Lexington Chinese restaurant closing, but another is moving in. What will change?
A Lexington Chinese food staple recently announced on social media it was closing, but another restaurant says it’s moving into the location as soon as it can to fill the void.
The Wok, which Hoang Duong Jr. took over from his uncle at 537 Waller Ave. in late 2019, said in a Facebook post its last day for business will be Aug. 15.
But China Hut, which recently closed after not renewing its lease nearby on Lane Allen Road, will reopen at The Wok location, rebranded as New China Hut.
“By chance they stopped by here, and we negotiated a deal,” Duong said.
That includes New China Hut taking over the lease from Duong and the equipment inside the restaurant.
Kevin Yau, owner of New China Hut, said his restaurant will have the same phone number as his old location and the same menu. They take over Duong Aug. 16 and hope to reopen at the end of August or early September.
Yau said they will not keep any menu items from The Wok, which was previously known as Pete’s Wok until Pete Spencer sold the business to his nephew. In the early 2010s, the original Pete’s Wok was near the old Kennedy Bookstore, by the University of Kentucky.
Duong, the third generation of chefs in his family, says he is not done in the restaurant business in Lexington and will have an annoucement on his next move in about a week.
