Albert Street's Cheap and Cheerful Asian Food Hall Is Closing Its Doors for Good

The time is nigh for Albert Street's cheap and cheerful Asian food hall. Food Alley revealed via a Facebook post this week that it is set to shut up shop on Friday, 1 May, 2020.

While the vendors have been seriously impacted by the construction of Auckland Transport's multimillion-dollar public transport extension the City Rail Link, the closure is down to the development of a new building. It's the second Auckland food hall casualty in the past year. Long-standing food court Mercury Plaza was the first, which closed for good in October 2019 to make way for an underground train platform.

When it opened in 1992, Food Alley was one of the first Asian food halls in Auckland. The 12 kitchens in the space each have specialised menus reflecting either a country, region or signature dish — in one visit diners can hop between Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, India and Vietnam. Come lunch and dinner time, the dark inner city hall is a hive of activity with customers slurping up monstrous servings of mee goreng, pad Thai, kuey teow, papaya salad and noodle soup. The onsite bar is also famous for its generous pours and even cheaper prices.

Over the next three months the vendors are looking to celebrate what has been "an extraordinary run" for the venue. Food Alley will be taking last orders on Friday, 1 May, 2020.