COLUMBIA — Alley Street Eats, an Asian street food restaurant that opened in July 2024, has closed its doors.
The restaurant closed on March 30, according to a sign posted to its doors at 4478 Rosewood Dr.
“It has been a pleasure serving our community, and we are truly thankful for all the memories, laughter and moments shared within our restaurant,” the sign read. “We appreciate your loyalty and the trust you placed in us for your dining experience.”
Staffing issues were the main cause of the closure, owner Sally Chung told Free Times.
“Everyone loved the food,” Chung said. “It was a tough decision, but we had to prioritize our family and kids.”
Siblings Sally and Joe Chung opened the restaurant to bring Asian cuisine to Columbia outside of the more common Japanese and Chinese offerings, the pair said ahead of the opening.
The restaurant offered staples such as Korean fried chicken, bao buns, Thai curry and Japanese ramen and Hong Kong braised beef noodle soup, with a focus on small plates, skewers and shareable portions
Sally Chung operates Freshe Poke locations on Huger Street and Forest Drive. Joe Chung runs the No 1 Chinese Restaurant on Garner’s Ferry Road.
Business will continue as usual at the siblings’ other restaurants, Sally Chung said.
Alley Street Eats, a new Asian street-style restaurant, is coming to the former Eric's San Jose on Rosewood Drive.
“We are taking a step back, but hoping another restaurant takes the space,” she said.
The Rosewood Drive building was formerly home to Eric’s San Jose, a Mexican restaurant which closed in 2022.
A “for rent” sign was posted outside the building on April 8. The building was last sold in February 2023 for $575,000, according to county tax records.