So you are hankering for a yummy donut or fresh baked bread. This is where we pick up some of the best local pastries on the island.
Cakewalk Paia Bakery
Antique display furniture adorn this quaint Paia bakery. The cinnamon rolls are made with croissant dough, especially flaky and dusted with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Then these morph into cinnamon bun bread pudding, a very rich and delicious treat. This bakery has the biggest selection of muffins I’ve seen, from chocolate chip to orange glazed. The one thing I always have to get is the rice crispy treats. They are giant slabs of crisped rice surrounded in butter and marshmallow with a layer of mini chocolate chips inside. Epic.
100 Baldwin Ave., Paia, 579-8770. (JR)
Simply Sweets
We’ll always have a soft spot in our hearts—and middles—for Simply Sweets. This bakery really takes the cake. Ha, ha! Get it? They’ve really refined their sugarcraft—okay, I’ll stop now—to create ingenious concoctions of local and Euro-influenced delicacies. And they’ve expanded their bakery menu to include deli items like sandwiches and salads, too.
150 Hana Highway, Suite 102, Kahului, 893-0700. (SC)
Colleen’s Haiku Bake Shop
While Colleen has more recently focused on her expanded restaurant, she does admit her customers’ demand for fresh baked goods led her back into baking in her kitchen. Delicious flakey blueberry bites and scones are just some of the fresh goods you can order over a hearty breakfast at her Haiku cafe, with fresh hot gourmet coffee to boot.
810 Haiku Rd., Haiku, 575-9211. (JR)
The Bakery
A relatively small storefront tucked back in Lahaina’s industrial area, this is the Westside’s most complete neighborhood bakery. This might explain why you need to get here first thing in the morn to purchase their most delectable of sweet and savories—we found ourselves earlier and earlier out of bed in an effort to catch their elusive and wholly delicious cinnamon-sugar twist! They also offer inexpensive sandwiches for lunch, as well as a wide selection of rustic breads in rounds, loaves and baguettes of varying French, sour, sweet and wheat composition.
991 D Limahana Pl., Lahaina, 667-9062. (SC)
Four Sisters Bakery
I first found out about Four Sisters Bakery at the Kahului Swap Meet. I was hungry and passed a stall selling a variety of baked goods, among them something called Cheese Rolls—soft rolls baked with cheese inside and then dusted with sugar. A wholehearted fan of bread and cheese I bought some to munch on while strolling through the place. They were so good I saved the wrapping so I could figure out where to buy more. This traditional Filipino style bakery is even open on Sunday. They have cinnnamon rolls, ensemadas, and other treats truly reasonably priced. The Cheese Rolls are just 30 cents each.
1968 Vineyard, Wailuku, 244-9333. (JR)
Broke Da Mouth Cookie Co.
On a recent visit to this Kahului bakery—recently named Maui’s best small business with less than six employees—baker-owner Lloyd Yokoyama greeted us with our favorite words: “Try this!” With a knowing smile, Yokoyama opened jar after jar of butterific samples and we happily obliged. We figure there’s always room for one more cookie! And there were lots to choose from: chocolate mac-nut, oatmeal raisin, almond, peanut butter, coconut crunch and more. We accepted defeat after our 18th sample but we’ll be going back. It’s a shame Yokoyama doesn’t keep samples of his jaw-dropping mile-high Lilikoi cake or the tantalizing chocolate-haupia pie in a jar.
190 Alamaha Unit B., Kahului, 873-9255. (SC)
Home Maid Bakery
Probably the most prolific bakery on Maui, the Home Maid Bakery was founded in 1960 and provides its baked goods to Foodland, Star Market, 7-11, Long’s and Minit Stops. You can find their biggest and best selection at their Wailuku store. Every local person on the island knows to bring Home Maid Bakery’s crispy deluxe manju as omiyage (gifts) when traveling outer-island. Home Maid Bakery also has bento lunches, a variety of inexpensive and fresh breads, mochi, cakes and pies along with their pastries and donuts, all very reasonably priced. Hot Malasadas can be bought every morning. Their jelly roll cakes are fancy and light, absolutely delicious, and don’t need a special occasion to be consumed.
1005 Lower Main, Wailuku, 244-7015. (JR)
Komoda T Store Bakery
Lucky are those of you living in Makawao. You have the privilege of showing up at Komoda’s every morning for their fresh baked breads, amazing donuts and pastries, anpan, pies, hot dogs and their famous cream puffs. Komoda’s is the only Upcountry bakery, with a large selection of baked goods. Its cream puffs are mentioned in just about every Internet travel blog about Maui so if you haven’t made a pilgrimage yet to this bakery, it’s about time. Ikuo Komoda founded this bakery and store around 1920, and his third and fourth generation family members are running the business and safeguarding his recipes. Their stick donut is to die for.
3674 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, 572-7261. (JR)
Moana Bakery & Cafe
I have three words for you, people: strudel, strudel, strudel! Okay, so that’s really just one word repeated three times. But the point is, the strudel at Moana Bakery is more than merely “a pastry usually consisting of a fruit, cheese, or other mixture rolled in a paper-thin sheet of dough and baked” as defined by Webster’s. You see, the strudel at Moana is so way beyond that! I can’t even begin to describe this massive treat, only to say that you must EAT IT or forever perish in the depths of your supreme ignorance and anti-sweet malaise. They have other good stuff like cookies and croissants. But um, STRUDEL. Got it?
71 Baldwin Ave., Paia, 579-9999. (SC)
Maui’s Dee-Lites
The first time I walked into Maui’s Dee-Lites the ladies were working on a Lilikoi sauce that smelled so good I knew I would be back. Located next to the Singer Discount Fabric Store, this small island bakery has some of the best homemade local snacks you can find, from chicharone to dried fish to wasabi nuts. Hands down Dee-lite bakery has the best shortbread cookies on the planet. They also make Lilikoi cheesecake, lemon bars and other surprises.
230 Hana Hwy., Suite 2, Kahului, 871-7919. (JR)
Maui Bake Shop & Deli
This is a bonafide European-style patisserie. And we know this because we cannot stop singing the French anthem whenever we walk in to collect our morning quiche, custard windmills and fresh-fruit gateaux. Oh, and the French toast? A thoroughly enjoyable, rich, custardy sweet pastry slice that blows our traditional egg-covered “toast” out the window. It’s even good cold. Tres authentique! Plus there are soups, salads, sandwiches and a fine array of country loaves you’ll wanna put in your basket, as you tilt your beret and bid adieu to the baker and his wife.
2092 Vineyard, Wailuku, 242-0064. (SC)
Sam Sato’s
While many already know about Sam Sato’s noodles and take out, did you know about their manju and turnovers? Try these fresh baked treats the next time you are at the restaurant. The turnovers come in apple, peach, coconut and pineapple. Just check the counter or ask your server what’s available because they go fast. Sato’s manju is traditional, featuring azuki bean filling and a baked pastry crust. They go perfect with green tea for a morning or afternoon break.
1750 Wili Pa Loop, Wailuku, 244-7124. (JR)
Cinnamon Roll Fair Hawai’i
Gooey goodness awaits when you step up to the counter at Cinnamon Roll Fair. These quintessential rolls will not disappoint. In fact, you may not be able to eat another roll after you try these. Every so often, a huge sheet of ‘em comes out of the oven and you can smell it clear down the block. Each roll is approximately six square inches of swirled dough, sugar and cinnamon. You’ll probably want one all to yourself but be forewarned—this one’s a belly bomb. You can also opt for toppings, like macadamia nuts, cream cheese, pecans or pineapple—although we don’t know why you’d wanna ruin such a perfect creation with such triflings.
2463 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 879-5177. (SC)
Stillwell’s Bakery & Cafe
Once you’ve had the banana cream pie from Stillwell’s you won’t want one from anywhere else. The pudding filling is perfect over a chocolate-lined crust studded with bananas. It took me a while before I could order anything besides the pie, but they also have fabulous cakes, chocolate croissants, fresh fruit tarts and fresh baked breads. Their lunches are awesome, with a great selection of crisp salads like ceasar, tofu and crab. The sandwiches are large and come on their baked breads with all the traditional fillings. They also have soup and roll for $3.95. Just be sure to follow it up with dessert.
1740 Ka’ahumanu, Wailuku, 243-2243. (JR)
Krispy Kreme
There’s something in this corporate conveyor belt donut that pleases the masses. If you happen to drive by and see the red neon sign out front lit up, that means they have hot glazed donuts. If you stop inside they hand you a free one just so you can get hooked on ‘em. I am truly a donut junkie and can never get out of Krispy Kreme without a dozen original flavor donuts. They have lots of other flavors of donuts but I can’t seem to find one better than the original.
433 Kele St., Kahului, 893-0883. (JR)
Your local health food stores
Just because you’re living healthy doesn’t mean you need to skimp on the goods. I’m talking yummy pies, cakes, cookies and breads, only with natural food alternatives like fresh fruit, carob and molasses sweeteners, wheat and whole grain flours and anything organic. Gluten-free, preservative-free and open range—it’s all good.
Alive & Well
340 Hana Hwy., Kahului, 877-4950.
Down to Earth
305 Dairy Rd., Kahului, 877-2661;
1169 Makawao Ave., Makawao, 572-1488.
Hawaiian Moons
2411 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, 875-4356.
Honokowai Farmers’ Market
3636 L. Honoapi’ilani Rd., Honokowai, 669-7004.
Mana Foods
49 Baldwin Ave., Paia, 579-8078. (SC)
Your local supermarket
Just know that you aren’t supporting the little guy when you come in for your convenient corporate cheese Danish. Yes, one-stop shopping is the key ingredient here, and most markets feature a large selection of everything fresh baked you could want. Check your local listings, there’s one near you. (JR) MTW
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