The Oahu Market is Chinatown's covered wet market, open since 1904, selling fresh fish, tropical produce, and goods that reflect the full multinational character of Hawaii's food culture. The fish counter sells species pulled from Hawaiian waters that you will not find in mainland markets — opakapaka, onaga, ahi tuna, and live lobster. The produce section carries dragonfruit, jackfruit, lychees, taro, and other ingredients that reveal the Asian and Pacific roots of local cooking.
The market is at its best in the early morning when deliveries arrive. It is used by local cooks and chefs rather than tourists. Walk through with no particular purpose and stop at anything that looks interesting. Cheap bags of poi — the fermented taro paste that is Hawaii's traditional staple food — are usually available and worth trying.