Aside from checking out Waicoco, my other restaurant goal for our Maui trip was to finally try Sale Pepe Maui. Hailed as one of the best restaurants in the islands by many of Hawaii’s top chefs, Sale Pepe has long been on my to-try list. And I’m glad we finally got here. 

Sale Pepe’s origin story is part of its charm. Qiana, a native of Brooklyn, New York, met her husband, Michele, a native of Milan, Italy, at Michele’s restaurant in New York. The two vacationed on Maui while dating and eventually married during one of their visits! They loved Maui so much, however, that they decided to close Michele’s restaurant in New York and relocate to Maui, where they opened Sale Pepe.