Gelato (Italian Ice Cream)
This review could be summed up with one paragraph—actually, one sentence, the next one: Ono means “delicious” in Hawaiian.
Not good, not very tasty. Delicious. Gelato, the Italian version of ice
cream known for its dense texture and true, clean flavors, has arrived
on Maui, right at the crossroads of Baldwin Avenue and the Hana Highway
in Paia. This is very good news for anyone driving to Hana, because you must pass by it and therefore have a perfect excuse to stop in and indulge. Perhaps once each way.)
 One of the owners is a thirdgeneration gelato maker, and his mastery is evident in every hand-made batch. The use of local ingredients and flavors with high quality milk and cream and fresh water creates an experience that puts us back in our high chairs being handfed by our mothers. The little spoons just affirm the nurturing effect of the food. (Yes, this is food. It qualifies. We hesitate to even call it dessert and risk raising your dieting fears.)
Our favorites often include the non-dairy flavors, like Tangerine, Raspberry, Mango, Maui Gold Pineapple, and Seamist, a tangy combination of tea and lime.
Other must-tries (they let you sample before you decide) include Sour Cream (yup, it tastes like cheesecake), Gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut), Coconut, and Pistachio. Kula Strawberry is so good that we often capitulate and ignore all others.
You can combine flavors in even the smallest-sized dish, making Tangerine and Sour Cream, for example, a possibility. We also like Pistachio and Gianduja together. And believe it or not, Cappuccino and Raspberry is very, very ono.
There are several excellent-andaffordable restaurants in Paia, including Flatbread, Café Mambo, and Milagros Food Company, all within a block of Ono Gelato. After your dinner, we recommend shopping a little and then heading to this bright little corner shop for a decadent finish to your evening (they sell good coffee, too).
Don’t worry that there are no tables in the store—you will be so focused on your flower-shaped cup and tiny spoon and what is happening in your mouth that conversation with your companion will become secondary. Finish your gelato before it melts.
Ono Gelato
115D Hana Hwy, (crossroad of Baldwin Ave. and Hana Hwy)
Paia, Maui
808-579-9201
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm
Cost: $5-7 for gelato, kid-sizes available.
Known For: Gelato, Coffee, Tea
Credit Cards: MC, VS
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Ono Gelato 