Hilton Head tears down Tex-Mex joint, clears way for beach parking. Will it be free?
Tex-Mex fans be warned: Those with a craving for nachos and enchiladas find only a giant orange excavator and a pile of debris next time they venture to this popular Hilton Head restaurant.
Demolition is underway for the building that once housed Aunt Chiladas Easy Street Cafe, which closed its doors in September after 36 years on the island.
The town of Hilton Head purchased the site for $2.9 million in October, with hopes it could be a site for public parking due to its proximity to Coligny Beach and Lowcountry Celebration Park. The town purchased the former Wild Wing Cafe across the street for the same purpose.
When will more parking come to Coligny Beach?
Beachgoers will be able to park on the Aunt Chilada’s site by this coming Memorial Day weekend, but the town won’t add any new parking spaces to the existing lot this year.
Instead, the town will seal and restripe the 89 existing parking spaces at the site, and add lighting, signage, and cameras, according to town spokesperson Heather Woolwine. “Additional improvements” will be considered after the current beach season, she added.
Town officials indicated in September that the property could fit between 115 and 130 parking spaces. The Wild Wing Cafe property could fit 110 to 140 spots.
Following months of discussion on the topic, the town council moved in October to create an “ad-hoc working group” to study parking in the Coligny Beach/Pope Avenue area. The committee’s final report is due Sep. 30.
The former Wild Wing Cafe is still standing as of Monday. A demolition permit was issued for the joint in October, but the project has not yet passed a pre-clear inspection, according to town records. However, members of the public are currently free to park in any of the spaces on the property, according to Woolwine, but they should avoid parking in the bordering retail parking lot, which is for retail customers only.
Will parking at Coligny Beach continue to be free?
Parking at the former Aunt Chiladas site will be free, according to Woolwine.
Paid parking on the island’s public beaches went into effect March 1, with lots near Coligny Beach is currently exempt from the fees, according to the town’s website. However, the town’s beach parking ordinance lists Coligny Beach Park as “paid parking area.”
Until the town finalizes its study of the parking environment in the area, it’s unclear what will happen to the site in the future.
For beachgoers still concerned about their next Tex-Mex fix, Amigos Cafe Y Cantina just across the street is still serving up tacos, margaritas, and other Mexican specialties — no hard hats necessary.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 11:00 AM.
