Maunakea Street is the central artery of Honolulu's Chinatown, and the Maunakea Street Marketplace occupies a converted warehouse that serves as the district's informal food court. Stalls sell dim sum, Vietnamese pho, Filipino silog breakfasts, and a range of Asian pastries from early morning. Prices are cheap — well under $10 for a filling meal — and the clientele is local rather than tourist.
The street outside is known for its lei shops, where vendors weave and sell fresh flower garlands from early morning. Plumeria, pikake jasmine, and orchid leis are the most common; carnation leis are available year-round. Buying a lei from Maunakea Street and having it placed around your neck by the seller is a more authentic version of the airport greeting. The street is also surrounded by herbalists, produce markets, and bakeries that collectively cover most of Honolulu's Southeast and East Asian food cultures.