Pauoa Poke is a community poke shop located in Oregon.
The shop was started by Matt Saltman, who was born and raised in Pauoa Valley, on the island of ‘Oahu. Growing up in Hawai’i, one of Matt’s favorite foods was poke. When Matt left for college and moved to Portland, Oregon, he missed so many things about Hawai’i, but especially the food. Back in Portland, Matt began making small batches of poke on weekends, and delivering it to his friends who were also from Hawai’i, living in Portland, and missing the flavors of home. From there, Matt began to sell his poke at the local farmers market, as a way of sharing this local offering with the wider Portland community. And the rest is history.
“I want Pauoa Poke to stay a community shop, and a way for people to find comfort and joy in a little taste of home.”
Pauoa Poke is named after Pauoa Valley, a lush valley nestled between Nu’uanu and Papakolea on the island of ‘Oahu. Pauoa Valley’s waterways historically fed lo’i. Queen Lili’uokalani’s flower garden, Uluhaimalama, was also located in Pauoa Valley. When Queen Lili’uokalani was imprisoned by the United States government on January 16, 1895, her allies would bring her flowers like white awapuhi, carnations, tubarose, pikake keokeo, and plumeria from Uluhaimalama wrapped in newspaper, so that she could read the news of her people and her islands.
SUSTAINABility
Pauoa Poke is committed to operating in an environmentally sustainable manner. We source responsibly, minimize waste, promote energy efficiency, educate our customers, and continuously improve our sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the planet and promote a healthier future.