6 Unique Snacks You Have To Try at Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks on Oʻahu

Many of us grew up spending our hanabata days eating crack seed after school—dried, preserved fruits and nuts that range from salty, sour to sweet. Locals know that the best crack seed stores around town are those mom-and-pop stores that have been in business in decades.

Case in point: Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks. Like other things in Hawaiʻi that make it culturally special and diverse, you can thank the early immigrants during the plantation era for our obsession with these dried snacks from Asia. (Yes, you can buy online, too!)

Inside Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks near Ward in Honolulu.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

This snack shop has been selling Hawaiʻi favorites since 1988.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Owned by two brothers Shin and Jim Lin, Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks’ humble roots began as a vegetable stand in the North Shore in the ‘80s, selling produce there and also at the Aloha Stadium’s swap meet. When a retiring Japanese couple offered to sell their crack seed store at Ward Warehouse to them, the Lins took the opportunity to own a brick-and-mortar store, where they sold drinks, home goods, canned goods and their soon-to-be famous crack seed. Throughout the next few years, what used to be called Lin’s Market became Lin’s Hawaiian Snacks.

“My dad was lovingly called by customers as da pineapple man—he was always selling and letting people taste the pineapple snacks that we’d sold,” says John Lin, Shin’s son. “Customer would come from all over the place to try the pineapple li hing mui.”

The Lins still continue to sell at the Aloha Stadium swap meet—you can find them every weekend from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. After a devastating fire in 2020, they are currently rebuilding their warehouse, which is slated to reopen in the middle of 2024. Meanwhile, their storefront location on Kamakee Street in Kakaʻako is still bustling, selling more than a hundred varieties of crack seed. Its best sellers are the li hing pineapple, juicy lemon peel, sweet li hing mango, li hing apricots and much more.

Looking for something more unique? Here are a few currently in stock.

Dried baby squid. Yes, it’s pungent (you can even smell it before opening the bag!), but surprisingly popular, says Lin. “People come back to our store just for this stuff. You open it up and it will stink pretty bad!” Pro tip: people like to dip it in mayo or cook it first on the frying pan.

Dried dragonfruit.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Dried dragonfruit. This dark red, chewy snack has just the right amount of sweetness and you can taste the seeds still inside from the preserved dragonfruit.

Crispy crab. According to Lin, their whole, crispy crabs went viral on social media. People love the addictive crunch and saltiness of these tiny crabs in a bag.

“Unreal” Lemon Peel Bears. Jam-packed with tons of flavor, these sticky gummy bears hit next level delicious with homemade li hing mui and lemon peel powder.

Okra chips.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Okra chips. If you’re a fan of this green finger-fruit, you need to taste them in chip form. You can’t stop at one. They pack a serious crunch and the saltiness is just right, adding flavor without overpower the taste of the okra.

The unique dried dragonfruit tastes similar to dried cranberries.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Dried hibiscus. Did you know that hibiscus edible? These tart petals melt in your mouth with an almost cranberry-like flavor.

401 Kamakee St., (808) 597-8899, linsmarkethawaii.com