Homemade pastries, fresh mahimahi sandwiches, grilled pork chops, and ensemada (a fresh twirled bread brushed with butter and dipped in sugar) keep this little café jumping from morning till night. It's an excellent—and cheap—alternative to Lanai's expensive hotel restaurants.

The Dining Room at the Lodge at Koele is imbued with the ambience of a holiday dinner party almost every night: Flames blaze in giant stone fireplaces, and a pianist/vocalist zings between mellow jazz standards and contemporary Hawaiian faves. The menu reflects what's freshest and the chef's whims; wine pairings are suggested upon request. Playing off the theme of rustic luxury and the local passion for hunting, a venison preparation is always on the menu (perhaps a seared macadamia-crusted local venison loin over pureed parsnips and sliced brussels sprouts), along with traditional—often heavy—European fare (such as seared quail breast and quail leg confit over artichoke puree in an orange balsamic sauce). You'll likely be dazzled by the level of service; the waiters here are seemingly selected to handle the most discriminating guests.

Open Daily, dinner only.

Although the over-the-top decor (handblown Italian crystal chandeliers, Chinese-style antiques, and a glass ceiling) has been toned down, Manele Bay's Ihilani restaurant is a bit fussy for a beach resort where most of the guests are wearing designer flip-flops. The chefs combine local produce with fine ingredients from around the world (it's no small feat to get white truffles to Lanai!) in contemporary Italian cuisine. For something light, the chefs might candy grapefruit, roast beets, toss them both with goat cheese, and top the salad with a dollop of Maui onion mousselline, or roast lobster in white vermouth and garnish it with vegetable ribbons. On the more decadent side, they'll prepare a hearty portion of oregano-rubbed milk-fed veal. As the high prices reflect, it's always a memorable venue for a special-occasion dinner, especially given the undeniably romantic ocean views.

Dinner only; closed Sundays and Mondays.

Surprisingly, visitors to Lanai are likely to find the best meal of their trip at this unpretentious restaurant instead of one of the gilded Four Seasons resorts. While not quite casual, the Grille (which replaced the longstanding Henry Clay's Rotisserie in September 2008) is bright and welcoming, with lots of blond wood, sunny yellow walls, and the smell of home cooking. Maui's famed chef Beverly Gannon oversees the menu of tasty, well-prepared staples such as filet mignon, macadamia nut–crusted mahi mahi, and ahi poke. Prices are moderate (entrées average $28), although depending on what bottle you pick from the full wine list, it could turn into a pricey evening. Call a few weeks in advance for reservations in high season, and beware the delicious "Lanai Tai" cocktails—two will send you off to dreamland before you know it.

Open Wednesdays through Sundays 5 to 9 pm.

Formerly the Beach Restaurant, this informal spot for lunch and dinner at Manele Bay was upgraded when the Four Seasons took over in late 2005. Open-air seating under sun umbrellas means you can stroll up from the beach or hop out of the pool to tuck into fresh seafood plucked from the ocean by local fishermen. The day's catch might include a seafood ceviche of scallops, shrimp, mango, lime, and jalapeño piled in a martini glass, or thick slices of grilled ahi tuna spiked with pickled Asian vegetables, laid daintily over watermelon salad and Furikake rice, and finished with a drizzling of sesame dressing. Of course, burgers, wraps, salads, smoothies, and tropical cocktails from the Pool Bar are also available for lunch. The Ocean Grill's prices, though still a bit steep ($14 for a club sandwich), seem reasonable in comparison with the resort's other options.

Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

By day, it's a deli and sandwich shop; by night, cloth goes on the tables and casual Italian cuisine hits the plates. Go for the bruschetta—crispy and garlicky, it's topped by plenty of fresh tomato and basil—and one of Pele's substantial pastas (like bow ties with plump garlic shrimp or creamy three-cheese rainbow tortellini with freshly prepared Alfredo sauce). This is the only restaurant on Lanai outside of the hotels that has a liquor license, so you can sip on fruity concoctions, beer, or wine with your meal. The bright-yellow room is decorated with license plates. Now that they have one from every state in the union (and six foreign countries), they've started a collection of beer taps.

Closed Saturdays and Sundays.