4 Best Restaurants in Kapalua and Kahakuloa, Maui

Perched above the postcard-perfect Kapalua Bay, this is the place to impress your date, as Chef Peter Merriman highlights the Islands’ bounty by using fresh seafood and ingredients from local farms. A nightly changing prix-fixe menu ($120) features stunning dishes that represent land and sea options and a vegetarian option that abounds with local produce. A keiki (children's) menu is also available for $30.

With locations on three islands, Sansei takes sushi, sashimi, and contemporary Japanese food to a new level. If you're a fish or shellfish lover, this is the place for you. There are great deals on sushi and small plates for early birds. Reservations can be hard to come by, making take out for a beach picnic a nice option.

This eclectic farm-to-table dinner spot is an open-air, ocean-view restaurant and lounge. Classic Hawaiian recipes combined with Mediterranean cooking techniques result in unique, fresh, coastal cuisine. The Ritz-Carlton resort has an organic garden that provides fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables utilized in the dishes. Opt for a traditional dinner setting, or get cozy next to one of the surrounding fire pits. Time it right and enjoy the nightly fire-knife dance at 7:30 pm near the restaurant entrance.

Acclaimed chef Roger Stettler leans on his Italian heritage to create this award-winning menu. This rustic, open-air restaurant dishes hearty soups, salads, and sandwiches at lunchtime, and the house-made pastas are the highlight of the more upscale dinner service. Sunday brunch features both Italian and local-style items. Belly up to the lively bar or request an outdoor table to enjoy sweeping ocean and mountain views.