At the main entrance to the North Main Community, nestled behind popular Stone Avenue businesses lies a sweet little gem disguised as an average convenience store. Do not let this confuse. When you walk in, you will be pleasantly surprised with the unbelievable variety of craft and domestic beer, extensive wine selection and the best yet, Maria’s international cooking.
Exclusive Photography: FishEye Studios, Greenville, SC
Maria’s little bodega in the back nourishes everyone with a big smile, family style seating, and flavors you can’t find anywhere else in Greenville.
The History of the Drop-In Store…
In 1983, the Drop-In Store originally opened with Maria’s husband, Roland Gomes and his dad as partners. In 1985, Maria comes into the scene as the young, beautiful Goan wife. Background to this love story: When Maria was 16 she met Roland in their hometown of Goa, India. They immediately fell in love and married 3 days after her 18th birthday. Six months later she joined him here in Greenville. Fast-forward to 3 fantastic kids that are all involved in the family business: Carmen 25, Anthony 26, and Judith 28 all born and raised in Greenville, SC.
“I love experimenting. I love cooking.” With many tasting spoons in the kitchen, Maria experiments constantly as she learns more about the American palate. Yep, she can cook anything. You can stop by any day and order authentic dishes ranging from Indian samosas to hotdogs topped with Maria’s delicious homemade chili.
Maria didn't cook at first. After leasing out space to Valerie Rebellato, former owner of the Brazilian Café Paulista Grille, Maria started pursuing her own cooking dreams. She took over the space under Val's tutelage keeping the Latin American favorites such as the Cuban Sandwich, feijoada black bean stew, tamales and chicken enchiladas while adding her own Goan twist. As Maria explains, “I love Goan food. It’s mainly curries and an abundance of coastal seafood. It’s a fusion of Portuguese and Indian cooking.”
Maria uses only the finest ingredients with help from the community. For instance: Her produce is sourced locally from “Pops” (age 93) an urban farmer. The fresh-caught shrimp comes her Maria’s nephew in Charleston. The organic and/or cage free chicken is locally sourced from Vaughn’s Packing Company.
Stand-outs:
Top: Goan shrimp chili fry, Brazilian feijoada black bean stew and spicy shrimp tacos. Served with a Brazilian soda called Guarana, which has an apple-berry flavor. Yummmm.
Honestly, it’s hard to pick a favorite with all of her incredible daily specials. You never know what's going to come out of the kitchen. Case in point: I just inhaled an incredible, homemade veggie burger with all organic fresh ingredients and crispy fries.
A tip from the regulars: Grab yourself a 6 pack of your favorite craft, domestic or imported beer. Take a seat, order some delicious Maria food (no, you can’t go wrong here, it’s all good) and make a few new friends. Stay a while. It’ll be the greatest one, two or three hours of your day.
Watch out for Mike....
who jokingly warns us not to come on Tuesdays or Fridays, the which are coincidentally the days he visits from Landrum, SC. He’s been a regular for many years. Maria chooses his meals and also sends something home for his wife.
Greenville is a magical place. It has hosted international people and businesses since the turn of the century and its southern charm has accepted and encouraged diversity. This is especially true when it comes to food options. The list of family-run, international restaurants are constantly growing. You can check out Off the Grid Greenville (OTGG) prior features on SWAD, Mekong, and The Pita House to get an idea of how lucky we are to call Greenville home.
Café Hours: Monday-Friday 11am-2pm
Store Hours: Daily 6am-12am
709 North Main Street
Greenville, SC 29609
864-242-0111
