Hawkers, a Florida-based restaurant with a menu that focuses on Asian street food, is nearing completion in South End’s Design Center. The restaurant will be the first Hawkers outside of Florida when it opens on Feb. 13; the only other location planned outside of Florida is in Atlanta.

The restaurant has a high-energy interior, with more than 1,000 posters plastered along the walls as you’d find on a city street. Neon signs buzz above the dining room. At more than 1,000 square feet, the Charlotte Hawkers will be the biggest location yet. Materials you’d find on the street, such as corrugated metals, help create a busy sidewalk vibe. A large bar will open up into the Design Center’s main plaza, as well as be the pick-up window for takeout orders.

On the menu are dishes you’d expect to see folks selling on the streets of Asia, including Korean wings, meat skewers, steamed buns, and spring rolls. There are sections for noodles and rice dishes, all inspired by the founders’ childhoods and family recipes. See the full menu here.

Leading the menu will be executive chef Ramon Wilson, who returns to Charlotte for the job. He’ll be in charge of a massive kitchen, including a wok station that looks out into the dining room. The sizzle and metal clanging of the woks will add background noise that will help recreate the street-side feel.

If all goes as planned, Hawkers will have 20 locations by 2020. The Charlotte location is number six. —Kristen Wile

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