Maria’s Place dishes up comfort food
By RACHEL STRICKLAND | Photos courtesy of MARIA’S PLACE
Copperas Cove is known for its friendly, small-town atmosphere. Even though it has more than 37,000 residents, the city somehow maintains the feeling that everyone knows everyone. This is partially due to the locally owned businesses, such as Maria’s Place, a restaurant that focuses on comfort food made from scratch.
Previously known as Something in Between, Maria’s Place is a cozy restaurant in the Cove Terrace Shopping Center. It was founded by Copperas Cove-native Kyle Kinder, but due to changes in circumstances, he sold it to two loyal customers who didn’t want to let the place close. Maria and Tim Parrish, both retired veterans, bought the restaurant from Kinder in September.
“We used to come here and liked it, and we didn’t want it to go away,” Maria said.
She’s from Washington, D.C., and Tim is from Maryland, but they ended up in Central Texas through the military. From her time in the service, Maria acquired experience and knowledge in food service. She said her kids told her she should open a restaurant someday, and now that dream has become a reality.
The name change is slowly taking place, but the outside of the restaurant already boasts its new sign. Maria said that most of the menu will stay the same and everything will still be made from scratch. They also serve lunch and are in the process of serving dinner as well.
“What I’m thinking of doing is having a weekly special, which will change, depending on whatever’s in season and whatever I feel like making,” she added.
Everything on the menu at Maria’s Place is made from scratch. “We grind our own pork, we season our own sausage, and we make our own gravy,” she said. “We make our own bread, tortillas, biscuits and gravy. Everything is fresh and made here.”
They offer mouth-watering breakfast options such as chicken and waffles, French toast and a dish called the Big Tex, which is made of crispy potatoes, a boneless fried chicken thigh, sausage country gravy, and three scrambled eggs. As of right now, their lunch and dinner options include classic comfort foods such as a BLT, a fried chicken sandwich and chorizo tacos.
While finding a locally owned restaurant that makes everything from scratch is rare, Maria’s Place also has a uniquely heartwarming, community feel. They have games people can play while they’re waiting for their food and a children’s area for kids who get restless.
“We have a lot of people who just come in and hang out, visit, and enjoy each other’s company,” Maria said. “It’s a nice, relaxed place. It’s not uncommon for people to talk across the tables to each other. It’s like going home for dinner.”
Maria’s Place
Address: 316 Cove Terrace Shopping Center, Copperas Cove
Phone: 254-577-5034
Website: sibcove.com
Facebook: facebook.com/sibcove
Hours: Wednesday-Monday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Closed on Tuesdays)
