Anyone who knows me knows my love for vegan sushi. Years ago, I didn’t even know vegan sushi was a thing, but once discovered it quickly became my favorite. 

I’m not talking about the basic, boring veggie rolls either. I love great vegan sushi because it takes true creativity. Thinking outside the box. Experimenting with different flavors and textures. It’s an art. Now I’ve made it my mission to taste all the vegan sushi I can find. 

So it’s no surprise that when I randomly came across Satori, I had to pay them a visit. Immediately. It was a Sunday, and we had no plans to leave our jungle home, but when you hear there’s new vegan sushi on island, everything else goes out the window and that 40 minute one way drive doesn’t sound so bad. 

We fell in love with Satori after our first visit, and knew we had to get the story behind the sushi. 

Satori began as a vision of Morgan Miller’s, who’s dad was also an owner and chef of a sushi bar in Tahoe during his childhood. He spent two and a half years, through many ups and downs and help from friends, working on this beautiful food truck. The attention to detail is impossible to miss. Made of bamboo, @mo_tahoe told us the story of his first go finishing Satori, where he used the wrong sealant and had to completely start over! Talk about a labor of love. We can’t get enough of the bamboo and woodwork on this food truck, complete with a sushi bar and flat top grill, Satori is truly one of a kind. 

Morgan connected with Destinee Perata, who became Satori’s head chef. Together they brought his dream to life. Although they do serve fish, they wanted to create plant based sushi for the Maui community as well. That inspiration began when Morgan was working at Maui Kombucha in Haiku, where he experienced first hand how delicious vegan food can be. With @destineeperata being vegan herself with years of experience as a sushi chef, it only made sense that pure gold would be coming out of this kitchen! 

It all starts with locally sourced, organic ingredients. Living on Maui, we are so blessed by the abundance of this land. I love that Satori is committed to sourcing their ingredients from our local farmers.

You can find Satori parked right on Baldwin Avenue in Makawao. Their location is super cozy, with a few picnic tables and garden vibes in their lot. They are sometimes joined by other vendors, including Humbowl Wagon. Sushi with an açaí bowl for dessert? Yes, please. 

All of their creations are unique and bursting with flavor. My absolute favorite roll has to be the Great Roll of China. This is one of their specials, and is like a delicious vegan stir fry wrapped up in a roll. Grilled baby bak choy, purple cabbage, daikon and carrot, topped with grilled eggplant, house made teriyaki and fried garlic. This roll is so hearty and satisfying! 

I’m always a sucker for pesto, so the Green Goddess is another one of my top picks. Vegan macadamia nut pesto, pea sprouts, cucumber, avocado, lemon and umami salt, the flavors are bright and earthy, like a big salad. 

I was surprised by how much I loved their Hamakua Mushroom appetizer, as I’m not the biggest mushroom fan. These mushrooms have a meaty texture, marinaded with Satoris yummy home made teriyaki sauce and served over rice, this appetizer is a must have dish on the menu.

One of their most unique rolls is Da Kine. Dragonfruit, mango, cucumber, cilantro, avocado and mango coconut cream, this roll has a refreshing, dessert vibe to it. I love the flavor combinations on this one, who else comes up with this stuff?!

Not only does Satori have amazing sushi, they also have vegan ramen! One of the newer dishes on the menu, this was the best bowl of ramen I’ve had since I’ve been on the island. Chickpea miso, organic ramen noodles and farm fresh veggies like mushroom, carrot and jalapeño, perfect for these chilly upcountry days we have coming up. 

As much as I love dining at vegan only establishments, I also love that Satori has conscious options for everyone in the family. They are proud to source all local fish. Their ahi, marlin and kampachi are from a sustainable farm in Big Island, completely free of mercury and parasites. Patrick absolutely loved the Kauai roll, featuring Kauai shrimp from a state of the art sustainable farm on the Garden Isle. He also recommends their signature Spicy Lilikoi Tuna roll, with ahi, avocado, cucumber, shiso, Lilikoi aioli and mac nuts. 

If you’re looking to try something new and one of a kind on island, we highly suggest giving Satori a visit. Not only is the food amazing, the vibes are so nice. Great meals always served with plenty Aloha. 

Big mahalo to Morgan and Destinee! We look forward to many more visits to Satori, and are excited for the gifts you bring to our community.