Penne Pasta Cafe — Restaurant in Maui

Working in the area, I need to find places to eat lunch and occasionally dinner. There are many choices, which I'm thankful for so I can switch it up and not get bored or eat the same thing daily. But, this place so far, I have gone back to multiple times already. What I've tried so far has been absolutely DELISH!!! First, I'm soooo happy they are right across the street. They have specials so call ahead to find out if you have time limits... And the regular menu has a nice amount of choices too. I want to try everything on the menu, with minor disappoints, this place is a gem, tucked away on a side street. the fettuccine Alfredo with lobster (a special) and it was great! I was surprised because it's a small, cafe, with outside seating if you prefer. I did not think it would be as good as it was. The lobster was cooked perfectly...sweet and melted in my mouth. It was cut up into bite sized chunks and they were generous too. Portions are a good amount. I have ordered it three times already. A few of the ladies in the office also tried it and agreed. I would like two pieces of the crustini that come with it, but I'm a carb lover. The oven-roasted butternut squash with almonds, sage, and butter is also good. It's a side dish and would compliment any pasta, but I had that for lunch one day and loved it. I like the beets, and it would have been perfect if fresh beets were used. Oven baked and seasoned with fresh herbx and butter, but it was still very good. The cheese stuffed butter squash ravioli is also great, but a special so not always available. Loved that sauce. So far my taste buds get excited and my tummy content. Prices are on the higher end of the spectrum, but, I figure if the staff is nice and friendly, the food tastes good, and the location is perfect, the Universe is telling me something!! I would come with friends or not, for lunch or dinner on a day off and I would need to drive about 35 miles or 40 minutes just to eat. Thank you Penns Pasta ~ my compliments...

I am vegan and gluten-free so I was very excited to find this place because I couldn't find anywhere else in the area that did gluten-free pizza crust as well as vegan cheese. They close at 9:30 p.m. and I started calling at about 8:45 to place a to-go order. We tried calling several times with no answer. We then went in person and found the door locked and the employees inside cleaning up. When I attempted to open the door they acted like they didn't see me but I'm sure they did. Disappointed I walked back to our car but my husband said that was unacceptable as it was only 9 p.m. and it said on the door they were not supposed to close until 9:30. So he knocked on the door. One of the employees seemed reluctant at first to except our order and went to check with the chef first. The chef eventually said that it was fine & took the order. The staff were polite but this whole scenario was quite annoying since they were still supposed to be open for another half an hour. They said they just closed early because it was slow but that makes no sense because we'd been trying to call to place an order and they just weren't answering. As someone who works in customer service, I totally understand wanting to hurry up and go home in the evening, but definitely found this to be an annoying experience. With all that said though, the pizza tasted really good, although it was a little undercooked. And I hate to give bad reviews to any restaurant that has vegan and gluten-free options as I deeply appreciate them! But I feel like this situation needed to be expressed.So because of that I am still giving them 4 stars. I will still go back next time I'm in Maui and would like to try more of their vegan gluten-free options. I just think that their customer service could be improved based on the situation. I want to thank the owners for having these amazing...

Times visited: 1

Was VERY impressed by the friendly staff, the taste of the food, and the atmosphere of the establishment. Prices were high compared to the mainland, but the experience was enjoyable enough to rate it and regard it highly. Recommended!

Came here with my father and we enjoyed a nice quiet meal of some really delectable pasta! My dad got a Caesar salad with the fettuccine alfredo and a chicken add in, while I got the baked penne and we both shared a garlic mozzarella cheese bread.

Of the Caesar salad, my dad said it was "good" with no extra notes.

Of the fettuccine alfredo with chicken, my dad said he prefers a thicker sauce but enjoyed the taste and the noodles.

Regarding the baked penne, it came in a ceramic bowl and it stayed hot the entire time which was awesome, kept the cheese all melty the whole course of the meal. It was also amazing when I dipped the garlic mozzarella bread into it. But the taste was really good and I finished my entire plate.

I do have to say the show stopper is the garlic mozzarella bread. Good heavens! That is incredible. It would be worth it to go back here and just to share one of these with a friend. It is absolutely to die for and when combining it with the different sauces of the pastas that really elevated the experience to a completely new level. I will dream about that bread. Please get it.

Overall I would recommend the establishment. Like I said I'm not very keen on the prices ($65+ for two people). They are MUCH higher than I would like and much higher than I think is fair, however, at least the food was delicious unlike some other establishments that I've been to while in Maui that had overpriced food and did not have the taste to back it.

Thank you Penne Pasta Cafe! I hope to return with my family. Thank you for the...