Innovative and creative entrepreneurs Alexa Caskey and Erica Gale of Moku Roots Maui are on the rise. Their restaurant has been named Best Plant-Based Food in Hawaii by Eat This, Not That, was voted second in Eater’s 23 Essential Maui Restaurants and was voted among Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the US in 2021.

Their vegetarian and vegan dishes are made with fresh, locally grown ingredients from Mala ‘Akala farm, and their menu is constantly changing in order to keep things exciting.

The two opened Moku Roots in May 2018 as Caskey, who had been vegetarian for 15 years already, wanted to create a restaurant with interesting vegetarian options as they were difficult to find on Maui. Gale was seeking to create a fun gathering space for people interested in healthy, locally grown food. They have taken off since then, also adapting to takeout orders when the pandemic hit.

Additionally, their commitment to sustainability and zero waste is appreciated by many as they avoid the use of single-use plastic. They offer to-go tins available for purchase or on deposit for those who don’t bring their own containers and wrap other food in locally grown ti leaves. With their commitment to zero waste, Moku Roots only produces about 2-5 pounds of trash per day for the entire restaurant.

They continue to encourage other restaurants to work to produce less waste than they currently do in order to help keep Maui beautiful.

Moku Roots is located at Lahaina Gateway and is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with happy hour daily from 3-5 p.m.