Lunch plans, made: the delicious story behind Maria’s Kitchen inside Greenville’s best-loved bodega
The bodega is an urban institution: a pre-party stop for some, a diaper and doughnuts run for others, and a dining spot for many, these corner stores are fixtures in the lives of those who love them. And Greenville is home to one that is, ineffably, both a culinary icon and a best-kept secret: Maria’s Kitchen at The Drop-In Store.
Chances are, if you’re lucky enough to have had Maria’s cult-favorite shrimp tacos, fragrant samosas, or famous Goan burger, you’ve gone back for more. “These are home-cooked meals—whatever I feel like making. We’re not a restaurant. I just cook from my heart,” says the non-chef chef, Maria Gomes, who runs The Drop-In Store alongside her husband, Roland. The kitchen is her territory, however, and on any given day, the special board will feature a range of cuisines from Portuguese and Indian to Brazilian and Cuban. “My grandmother was an amazing cook, and I learned a little bit from her before I came to this country. But back then, I couldn’t find a single Indian restaurant in Greenville. So I had to learn how to cook to feed my family the dishes I loved.” Now, you’ll see those same dishes on her menu.
Bold Flavors from Maria’s Kitchen
The word “bodega” is from the Spanish la bodega—grocery store—and was once primarily associated with those found in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. The Drop-In opened on North Main in 1983 to fill a fast-grocery gap for the Greenville community, and over the decades, Gomes has watched the children who used to throw their bikes down on the sidewalk outside grow up to have children of their own. “We opened Maria’s Kitchen in 2014, and we were the first place where you could buy a $10 six-pack and have a home-cooked meal,” adds Gomes. “People loved it.”
Gomes’s food is a reflection of her heritage: international and bursting with bold flavor. “I’m from Goan, India, but our ancestors were from Lisbon, Portugal,” says Gomes, who travels home every few years to stock up on spices. “I roast all my spices whole, and I grind everything from scratch. All our meats are marinated and roasted in-house. I work with whatever ingredients are in season and available locally.” Her son curates the wine and craft beer selection, and her daughter does all of the baking—including a mouthwatering limoncello cake.
“Our regulars love the food, but they also love that we’re always here for them,” smiles Gomes. “Rain or shine or snow, we are never closed; 365 days a year and on Christmas, we are a resource for the community. If you run out of something, instead of going to the grocery store and standing in line, pop in here for peanut butter, craft beer, chili made from scratch. We might only have one or two things, but we’ll have what you need.”
709 N Main St, #1, Greenville. Open for lunch Monday–Friday, 11am–2pm. (864) 242-0111, drop-in-convenience-store.business.site
Photography by Andrew Huang.
