most reliable places on the island to enjoy a “real” dinner rather than a collection of substitutions.
The Food
Spago frequently offers a dedicated plant-based or vegan-friendly menu, though the exact format and dishes change with the seasons and the chef’s whims. You can expect contemporary, technique-driven plates, think crisp-edged shiitake or trumpet mushrooms where a carnivorous diner might expect steak, bright herb oils, and composed pastas or grain dishes that rely on deeply cooked vegetables for richness rather than faux meats. When in doubt, calling ahead to confirm the current plant-based menu is wise for special occasions.
Why It Wins
Because it treats plant-based cuisine as a fully realized menu, not an afterthought. You sit down expecting a fine-dining experience and actually receive one, start to finish.
Lineage (The Shops at Wailea)
The Experience
Lineage offers a modern, buzzy dining room that nods to local family-style dining and Asian-inspired flavors. The energy is high, best for diners who enjoy a lively room, shared plates, and conversation.
The Food
The menu leans toward shareable dishes, which naturally works well for plant-based groups as long as the table is willing to ask questions and communicate needs. Noodle dishes, vegetable-forward plates, and boldly seasoned sauces often adapt beautifully to vegan dining. Because the concept and leadership at Lineage have evolved over time, menus can change; strict vegans should always confirm details like fryer use, fish sauce, and egg-based components.
Why It Wins
Because the flavors are big, layered, and satisfying enough that nobody feels like they “drew the short straw” by ordering vegan.
Mala Ocean Tavern (Lahaina)
The Experience
Perched right on the water, Mala is “upscale casual” in dress code but luxurious in feeling: tables hover just above the ocean, waves slap the seawall, and sunset feels almost theatrical. It is less formal than a resort dining room, but the setting rivals many hotel restaurants for romance and sense of place.
The Food
Mala has long been a favorite for vegans and vegetarians. Its menus typically feature a handful of substantial plant-based dishes: hearty mushroom-based pastas or “Bolognese”-style sauces, coconut curries loaded with local vegetables and tofu, and composed salads or grain bowls that feel like entrées rather than side dishes. The kitchen understands that plant-based diners want texture, depth, and balance, not just steamed vegetables.
Why It Wins
Because it captures the soul of Maui, ocean, breeze, and relaxed hospitality, while still taking herbivores seriously.
The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea (Wailea)
The Experience
This adults-only, Relais & Châteaux property offers one of Maui’s most romantic dining experiences: terraced seating tucked into gardens, open-air lanais with sweeping ocean views, and a pace that invites lingering between courses. It is designed for proposals, anniversaries, and “trip highlight” dinners.
The Food
The restaurant operates on a prix fixe or tasting menu structure. Vegan guests are strongly advised to give at least 24 hours’ notice when booking; with that advance communication, the kitchen can design a thoughtful vegan progression, often featuring Upcountry produce, house-grown herbs, and carefully layered textures. Without notice, options may be more basic (for example, simple grilled tofu or vegetable plates) and can feel underwhelming given the price point.
Why It Wins
Because, with proper planning, it pairs a bespoke plant-based tasting menu with one of the most intimate, luxurious ambiances on the island.
Scenic & Solid: Upscale Settings with Good Vegan Options
These venues offer beautiful spaces and competent plant-based options; they may not be as fully developed for vegan tasting menus, but they work very well when the setting and group flexibility matter most.
Gather on Maui (Wailea Golf Club)
Vibe
Gather sits above the Wailea Golf Club with wide, open views of fairways rolling down toward the ocean. Sunset here is the main event: golden light, trade winds, and a broad horizon make it ideal for cocktails and relaxed dinners with friends or family.
Vegan Options
The menu clearly labels vegan dishes and typically includes items like an Aloha-style hummus board, robust salads or grain bowls (often with quinoa and greens), and a roasted portobello entrée or similarly substantial vegetable main. Seasonal specials may add more plant-based choices, so asking about the day’s options can pay off.
Verdict
Perfect for mixed-diet groups where everyone wants a lovely view and comfortable, contemporary setting, and where vegans can still eat well without commandeering the menu.
Kaʻana Kitchen (Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort)
Vibe
Kaʻana Kitchen is modern, airy, and centered around an open kitchen, with a farm-to-table ethos and the polished feel of a luxury resort restaurant. It works equally well for couples and small groups who enjoy watching the quiet choreography of a professional kitchen.
Vegan Options
While the printed menu may not list many vegan dishes outright, the kitchen is known for its willingness to build plant-based plates from its pantry of local produce and house-made components. With a bit of conversation, vegans can often enjoy composed salads featuring Upcountry fruits and vegetables, risottos built on rich vegetable stocks, or vegetable-driven entrées that mirror the same care given to meat and seafood dishes. Mentioning vegan needs when making a reservation gives the team more room to prepare something special.
Verdict
An excellent choice when you care as much about pristine ingredients and farm relationships as about the setting itself, as long as you’re comfortable having a conversation with the staff about what you’d like.
Merriman’s (Kapalua)
Vibe
Clinging to Kapalua’s rocky shoreline with sweeping views of Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, Merriman’s is one of West Maui’s iconic sunset spots. The atmosphere is celebratory and slightly dressy: live music on some evenings, glowing tiki torches, and a front-row seat to the changing sky.
Vegan Options
As a pioneer of Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine, Merriman’s emphasizes local sourcing and seasonal produce. While the core menu skews omnivorous, there is almost always at least one vegan-friendly entrée built around taro, legumes, or local vegetables, and the kitchen is typically willing to adapt the prix fixe or tasting menu for vegan guests if given notice. The result may include taro hummus or falafel-style preparations, vegetable-forward plates, and creative use of grains and pulses.
Verdict
A quintessential West Maui special-occasion choice where vegans can enjoy a thoughtfully composed meal alongside omnivores, with a wine list and view that make the evening feel truly celebratory.
Memorable Farm-to-Table Experience: Moku Roots in Kula
While Moku Roots no longer operates as a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant, its Upcountry events have become a beloved option for plant-based diners seeking something different from the resort scene. On select days, Moku Roots hosts all-vegan, farm-to-table experiences at a beautiful farm setting in Kula.
Guests typically dine outdoors with sweeping views of Upcountry fields and, on clear evenings, the central valley and ocean beyond. Menus are colorful and creative, built around what is growing on the farm, think abundant salads, hearty vegetable mains, house-made sauces, and desserts that showcase local fruit. These gatherings feel more like community suppers or pop-up dinners than conventional restaurant service, and they often operate on a reservation-only basis.
For current schedules or to be added to the events mailing list, email mokuroots@gmail.com. This is a particularly rewarding option for travelers who want to connect directly with Maui’s land, farmers, and vegan community while enjoying a meal that is entirely plant-based and deeply rooted in place.
Planning Your Upscale Vegan Meals on Maui
For the best experiences at the restaurants above, a bit of strategy goes a long way:
Make reservations well in advance, especially for sunset times and weekends.
Note that you are vegan when booking and reiterate this upon arrival. Tasting-menu and prix-fixe kitchens in particular may need extra time to plan.
Be prepared for menus to change; Maui’s culinary scene is still evolving after recent years of disruption, and dishes listed online may differ from what is available when you arrive.
With a little planning and clear communication, upscale vegan dining on Maui can be every bit as memorable and indulgent as any other culinary journey on the island, rich with local produce, thoughtful technique, and the island’s singular sense of place.