People love their hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and Greenville has tons of them. One of my favorite things to do as a REALTOR® is to try new great restaurants around the Upstate. So let’s talk about some more of Greenville’s awesome hole-in-the-wall restaurants. (If you missed my first post about Greenville’s restaurants, check that out here.)
Without further ado, here are five hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Greenville, SC that you really need to try.
- Drop-In Store – A convenience store isn’t typically the place you want to go for lunch, but don’t let Drop-In Store fool you. In the back of the store, you’ll find some tables and a place to order from what is quickly becoming a favorite dining spot in Greenville’s North Main area. The food is cooked by a lady everyone knows as simply “Maria,” and her dishes deliver a unique fusion of Indian, Latin, and American comfort food. Tacos, soup, burgers, home-made tortilla chips – there’s so much to enjoy in the back of this little store, and at an extremely reasonable price. Grab a beer from the store section, and enjoy Maria’s fresh, delicious cooking. Location: 709 N Main St, Greenville, SC 29609.
- Pizza City – Before New York-style pizza was cool, Pizza City was rocking it. As one of Greenville’s oldest pizzerias, it would be easy to forget that Pizza City exists, but that would be a huge mistake. Pizza City absolutely nails the essence of New York-style pizza. (Trust me. As someone who grew up just outside of NYC, I know.) But there’s so much more than just great pizza here. This is the only place in Greenville where I’ve had an authentic calzone (also by NYC standards), and if you only have $6 for lunch, you’re in luck because that’s more than enough to cover their lunch special of two slices and a drink. There are other great pizzerias in Greenville, but Pizza City is near the top of the list. Location: 1547 N Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville, SC 29609.
- Sacha’s Cafe – If you aren’t consciously looking for Sacha’s, which is tucked away off of South Pleasantburg Drive near Bob Jones University, you won’t find it. And yet, like with any great hole-in-the-wall joint, the rave reviews from new customers wowed by Sacha’s just keep rolling in. Colombian food at its finest, Sacha’s has so many awesome things that I can’t pronounce, like arepas and picadas. Their menu is huge, and if you’re like me, you’ll find it impossible to narrow your choice down to just one item. Of course, there are plenty of “gringo” meals for those who absolutely must have a hot dog or burger, but Sacha’s even puts a unique spin on those American classics. And on top of everything, they have a full bar and a fun, easygoing atmosphere that makes for a great meeting or hanging out spot. So next time you’re looking for lunch in Greenville, definitely consider dropping by Sacha’s. Oh, and after you do, drop by my office just 100 yards away in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices building. I have a feeling you’ll want to thank me for the restaurant referral. Location: 1001 N Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville, SC 29607.
- Tirado’s Empanadas and More – Some may feel like Tirado’s has graduated from true “hole-in-the-wall” status, but I’ve talked to enough people who have never heard of it to know that that’s simply not true. The reality is that Tirado’s is, in my opinion, one of the best restaurants in Greenville, and still so few have had the opportunity to experience it. It may sound like they only serve empanadas, but their menu is much more than street food. Tirado’s offers a wide variety of delicious, Caribbean-inspired cuisine, from the aforementioned empanadas to papa rellenas to mofongo to fresh-baked desserts. Their daily specials (which they always post to their extremely well-run Facebook page) will absolutely make your mouth water. True story: a few weeks ago my wife and I tried to order take-out from Tirado’s on a day they were closed, and we couldn’t think of another restaurant we wanted to order from. After you’ve tried them out, you’ll likely feel the same. Location: 1316 Stallings Rd, Greenville, SC 29609.
- Smoky Dreams BBQ – For the longest time, I would pass by Smoky Dreams on Woodruff Road and not know what it was. Is that a food truck? Is that a drive-through? It turns out that it’s one of Greenville’s best hole-in-the-wall restaurants that just happens to be located in a retail parking lot. But don’t be turned off by the location. Smoky Dreams arguably delivers Greenville’s best barbecue with the type of Southern charm you rarely find these days. Family-run from the top-down, you can tell that the workers at Smoky Dreams really want you to have a great dining experience. A few months ago, my family ate there after my daughter’s First Grade graduation, and when the workers discovered the occasion, they immediately offered to bring her a free dessert. That’s customer service you rarely see at small restaurants like this one, but it’s only one of the many things that sets Smoky Dreams apart. Location: 2131 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC 29607.
Moving to Greenville to eat at some of these delicious restaurants? Drop me an email so that I can help you as your real estate agent!