Indian restaurant closes in Beaufort, but its dishes still available at local farmers markets

A few months after opening as a gourmet British-Indian cuisine restaurant, Vindaloo Junction at 27 Market in Beaufort, one of the only Indian food providers in Beaufort County, has closed.

According to a post on the eatery’s Facebook page, owners Kishan and Joanne Shah decided not to reopen their restaurant Jan. 20 after closing for the first two weeks of the month.

“There were several factors that went into the decision and it was a tough, but necessary one,” the post reads. “Both businesses required full-time attention and it became increasingly more difficult to give them both what they needed.”

The post states the Shahs will focus entirely on their business at local farmers markets, such as the Port Royal Farmers Market and the Bluffton Farmers Market, where their dishes originally gained popularity.

Kishan Shah said Thursday the decision for them was pretty straightforward; they gave their location in Beaufort a shot but found it to be a bit too quiet. He said customers still frequent their stand at the farmers markets, and they’ve been selling plenty of their dishes there.

“We gave the Habersham location six months, and it just didn’t pan out,” he said. “And our markets, we’ve built an extensive business off that, so we thought we’d concentrate on that.”

The business began as Bhajee on the Beach at the farmers markets, and the food was cooked out of the Big Bamboo Cafe kitchen on Hilton Head Island. Space became available in Habersham Marketplace when the former Spaghetti Club restaurant closed in the summer of 2016.

Vindaloo Junction opened its location there in July.

“We truly do appreciate all of your support and thank you for your understanding,” the restaurant’s post reads.

This story was originally published March 2, 2017 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Indian restaurant closes in Beaufort, but its dishes still available at local farmers markets."