This marvellous colonial arcade is the repository of many of the street vendors swept off the street in the clean-up campaign and is easily the best place to sample local Hainanese dishes. On weekends and busy nights, expect opera and other traditional performances on the stage in the open atrium. There’s plenty of seating.
Directly to the left of the Qilou building, a traditional covered alley sells snacks (cash only) such as cumin-roasted corn and Muslim-style meat-stuffed pastries in a slightly less touristy setting.