Florence, S.C. — Aloha Kitchen plans to leave its spot near the Pee Dee State Farmers Market and reopen downtown at 163 W Evans Street, with a soft opening aimed for before the end of the year.
The family-owned Hawaiian restaurant debuted near the market in 2023 and still operates at 2513 W. Lucas St. in Florence, where guests can call in orders at 843-702-0300. Posted hours remain Tuesday-Saturday 11 am- 8:00pm while the move is prepared. The new space is larger and is expected to add outdoor seating and new dishes.
The Evans Street building previously housed The Loft Downtown Bar and Grill, which closed in September. The same property also houses El Venue. Building owners who have been regulars at Aloha Kitchen invited the restaurant to relocate amid ongoing downtown Florence activity.
Downtown Florence is Florence’s historic commercial and cultural core, home to restaurants, museums, the Florence County Library, and the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center. The owners, a family of eight from the beautiful island of Maui, moved to Florence in 2020 and opened Aloha Kitchen by May 2023.
Favorites such as Hurricane Katsu and Ohana pack samplers with teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu and kalua pork are expected to carry over, with more offerings at the bigger location. The upstairs of the Evans Street building is separately planned for short-term rental apartments on a longer timeline into 2027.
