New tenant is taking over old DeFazio’s/Sam’s Southern Eatery space. Here’s when:
It appears that a new tenant is taking over the old DeFazio’s building at 2706 N. Amidon, which has been vacant since Sam’s Southern Eatery closed there last year.
A new Facebook page appeared over the weekend for a restaurant called Himalayan Sherpa Indian & Nepali Cuisine, and posts said it would be opening soon. The owner has so far not responded to an email, a Facebook message, and a phone message, but the building’s owner said the restaurant should open on June 1.
According to the Facebook page, the restaurant will serve “authentic Nepali and Indian dishes made with traditional spices, fresh ingredients, and warm hospitality.” The page says the restaurant will serve momo, chow mein, curries, tandoori specialties and biryani.
Wichita’s last Himalayan restaurant was called Himali Eats, and it operated at 3832 E Douglas from 2020 to 2024. Owners Rita Rai and Tashi Sherpa specialized in momo, which are hand-made dumplings seasoned with Nepali spices. The couple closed the restaurant after they had a baby, and life got too hectic.
So far, the Sam’s Southern Eatery signs are still up on the building, where Italian restaurant DeFazio’s operated for 39 years until it closed in 2021. Sam’s Southern Eatery was in the space from March 2024 until August of last year.
This story will be updated if the owner responds with more information.
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