Hawkers Asian Street Food Opens In Franklin

Hawkers Asian Street Food’s second Tennessee location is now open in Franklin’s McEwen Northside.

The Florida-based Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant launched in 2011 and has since opened locations across seven states, including its East Nashville location, which opened in 2020.

Franklin’s new McEwen Northside restaurant is located on Aspen Grove Drive, featuring a large dining room, bar and outdoor seating. The space is decorated with vibrant lighting, posters and a custom mural by Nashville artist Eric ‘Mobe’ Bass.

“We have loved being part of Tennessee since the day we opened in East Nashville back in 2020, and Franklin felt like a natural next chapter for our brand,” Hawkers CEO and co-founder Kaleb Harrell said.

“It's really important for us that we want to be part of the community, and we kind of hand-select those communities we want to be part of, and this [Franklin location] hit every note,” co-founder and Brand Chef Allen Lo told the Williamson Scene.

Dishes include Lo Mein, Nasi Lemak, Jo-Hé Bag O’ Donuts, Roti Canai (made from Lo’s grandmother’s recipe) and much more.

“We created a menu that we wanted to go eat on the weekends,” Lo said, with much of the menu highlighting his family’s “generational recipes” from his home country of Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Singapore.

Hawkers also serves a variety of alcoholic beverages, including favorites like the Lemongrass Mojito, Margari-Thai and Tiger’s Tail, as well as non-alcoholic options like the Thai Iced Tea.

“Be prepared for an adventurous experience,” Harrell said. “This is more than just a restaurant. This is a night out, and as soon as you get here and see the menu, you'll know that.”