Find international delights at Alley 51
October 31, 2024
Celebrate family, culture and food at Alley 51, the Charlotte area’s newest global dining destination
story and photographs by Matt Chandler
Take an international trip without leaving the city, as the local food scene expands with the opening of Alley 51, an Asian food court in Pineville.
Charlotte’s food-hall trend has blossomed since Optimist Hall opened near uptown five years ago. The debut of Alley 51 follows recent openings of Urban District Market in NoDa and Monarch Market in uptown. Soon after its launch in May, we explored what Alley 51 had to offer.
Alley 51 is adjacent to Super G International Market, a grocery-store chain with three locations in North Carolina, including Charlotte, Pineville and Greensboro. The food court bustles with atmosphere — from colorful murals to open kitchens where you can watch your food being made and an entire section dedicated to kids, with fun arcade games and play zones. You’ll find authentic street food from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam at more than a dozen restaurants. Tenants include Saigon Café (Vietnamese fare), Yume (ramen and sushi) and Honey Cow Desserts.
The indoor food court can be accessed through a separate entrance off to the side of the main grocery store — just look for the marquee-style letters and a big, illuminated arrow. There’s a patio in the back with another vibrant mural and picnic tables in a family-friendly environment.
Before dinner, we sat at the bar at Itaewon, a Korean bar and restaurant, and enjoyed a couple of cocktails: a lychee martini garnished with fruit, and Itaewon’s spin on a mango margarita. Both were intriguing, flavorful and made-to-order. Cheers!
Next, we headed to MUKJA, a Korean street food stall, where we tried the OG Kimbap. This flavorful sushi-style roll, enough to be shared by two or enjoyed as an entrée, is packed with carrots, spinach, egg, ham, crab and radish. At Quicitop, a Chinese street-food stall, we tried the Braised Pork Roasted Cold Noodles, made with egg and enoki mushrooms.
Continuing our food tour, we tried bao buns from Honey Buns II: a BBQ Pork Bun with a rich, savory center and a sweet-and-tangy Teriyaki Chicken Bun. Both were filling, and watching the chefs make and steam buns behind the glass added to the experience. We didn’t feel like customers; it felt more like meeting new friends.
“This is our second location, but our story has much deeper roots,” says Carolyn Quach, general manager at the family-owned restaurant. “Our journey began in 1961 in Taiwan,” she says. “In 2012, we took a leap of faith and opened our first U.S. location [on Independence Boulevard] in Charlotte. It was a big step, but one filled with hope and pride in continuing our family’s legacy,” she continues. “Every steamed bun, every bowl of noodles, carries decades of tradition, love and hard work — now shared with a whole new community in Charlotte and Pineville.”
Her menu recommendation: If you try one thing at Honey Bun II, Carolyn says go with the Hong Kong-style BBQ Pork Bun or a Vietnamese-style Jumbo Pork Bun — both rich and satisfying, and made with recipes that have been in their family for generations.
Lastly, for dessert, we sampled doughnuts from Mochinut, which specializes in unique flavors like matcha, churro and choco-banana. Each confection — think doughnut holes strung together to make one tear-apart doughnut — tasted as delightful as it looked through the display counter.
We opted for strawberry, s’mores and peanut butter — the spongy texture was unlike any doughnut we had ever tried. Mochinut also serves Korean corn dogs and boba tea drinks.
Bring your appetite, your friends and family. You’re in for an experience that will leave you planning your next visit. So, what will you try first?
Mark your calendar: Alley 51 is hosting Midnight Alley, two nights of live music, street food and performances Nov. 23-24. SP
