With its refreshing cool climate and sprawling ranchland, Makawao is a picturesque little town in Upcountry Maui.
When I was a kid, home was just a 15-minute drive from the area, and on weekends my family would pick up cream puffs and sticks of doughnuts from T. Komoda Store & Bakery, and on special occasions, we’d all go to Makawao Steak House for dinner. I still remember the rustic interior, the salad bar, and the mess I’d make eating the baby back ribs.
Now when I visit Maui, I always make time to swing through the Upcountry neighborhood. I still pick up a pastry or two at Komoda’s and these days, I also order a mushroom chai latte from Vida by Sip Me. Then I stop in at Holoholo Surf to swoon over the shop’s bikinis and muʻumuʻu, and grab lunch at Freshies. And between eating and shopping, I almost always stop and chat with people I run into, many of them I’ve known since I was a kid.
Photo: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)/Tommy Lundberg
Today, trendy boutiques neighbor many of the town’s old-school businesses, and I’ve come to appreciate that. I’ve also come to greatly admire the community’s close-knit bonds and history.
Once an old plantation neighborhood and a stomping ground for paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys), remnants of the past remain. From historic buildings once home to K. Matsui Store and Iwaishi Store, to the island’s cowboy culture, you can’t help but imagine a simpler era.
Strolling down Baldwin Avenue, I always feel the warmth of the small-town community, and I fall in love with Makawao all over again.
Here are nine reasons to love Makawao on Maui.
1. Makawao’s Paniolo History
Makawao’s ranching roots run deep. Since the 19th century, paniolo have wrangled cattle across Hawaiʻi, and this town is well-known its cowboys, past and present. Today, events like the Makawao Rodeo, held every Fourth of July weekend, and the Makawao Parade, held the Saturday before Independence Day, celebrate the Islands’ unique cowboy culture.
2. T. Komodo Store & Bakery
Photo: Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)/Tommy Lundberg
Opened in 1916 just a few blocks from its current location, T. Komodo Store & Bakery is one of the oldest businesses on Maui. The family-owned store is popular for its cream puffs, malasadas and glazed doughnuts.
3674 Baldwin Ave., Makawao
3. Maui Cookie Lady
If you love baked goods and desserts, you’re in a sweet spot. Once you pick up a box of pastries from T. Komodo Store & Bakery, you can walk across the street to Maui Cookie Lady. The shop is famous for its ginormous cookies. In December, Maui Cookie Lady was recognized in a feature on “Good Morning America,” as one of the country’s best cookie delivery services in 2025.
3643 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, themauicookielady.com
4. Makawao Public House
Opened at the end of 2024 in the former Makawao Steak House, this pub-style restaurant has quickly become a popular spot among locals and visitors. It topped the list of best new restaurants in HAWAIʻI Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards in 2025. Makawao Public House pays tribute to the area’s heritage with Island-inspired dishes like mochiko ʻahi bites, birria ramen and kalbi-braised short ribs.
3612 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, makawaopublichouse.com
5. Vida By Sip Me
Photo: Grace Maeda
In 2014, Laura Night Opened Sip Me, which became known for its specialty coffees and decadent cinnamon rolls. For several years, Sip Me was the pulse of the town and a popular gathering place among Makawao residents and visitors. The café closed at the end of 2021 and reopened about a year later in a spot just up the street, this time as Vida by Sip Me. The café continues to specialize in creative lattes, irresistible pastries and fostering a sense of community.
3671 Baldwin Ave., Makawao, vidabysipmemaui.com
READ MORE: Makawao’s Popular Café Returns in a Colorful New Location as Vida by Sip Me
6. Holoholo Surf
This local surf shop is set right in the heart of Makawao. Here you can find a curated selection of Posh Pua bikinis, modern aloha wear and muʻumuʻu, as well as accessories.
3621A Baldwin Ave., Makawao, holoholosurf.com
7. Haku Maui
You can find Haku Maui tucked off Baldwin Avenue, surrounded by verdant foliage. There you can pick up a variety of gorgeous lei, handcrafted by owner Britney Texeira, who also holds workshops where you can craft your own lei with locally grown materials.
3643A Baldwin Ave., Makawao, hakumaui.com
8. Sewing Hui
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Back in 2020, a group of residents started sewing together to make face masks, establishing the Maui Face Mask Project. While the members were sewing masks for first responders and neighbors, they were also stitching together a tight tribe. So, when pandemic-related work concluded, the group evolved into the Sewing Hui and found new ways to help the community. Volunteers still meet weekly in a shop in Makawao, and the nonprofit welcomes visitors to spend a morning or afternoon volunteering, too.
READ MORE: The Maui Sewing Hui Gives Back One Stitch at a Time
9. Waikulu Distillery
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Perched on Baldwin Avenue, Waikulu Distillery is the only operation in Hawaiʻi producing blue agave spirits. You can tour the farm and sample spirits with distinct flavors from ingredients grown in Makawao.
READ MORE: Here’s Where to Experience Hawaiʻi’s Only Blue Agave Distillery
Grace Maeda is the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.
