One Day in Maui, I Ate Here…
Experience a great farm to table meal in the heart of Wailea
What’s a monkeypod? Well, if you eat at Monkeypod Kitchen restaurant in Wailea, Maui, you’ll quickly find out. And you’ll have a fabulous meal in the process.
Why Monkeypod
Monkeypods are a type of tree and you’ll see some along the street by the restaurant. However, Monkeypod Kitchen Restaurant chose the moniker as its name not just because it is a tree on the island, but because if you see a monkeypod in the desert it will be green underneath due to the fact that monkeypods release nitrogen and give back to earth. This is reminiscent of Monkeypod’s philosophy, which is to use local ingredients and give back locally. 90% of their menu is made up of locally sourced ingredients, so eating at Monkeypod means getting a truly Maui-fied meal.
Hawaiian Cuisine at Monkeypod
Monkeypod has excellent fresh seafood options that are caught that day by local fishermen, plus has organic, free range chicken and grass fed beef.
Tom and I really wanted to try one of Monkeypod’s flatbreads so for an appetizer, Tom and I got the mushroom and truffle oil pizza. The mushrooms weren’t too overpowering which is usually the case with mushroom pizzas and which then let the salty cheese and succulent truffle oil shine as well. It was topped with a combination of mozzarella, parmesan, and provolone cheeses.
For my entree I got the fish tacos. They were super fresh tasting and topped with lush red tomatoes, lots of avocado (I hate when restaurants skimp on avocados, but Monkeypod didn’t) and tomatillo salsa (double check) Jalapeno slices gave the tacos a spicy kick. Living in San Diego, I eat fish tacos a lot and I almost always choose fried over grilled unless I feel I’ve been too unhealthy that week because fried is nearly always better, but not in this case. Monkeypod had one of the best grilled tacos I’ve had.
Tom got the ahi tuna and loved it, saying it tasted very fresh.
Monkeypod’s Decadent Dessert and Happy Hour
Monkeypod is famous for its cream pies so of course Tom and I had to try one despite being totally stuffed. We ordered the special Snickers version; there was also strawberry, chocolate, banana, and coconut. The Cream Pie tasted like a mix between cheesecake and whipped cream, with peanut and chocolates Snickers goodness added in. It was quite decadent and we somehow found room in our stomachs to finish most of it since it was so good.
In addition to the delicious cuisine, Monkeypod has friendly service and a cheap happy hour, during which you can get half-off apps and $9 wood fired pizzas. We dined outside on the terrace which had views of the ocean and the green lush side of Haleakala.
Inside is also nice, though, with a teak, beachy vibe and air conditioning.
Whether you’re staying in Wailea or just driving through the town on a day exploring the island, make time to dine at Monkeypod — and be sure to leave room for a slice of that delicious cream pie.
Monkeypod Quick Tips
Address: 10 Wailea Gateway Place, Unit B-201, Kihei, Hawaii
Phone: 808-891-2322
Website: Monkeypod Kitchen Restaurant Wailea
Hours: Open Daily, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Reservations Accepted: Yes
I was a guest of Monekypod and received a free meal, but — as always — all opinions are my own.
Thanks Julie! 🙂 I hope to get to Oahu one day, too — and will definitely need to eat at the Monkeypod there, too, if I do!
I didn’t eat at the one on Maui but I did dine at the Oahu location and I just loved it! Such amazing food and they also had one of the best happy hour deals ever. Possibly the best meal I had during my week on Oahu.
P.S. Congrats on your bundle, loved reading your bambina posts 🙂