Your Cheat Sheet for Honolulu’s Chinatown
Oahu’s historic Chinatown may just be Hawaii’s trendiest neighborhood yet. Here’s how to tackle its unique mix of boutique shops and old-school charmers.
Photographs by Eve Kolenko
When tourists think of Honolulu they typically imagine the sandy beaches of Waikiki. But beyond fruity cocktails at chain hotels, Honolulu is home to one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States. After World War II the neighborhood became a somewhat run down red-light district, but now it’s a thriving part of town where you can get everything from vintage Hawaiiana to shaka-inspired latte art.
1. APB Skateshop
APB is the city’s biggest hub for skaters (and skatewear enthusiasts). One wall is paneled in brightly colored skate decks, another devoted to graphic tees, many exclusive to the shop. Sneakerheads: Be sure to follow @apbskateshop for a heads-up on limited-edition releases.
2. Roberta Oaks
This airy boutique arrived in Chinatown in 2009, laying the groundwork for a new wave of lifestyle shops. Visit for the slim-cut aloha shirts in modern pastel prints and other Instagram-friendly beach gear, like tasseled market baskets and flamingo pool floats.
3. Echo & Atlas
Picture the coolest woman you know — the one who can pull off a linen jumpsuit like it’s NBD — and then picture her house. E&A is where she stocks up on those hand-formed ceramics, leather-handled belly baskets, and Tibetan lamb’s wool pillows.
4. Tin Can Mailman
This specialist in vintage Hawaiiana hawks tiki mugs, hula dolls, and art books. The real gold is the paper ephemera: Dig and you might find a collectible map of the Big Island or a midcentury lobby card for one of Elvis’s movies shot in Hawaii. (808–524–3009)
5. Hound & Quail
With its mounted animal heads and maritime compasses, this stylized antiquities shop has the dignified air of a gentleman’s trophy room — if trophy rooms also displayed gas masks and creepy science equipment. Check out The Outpost, a multi-use gallery space in the basement.
6. Owens & Co.
The perfect spot to load up on gifts for yourself and others. A good haul includes Cultivate Hawaii’s tropical tea towels, gold-flecked ceramic necklaces from Aloha Clay, and a bar of lilikoi soap from Maui’s Shaka Street Soap Works.
7. Barrio Vintage
What this bijou shop lacks in square footage, it makes up for in racks of eye-popping maxidresses (hello, Emilio Pucci!) and affordable costume jewelry. You’re as likely to discover a theatrical floor-length Japanese kimono as an all- American 1960s cheerleading uniform.
Drop Your Bags and Recharge
Local Joe
This coffee shop is known for its latte art, which includes everything from a shaka sign to the foamy visage of a crying Kim Kardashian.
The Pig & the Lady
You haven’t lived until you’ve sunk your teeth into chef Andrew Le’s Vietnamese spin on a French dip, served with a ramekin of pho au jus for dipping.
Sun Chong Grocery
This old-school Chinese grocer is best known for its bounty of dried and fresh fruits, including ripe Hachiya persimmons, bundles of juicy Kaimana lychees from Hilo, and Kona mangoes as big as your face. (808–537–3525)
Cindy’s Lei Shoppe
Cindy Lau has been making leis, corsages, and haku (flower crowns) at this tiny storefront for more than 50 years. A necklace of fragrant orchids costs $8.
Pegge Hopper
Painter Pegge Hopper has run her eponymous gallery for more than three decades. She changes up the exhibitions a few times a year, but the emphasis is always on Hawaiian art and artists. An original Hopper work might cost you $2,000, but you can buy a signed print for as low as $10.
About the author: Ashlea Halpern is the co-founder of Minnevangelist and editor-at-large for AFAR Media. She edited New York Magazine’s pop-up travel blog, The Urbanist, and writes regularly for Airbnb Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Artful Living. After spending almost four years traveling Asia, Australia, the Arctic, and North America, she settled in Minneapolis, MN — the most underrated city in the lower 48, bar none. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @ashleahalpern and @minnevangelist.
