What is a Plate Lunch?

The plate lunch is a classic Hawaiian meal and the perfect choice for recharging after the beach, a hike, or going about daily activities. The plate lunch is unique to Hawaii due to the Asian influence on Hawaiian cuisine, and its roots in the Japanese bento. Its origins in Hawaii date all the way back to the 1880s when plantation workers were in high demand by the fruit and sugar companies of the islands. Laborers were brought to Hawaii from around the world, including from China, Japan, Portugal, and the Philippines.

Kaui Philpotts, former food editor of the Honolulu Advertiser, notes the laborers “didn’t eat sandwiches or things like that; it was leftover rice and a lot of things like canned meat or teriyaki or cold meat or maybe scrambled eggs or pickles, and almost no salad or vegetable.”

Standard plate lunches consist of two scoops of white rice, macaroni salad, and an entrée; a plate lunch with more than one entrée is often called a mixed plate.

Maui’s Best Plate Lunch Spots

Da Kitchen

Da Kitchen first opened their doors in 1998 with their first location in Kihei on the southern coast of Maui. With a growing customer base, they ventured into Central Maui opening their Kahului location in 2000; it was established as their first sit down restaurant. The name Da Kitchen translates from Hawaiian slang/pidgin to “The Kitchen”. Their cuisine puts its emphasis on traditional Local Hawaiian food, but yet with a creative, and diverse cuisine.

Their acclaimed plate lunches include: Hawaiian Plate, Mahi Mahi Fish Tempura, Pulehu Grilled Steaks, fresh Fish & Seafood, and a different variety of other local plate lunch favorites like Teriyaki Chicken, Chicken Katsu and Loco Moco.

Location:

• Rainbow Mall: 2439 South Kihei Road, Kihei, 96753. Telephone: 808-875-7782
• Central Maui: 425 Koloa St, Kahului, 96732. Telephone: 808-871-7782

Ichiban Okazuya Hawaii

Literally a hole in the wall…but the best hole in the wall you can find! Mom and pop shops are rare nowadays, but it is definitely a local favorite. Ichiban Okazuya Hawaii delivers one of the best plate lunch deals out there. Ran entirely by an authentic core of workers and made with care, the plate lunch is more on the traditional side and focuses mainly on Japanese dishes like: Chicken Katsu, Korean Chicken, Tempura combo, Teriyaki Chicken, and Teriyaki Beef. The plate lunch includes a main dish, rice, and choice of side dish.

The little restaurant is take out only and is just behind the Wailuku court house on Kaohu Street. They are only open on weekdays so be sure to keep that in mind; they are usually busy around lunch time, so I suggest calling in your order.

Location:

• 2133 Kaohu Street, Wailuku 96753. Telephone: 808-244-7276

Cafe O’lei Kihei

The Kihei location (another location in Kahului) has quickly become my first choice lunch spot IF their special for the day is still available. It is a full plate with an entree, rice, and a salad, all for $8.28 (as of summer 2016); there’s no other place in Kihei that offers a lunch special quite like theirs. The lunch special changes on a daily basis and f you go often enough, you’ll probably remember their weekly menu.

A few of my favorites are: beef stew-the meat had the softness and texture of a pot roast accompanied by the traditional stew vegetables in a stew like broth, but tasted sweet and spicy like a Japanese curry; chicken katsu-thinly sliced and fried in panko with a dipping sauce that tastes like a mix between a guava bbq sauce and a traditional katsu sauce; Friday special-ribeye grilled on the flat top with brown gravy; and steak poke-a warm steak salad tossed with onions, tomatoes, and green onions in a soy ginger chili relish.

Location:

• 2439 South Kihei Road, Kihei 96753. 808-891-1368
• 1333 Maui Lani Parkway. Kahului 96732. 808-877-0073

Aloha Mixed Plate

Located on Front Street, the establishment is frequented by visitors for its local fare, decent prices, and open air setting on the water as it is a nice place to relax and enjoy the outdoor Maui lifestyle. Aloha Mixed Plate is one of the first choices on the West Side for a great plate lunch! If you’re on the West Side the food here is definitely a nice and welcomed taste changer than the foods offered in the resort area and at a fraction of the price.

Location:

• 1285 Front Street, Lahaina 96761. Telephone: 808-661-3322

Nuka

Since March of 2013, Nuka has been redefining the game in what it means to grab sushi in Haiku. I am always tempted to take out dinner from Nuka since it’s only about ten minutes from my home in Haiku. Sitting on Kokomo road and just across from the Maui famous Fukushima hot dogs, the location is in a previously occupied car parts store; however the remodel enhances their ambiance: elegant, modern, posh. Recently, they started serving lunch and it is a great Upcountry choice for authentic food and good prices. They always have daily lunch specials and you can keep updated by following their Nuka Lunch Instagram. Their lunch hours (10:00am-1:30pm) are very limited and only open during the week days, so do keep that in mind. The Paia Fish Market is also owned by the same owners as Nuka.

Location:

• 780 Haiku Road, Haiku, Hawaii. Telephone: 808-575-2939.

Contact South Maui Real Estate Specialist

Please interview me to be your trusted Maui Real Estate and Lifestyle Advisor. I was born and raised on the island, and spend a considerable amount of time to inform my clients about the best deals currently on the market. Please do not hesitate to call me for your Maui real estate needs. I am more than happy to assist you in your home search.

Aloha,