If you have a craving for Hong Kong sticky ribs, crispy golden wontons or even some delicious soup dumplings, then you should check out Hawkers Neptune Beach. Hawkers is an Asian street-food restaurant. They have multiple locations, each with a unique style.
Recently I had the opportunity to try out Hawkers for the first time and get my own opinion on their food. When you first walk in you’re greeted with a lively setting. Hawkers has a very distinct vibe, with cozy lighting. It definitely gives a lively atmosphere. Hawkers isn’t too fancy and gives a more casual dining experience, while still being very professional.
Inside Hawkers are tables with seats, as well as booths and a bar. There is also an option to sit outside, so you can enjoy the lovely ocean-breeze. When you initially walk inside, a waiter escorts you to either an outside or inside table, your choice.
I was with my Dad, and we chose to sit inside because of the heat. Inside the music was very modern, with many trending songs as well as older songs from the 2000s. After we had ordered and received our drinks, we placed our food orders. I got some spring rolls and coconut shrimp, while my dad got the chow faan.
The spring rolls came first, and I was very surprised at their size. The appetizer comes with two, large spring rolls and a Vietnamese vinaigrette sauce. The spring roll was different from what I am used to, but it was a pleasant surprise. It was crunchy, with large slices of vegetables in the middle. The sauce was also good and complemented the roll well.
The coconut shrimp came shortly after, with five shrimp and a curry dipping sauce. The shrimp were also a nice surprise, as I usually am not fond of coconut, but I ended up enjoying it. The shrimp were cooked through and had a nice crunch. The curry sauce also worked well with the coconut taste of the shrimp. I later got sweet thai sauce which also went really well with the shrimp.
After I got my shrimp, my dad got his chow faan. The chow faan was in a large bowl with fried rice, chicken, shrimp, eggs and barbecued char siu pork. Since it was a large meal, we split the bowl, and it was delicious. The fried rice was cooked perfectly, and there was an equal amount of meat and rice in each bite. Out of all the meals we ordered, I would say that the chow faan was my favorite overall.
If you’re interested in some amazing Asian street food near the sunny Neptune Beach, then I totally recommend heading on down to Hawkers.
Image courtesy of Kennedy Cruse-Scott ’27 (Neptune Beach, FL).
