Image: Alley Market
Chinatown’s newest indoor market has officially opened, filling a former supermarket with international street food, local makers and more than 20 small businesses.
Alley Market has taken over the former Hong Kong Supermarket site at 95 Grote Street, bringing night-market energy to the prominent Chinatown corner every Thursday through Sunday.
Created by Stephy Ngu and her husband, the team behind Make The World Better Markets, the permanent venue gives visitors the chance to move between stalls, try dishes from several cultures and discover small businesses in one visit.
The market’s opening weekend offered the first look at a diverse mix of vendors serving everything from Korean fried chicken and Malaysian comfort food to matcha treats, Filipino drinks, burgers, baked goods and Hong Kong and Taiwanese-inspired dishes.
Vendors will rotate during the market’s initial weeks, meaning some favourites will return while other stalls may only appear for a limited time.
This changing line-up is intended to make each visit feel different, giving people a reason to return for dinner after work or explore the market again over the weekend.
Affordability is also central to the concept, with many dishes expected to sit around $15 or less. Rather than purchasing one large meal, visitors can choose several smaller dishes and support multiple independent businesses.
Images: Alley Market
Among the first food businesses to join Alley Market is Noodle Good, which is serving a menu of warming dishes and street snacks inspired by Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“There is something for everyone, and it is a great place for families to enjoy a lively atmosphere,” Joshua from the Noodle Good team said.
The night-market-style concept made it an ideal place for the team to introduce locals to street snacks and warming dishes inspired by Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“The team behind the venture wanted to create a place that feels fun, lively, and full of variety,” Josh said.
Noodle Good is serving everything from sesame oil chicken with ginger and herbal pork rib soup to braised beef brisket and hot and sour sweet potato noodles.
Known as suan la fen, the latter combines chewy sweet potato noodles with sour, sweet, spicy and salty flavours, with both the broth and sauce prepared in-house using the stall’s own recipe.
“We believe we are the first in South Australia to offer Hot & Sour Sweet Potato Noodles.”
The dish has already become one of the stall’s biggest sellers.
“Our most popular items so far are Hot & Sour Sweet Potato Noodles and braised beef brisket.”
“We use premium Australian beef brisket, slow-braised until rich, fragrant, and full of flavour.”
The richly marinated braised beef brisket can be served with radish in Chu Hou sauce or tender tofu, with both options arriving in generous bowls designed to keep the winter chill at bay.
Visitors can also explore Malaysian flavours at MalayaLane, including its Ramly Special Chicken Burger, cheesy Roti John, crispy snacks and creamy teh tarik.
The stall is also serving its Nasi Ganja Ipoh as a weekend special, adding another comforting and flavour-packed option to the market’s rotating line-up.
Beyond the food, Alley Market includes makers, artists and other small businesses, creating a space where visitors can shop, eat and spend time with friends without needing to book or commit to a formal meal.
The team behind the market hopes it will eventually become more than somewhere to grab dinner.
Following its first weekend, the organisers said they wanted Alley Market to grow into a place where people could explore, connect, support local businesses and experience different cultures under one roof.
With affordable dishes, new stalls to discover and vendors changing across the coming weeks, Alley Market is shaping up as a new weekly Chinatown ritual.
Alley Market
When: Thursday and Friday: 5pm–10pm, Saturday and Sunday: 11am–10pm
Where: Alley Market, 95 Grote Street, Adelaide
For more, click here.
