Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Best Pizza on Maui / Porto Artisan Pizza (Maui)



Best pizza on the island?  Portos Artisan Pizza in the Ma'alaea Harbor shopping center.

Move over Flatbread Pizza (in Paia), Portos pizza has topped my list as the best on the island.  I took a few locals here and they seem to agree.

Portos pizzas are robut in flavor, have a perfected pizza crust and are topped with fresh organic and locally grown toppings.  Their slogan "Pizza with a Purpose" alludes to the donations they make to the Pacific Whale Foundation.  I like sitting by the large windows (or patio) which offers a refreshing view of the blue Maui ocean--not too shabby for a pizza joint.  Prices are good and they have an inexpensive happy hour menu (3:30-5:30) for late lunchers and early diners.  I recommend ordering the Pizzettes--it's it's listed an 6-8 inch pizza...but in actuality it's more like an oblong 11x8 inch pizza (i.e. it's bigger than one would imagine).    


I didn't care too much for the locally themed pizza (i.e. Kalua Pig and Hawaiian pineapple pizza) but found their others (e.g. Roasted Maui Vegetable, Salsiccia di Pollo Italiana, Olivia, Maui Mushroom) to be solid.


Their salads were good, the soup and paninis okay--I'd stick with their specialty...pizzas.


Other reasons why I like Portos:

+ Supports local farms in Kula, Haiku and Pukulani
+ Organic produce when possible
+ Proceeds go for ocean research at the Pacific Whale Foundation

The only drawback for this place is the location.  Great ocean view...but hidden in the back part of the shopping plaza without alot of foot traffic.  I hope word gets out about the quality of pizzas here and that they stick around for awhile.  Ma'alaea Harbor is centrally located between Kihei, Lahaina and Wailuku.

300 Ma'alaea Road, Suite 106
Wailuku, Maui
808.858.8337




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