A reader e-mailed me looking for information on where to eat out when they are visiting with their child. While I personally have been steering clear of eating out more lately, I did want to provide as much information as possible for the family especially since it was the 5 year old who is gluten free and casein free. Here’s what I said:
Maui is a beautiful place to spend your vacation with your family. It is definitely difficult to travel with food intolerances, allergies, etc. as I know from personal experience. And, it’s certainly nice to know the best places to go to eat. Unfortunately I am finding it to be more and more difficult lately to dine out. There are few places I trust, so I end up cooking at home more these days.
While I used to trust Maui Tacos, and ate there monthly, I have been made sick the last two times I’ve eaten there. I recently rescinded my good review on the restaurant and I sent an e-mail to the company. If you do choose to try to eat there I recommend steering clear of the tortilla chips and ordering something very basic.
Penne Pasta is owned by the same person that Maui Tacos is, and I had a bad experience there the last time I went. I sent an e-mail to the owner and he responded saying he would take care of the problem. The problem was that I found, not once but twice in one evening, a gluten containing noodle in my gluten-free pasta. Sadly, this means the company was unaware of cross contamination and was cooking it all in the same pot. If you do go, please let me know if this is a problem for you as well. I haven’t been back since the incident because I live on the other side of the island, but I’d like to know for future reference for other island visitors.
If you go to Iao Valley stop in Wailuku at Saigon Cafe for lunch or dinner. I’ve never had a problem there, and the service staff is very friendly. Just be sure to specify no soy sauce and that you have an allergy in your party.
Haliimaile General Store in Haliimaile town is very helpful if you call and tell them about your food issues beforehand. I did this and my waiter was on top if it. He knew exactly what on the menu I could and could not eat. The prices are a little higher, but it’s a very nice place to go and it’s casual enough for children.
Hana Hou and Colleens in Haiku town are my other choice restaurants and both are family friendly. Hana Hou also has a nice outdoor seating area and offers some luau style food on their menu. They offer the option of including a Taro Burger patty on their salads, and this is a gluten-free vegetarian burger sold here in Hawaii.
In Kahului check out the Thai restaurants at the Maui Mall(Thailand Cuisine) and on Dairy Road (Bangkok Thai). I’ve always been safe at these two.
In addition to Whole Foods there is also Down to Earth Natural Foods on Dairy Rd. and Alive and Well Natural Foods on the Hana Hwy not far from the airport.
In Makawao Town there is a cute restaurant called Market Fresh Bistro that offers gourmet style casual food that is made from 90% local ingredients. The chef is innovative and the staff is kind. It’s nestled back in the courtyard on Baldwin Avenue behind Makawao Steak House. I recommend it for lunch or dinner. Breakfast didn’t sit well with me, but everything else has.
In Paia Town check out Flatbread Pizza Company. For an additional $7 you can have a gluten-free pizza crust and they will prepare it far away from the gluten crusts and will bake it on foil in their oven. The flavors available are delicious, and the atmosphere is busy but fun.
Try to eat as much fresh fruits and vegetables while you’re here and you’ll all be fine. If you’d like to dine somewhere else and you aren’t sure of the place for safety, bring some food for your child and tell your server about it if they ask.
I hope this has helped the reader, and I hope that it will help others while visiting, or living on, the island.
My husband and I plan on vacationing in Maui next year. My only concern is that he has celiac disease and not sure if he will be able to eat out at all. I thought about shipping a box of food over but I would have to have a hotel room with a kitchen to cook in. We are planning on staying at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Maui, do you know if any resturant around is gluten free? Are there grocery stores to purchase gluten free food? Thank you
The truth of the matter is, most anywhere this is true, the more expensive the restaurant the more likely they are to take your gluten free status seriously. I always use the term ALLERGY because that puts the kitchen and waitstaff on RED ALERT. The last thing any restaurant wants is someone flopping about dying on their floor and ruining their business. So, even though celiac disease isn’t an allergy, the term is still useful for those who don’t really want a medical class.
There are definitely grocery stores you can buy gluten free foods at. In Kahului there is Whole Foods and Down to Earth, in Lahaina there’s Lahaina Farms, and in Paia there is Mana Foods. Regular grocery stores always carry whole foods that are gluten free like fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains.
You’re staying in quite a nice hotel, so let the hotel staff know when you check in that you may require some assistance in making sure your trip is a nice one. They’ll do what they can to help, whether that be showing you where you can access a microwave to heat frozen dinners or even prepare food for you in their kitchens.
Please, check out the rest of my blog for more information and enjoy your stay!
Thanks for this post. My husband and I are traveling to Maui (Ka’anapali) in a few days with our three celiac daughters. We have a kitchen in our hotel, but…*we* want to be on vacation too! I’ve already sent the food service people at the hotel email with the phrases “profuse vomiting” and “intestinal damage.” I’ll continue poking around your blog for other suggestions. THanks so much!!
Great choice of words Lisa! I hope your trip is very successful in giving you a vacation too. If you need anymore help or information you can’t find on my blog please e-mail me and I’ll help you as much as I can.
Thanks! So far, our hotel has been a DREAM (Westin Villas) BUT Just an fyi: We tried to go to Sansei last night and missed the early seating by a nose. The kids were antsy, so the hostess sent us to their sister restaurant, Cane and Taro, assuring us that they could accomodate the kids well. C & T has a “gluten-free menu,” but despite ordering from that, giving detailed instructions to the manager (clean pan, no soy sauce, yadda yadda yadda), we ended up with vomiting, stomach-cramping twins in the night We suspect their burger had been placed on a bun, then removed, but who knows…our 8-year-old ate different food and was fine. Bummer!
Thank you for your update Lisa! I wasn’t aware of an “early seating” at Sansei. I’m sorry your children ended up sick on vacation, but I hope they were still able to enjoy as much of the time here as they could.
We too are headed to Maui next month & are looking forward to preparing our own meals in the condo where we are staying, but at the same time we want to be on vacation too! I’m hoping that the grocery store that is within walking distance from where we’re staying in Kihei has a supply of gf items (I can’t recall the name of it! Food Town?) Any other restaurant suggestions you might have would be helpful :)
Ah, Foodland. I’ve never been to the Foodland in Kihei but I know the one in Pukalani has some gluten free items. Of course you’ll want stick to the edges of the grocery store. Good luck on your trip, and if you can report back on your experience!
I too had hit the Whole Foods Market over by the Airport in the Maui Mall before taken the kids over to the Kanapalli area. I stumbled upon an AWESOME market about 2 miles West of Whaler’s Village. It is one the most comprehensive Food Markets I’ve ever seen for people with allergies. They have a larger selections than Whole Foods. They also have a Deli and fresh fruit market there. Check out the Farmers Market Maui, 3636 L. Honoapiilani Rd., Honokowai, HI (808)669-7004
I wish I would have known about them before I spent $9 for a bag of GF pretzals at Whole Foods…….
That’s great to know! I’ve never been there. I live quite far, but if I’m ever over there I’ll have to check it out! Thanks for the heads up, and it will go on the new blog.
here is a great place for kids that has gluten free onion rings fish and chips pizza and calamari. has other stuff also but that stuff is unique. Great place for fun and kids also.
sorry address is 41 lipoa street in kihei and they are by isle fitness.It also has a full bar and large big screen tvs for games.