Maui Gluten and Dairy Free Travel Guide

The hubs and I recently returned from a crazy restful and inspiring couples-only vacation in Maui. We were with over 350 other couples for the Love Song Couples Getaway, entertained by Christian music artists like Mercy Me along with marriage counselor and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Gary Chapman. It was one of the best trips we've taken.

Maui was amazing for gluten and dairy free allergies -- there were so many options. The key was researching ahead of time, which basically meant hours on Pinterest, a couple of emails to restaurants, and time spent in the Find Me Gluten Free app. I arrived with a list of grocery stores and restaurant ideas that made both of us happy.

This guide covers everywhere we personally ate and shopped, a few more spots on the island we've researched but haven't tried ourselves (clearly marked), and where to find safe groceries whether you're staying in Kihei, Lahaina, Kaanapali, or anywhere in between.

Prep Properly

A few things that made this trip so much easier on our gluten and dairy free stomachs:

• Do your research BEFORE you go. Email restaurants and grocery stores ahead of time if you need to know exactly what they offer.
• Bring your TSA-approved snacks for the flight and for emergencies once you land.
• Plan your stops once you get to Maui -- know when you land and how long it will take to get to your first safe place, whether that's a restaurant or a store.
• Check what your hotel offers and where it is relative to your scheduled events and safe restaurants.

Our hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, was on the west side of the island, about an hour from the airport and my beloved Whole Foods. The Honolua Store was a cheap convenience store within walking distance of our room, and it made grabbing quick, safe snacks so much easier.

Where We Ate

Whole Foods on Maui (Kahului) is smaller than what you might find on the mainland, but it's a great first stop for safe snacks and easy food, with a solid gluten and dairy free selection. If there's a specific item you need to confirm, email them ahead of time -- they responded to my email quickly.

Three's Bar and Grill (Kihei)

We dined at Three's Bar and Grill in Kihei for lunch one afternoon. It's a popular spot on the island -- ask to be seated on the patio if you can, it's relaxing and low-key, sometimes with a local musician playing guitar.

They offer a dedicated gluten free menu, and our server was knowledgeable about food allergies and easy to work with. The hubs had eaten here on a previous trip and raved about the hamburgers served with pineapple -- sounded odd to me until I tried it. It's now a favorite.

Choice Health Bar (Paia, Wailea & Kaanapali)

My favorite mealtime was hands down my first acai bowl from Choice Health Bar. I had it with gluten free oats, and it was crazy filling and refreshing on a hot, humid Maui day. I also picked up a cold-pressed juice for the next day -- grab a couple of those to go.

The original Lahaina location we visited was lost in the 2023 wildfire, but Choice Health Bar has rebuilt and now operates from three spots: Paia, Wailea, and Kaanapali at Whalers Village. Everything is plant-based, and their acai bowls and smoothies are naturally gluten and dairy free.

A Few More Spots Worth Checking Out

A quick disclaimer: we haven't personally eaten at these yet, but they came up again and again in our research as safe, allergy-literate options on Maui, so we're passing them along.

Black Rock Pizza (Kihei) -- offers a gluten free cauliflower crust and a coconut oil-based dairy free cheese, with staff described as allergy-literate and using separate prep areas and utensils.

My Thai Maui (Kahului) -- all of their curries are naturally gluten and dairy free, with a menu that lets you flag items as gluten free when ordering.

Miss Arepa (Lahaina/Kahana) -- a 100% gluten free Venezuelan spot with several plant-based (dairy free) options on the menu, known for arepas and empanadas.

Where to Buy Safe Groceries in Maui

Grocery stores are just as important as restaurants when you're traveling gluten and dairy free -- here's where to stock up depending on where you're staying.

Whole Foods Market (Kahului) -- this is the one we personally shopped at. Smaller than a mainland Whole Foods, but a solid selection of safe snacks and easy food.

We haven't shopped at these next three ourselves, but they're consistently recommended by other gluten and dairy free travelers on Maui:

Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods (Kihei) -- a natural foods store with a gluten free deli, fresh baked goods, and a wide selection of gluten and dairy free groceries.

Mana Foods (Paia) -- known for one of the most extensive gluten free grocery selections on the island, plus a bakery with gluten free cupcakes and pies.

Down to Earth (Kahului) -- an all-vegetarian natural foods store with a deli, bakery, and dairy free and vegan products.

A Few Updates Since Our Visit

Travel guides go stale fast, so in the spirit of keeping this honest: two of the spots from our original trip are no longer around.

• Maui Brick Oven (Kihei), the 100% gluten free pizza spot we loved on our last night, permanently closed in November 2020.
• Feast at Lele (Lahaina), the oceanfront luau we enjoyed, was destroyed in the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire. As of this update there's no confirmed reopening date -- check feastatlele.com directly before planning a trip around it.

Traveling with Kids

We traveled without our kids on this trip, but a few things would've made it easier had they come along: packing snacks and breakfast items ahead of time, and planning around nap and meal schedules the way you would anywhere else.

If you're in the Lahaina or Kapalua area, two free and rewarding spots are worth building into your day. The first is the famous Banyan Tree in Lahaina -- it's genuinely mind-boggling in person, and no picture does it justice. The second is a short hike to the Nakalele Blowhole and the Heart-Shaped Rock. Skip the flip flops -- it's a bit of a lava rock scramble, but worth it.

If you haven't been to Maui, add it to your bucket list. There were fabulous allergen-friendly options everywhere we looked, and the fresh fruit served with nearly every dish was out of this world.

Is Maui Good for Gluten and Dairy Free Travelers?

Yes -- Maui was one of the easier destinations we've traveled to with food allergies. Between health-conscious dining culture, apps like Find Me Gluten Free, and grocery stores with real gluten and dairy free selections, it's very doable. The catch is the island's spread out -- restaurants and grocery stores worth visiting aren't always close to your hotel, so plan your route the way you'd plan any other part of the trip.

In Conclusion

Maui delivered on food in a way we didn't fully expect going in -- from Three's Bar and Grill's gluten free menu to the acai bowls at Choice Health Bar, plus grocery stores that make it easy to eat safely on your own schedule. Use this guide as a starting point, confirm current hours and menus before you go since things change fast on the islands, and you'll eat very well on your trip.

lastly

It's important to realize this guide covers a small handful of options. There are so many more gluten and dairy free opportunities on Maui than we could personally cover. When planning your trip, do your own research, reach out to restaurants directly, and lean on apps like Find Me Gluten Free to fill in the gaps.

Maui has had me creating some delicious recipes that remind me of our trip. This Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza is gluten and dairy free and delicious for people with various dietary restrictions, and we love Grilled Shish Kabobs with Fresh Pineapple.

More Gluten and Dairy Free Travel Food Guides

• New York City Food Travel Guide
• Miami Food Travel Guide
• Salt Lake City Food Travel Guide
• Gluten Free and Dairy Free in Phoenix

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