LANA‘I - Maui: Including Molokai and Lanai - page 553

Pele's Other Garden (811 Houston St., 808/565-9628, www.pelesothergarden.com ,
lunch 11am-3pm Mon.-Fri., dinner 4:30pm-8pm Mon.-Sat. $7-19) is the de facto hangout
of anyone hankering for a good sandwich or a cold draft beer. Why do I mention beer? Be-
cause outside of the hotels, this is the only restaurant on the island where you can get beer
on tap with a decent selection of the imports as well. The bistro also whips up healthy and
affordable food options, ranging from avocado and feta wraps to chicken parmesan. The
place is so popular that it accepts online reservations for dinner. Wednesday nights, when
the live band starts playing (7pm-10pm), are the closest Lana'i City gets to nightlife.
HAWAIIAN REGIONAL
Despite its location in what is often regarded as Lana'i's “third hotel,” the M Lana'i City
Grille (828 Lana'i Ave., 808/565-7211, www.hotellanai.com/grille , 5pm-9pm Wed.-Sun.,
$15-38) takes the cake for the island's finest restaurant. Under the direction of award-win-
ning chef Bev Gannon (of Hali'imaile General Store fame), Lana'i City Grille puts out a
fine dinner menu that is usually reserved for birthdays, anniversaries, proposals—or a spe-
cial vacation. The fare here is going to be more expensive than at the hole-in-the-wall plate
lunch stands, of course, but when the waiter serves you a plate of pan-roasted venison loin
with a mushroom risotto, cost gets thrown to the wind, and you become wrapped up in
culinary splendor. It's paired with the island's most comprehensive wine list. Reservations
are highly recommended, particularly on Friday evenings when the live jazz band provides
the best entertainment anywhere in town.
COFFEE SHOPS
LANA'I NIGHTLIFE
You don't visit Lana'i for the nightlife. Evening is that inconvenient stretch of dark-
ness which brings outdoor adventure to a halt. There are no nightclubs or dinner
shows on Lana'i, and outside of the hotels there is only one place you can even
order a beer (Pele's Other Garden). Nevertheless, there is still a semblance of activ-
ity on certain nights of the week-just don't expect it to stretch past 10 o'clock. On
Wednesday the party is at Pele's Other Garden (811 Houston St., 808/565-9628,
www.pelesothergarden.com ) , where live music rocks the bistro 7pm-10pm, and on
Friday 6:30pm-9:30pm there is live island music featured at the Lana'i City Grille
(828 Lana'i Ave., 808/565-7211, www.hotellanai.com/grille ) . Occasionally music