English Market owner Fabio Iannone is preparing to open a Chinese restaurant in the heart of Hamilton.

Wok this Way at 57 Victoria Street will act as both a takeaway restaurant and a kitchen for his grocery store the English Market, which is relocating from Church Street to Front Street.

“Because we are moving out of the Washington Mall we needed a new kitchen for the grocery store,” Mr Iannone explained. “When we took over the old Sung Sing location I thought, the place already has everything needed to continue to operate as a takeout restaurant. We might as well keep running in that way with the same style of Asian food.”

Wok This Way will provide food for the English Market’s popular lunch buffet also service people looking to grab a quick bite on the eastern side of town.

“There will be lots of Asian options in the English Market’s buffet,” Mr Iannone said.

He hopes to have both the grocery and takeout operating by the second week of February.

The Sung Sing Restaurant was previously located in the space on Victoria Street, but closed in 2023.

“The restaurant had to be renewed completely,” Mr Iannone said. “It needed new equipment, plumbing and electrical and deep cleaning. I like to start fresh.”

Wok this Way will employ a supervisor and four chefs.

Mr Iannone opened the English Market in the Washington Mall in October 2021. A satellite location followed on Rose Hill in St George’s a year ago.

He said opening a full-size supermarket for the second time has only been marginally easier than the first time.

“It is a little bit simpler, because I have been through the process,” he said. “But the English Market at 55 Front Street will be double the size of the old one, so that brings its own challenges.”