Grab an omelet, a burger or birria tacos at this new cafe in Waxhaw
When you step in to Vera’s Kitchen, now open in the former Broome Street Burgers space in Waxhaw, it doesn’t take long to start feeling the warmth of the cheerful place.
You’ll find the daily specials on a chalkboard hung on the sunny yellow walls. The restaurant’s only server, Angela, will hand you a menu and let you know to move the number placed on each table to the edge when you’re ready to order.
Luis Vera and his wife, Lupita, own the new restaurant. She’s from Mexico City, and he’s from Veracruz, but they’ve lived in the Waxhaw area for nearly two decades. Their 18-year-old daughter, Victoria, helps out when she can, but their younger son is in school.
After spending 30 years working in kitchens including Morton’s The Steakhouse and California Pizza Kitchen, Luis decided it was time for a change. He wanted to be off on Sundays so he could attend church with his wife, which hadn’t happened in decades. “He was worried about his spiritual life,” Lupita said. “When you’re a believer, it’s very important to be around Christian people and people who encourage you to do better.”
At first, he worked with her at the housecleaning business she owned. But eventually friends from JAARS, a Bible translation group the Veras are involved with, pointed the couple to the newly available restaurant space in Waxhaw that has now become Vera’s Kitchen.
The food: The breakfast options include huevos rancheros and omelets with Latin influences, including the Pico de Gallo Omelet with onion, tomatoes, cilantro, green peppers and cheese; and the Choriquezo, featuring Mexican sausage and mozzarella.
At lunchtime, you’ll find burgers and quesadillas, along with burritos and other Mexican specialties. The birria tacos have been an especially big hit, Lupita said. You can order just the tacos, or a birria platter with rice, beans, tortillas, pico de gallo, salsa and a small cup of dipping sauce.
Dinner hours are only on Friday and Saturday nights — and you can find traditional Southern plates, too.
“We still have the menu for American people — green beans, broccoli, mashed potatoes. We have special plates with all of those goodies,” she said.
The atmosphere: You won’t find a lot of frills. (There’s also no website and no social media.) The Veras have made a conscious decision to keep staff low so they can keep prices low. Another trade off is styrofoam plates and plastic silverware. But Angela and Lupita will make sure you’re taken care of so well, you might not even notice.
“I think that’s what you need in the restaurant business. Good service, good food and a passion for serving others,” Lupita said. “When they come to this place, I want to receive them with a smile and treat them as part of my family.”
As you finish up and pay at the counter, you’ll almost certainly leave smiling, too, ready to head back into your day with a full stomach and a sense of community. As a group of men lined up at the counter to pay, they made a point to let Lupita know the meal was good — and some of them were there for the first time. “That flan was amazing,” one of the customers said.
“Have a blessed day,” Lupita called out as they left.
Dine in and takeout service is available, and look for delivery options in the future.
Vera’s Kitchen
Location: 203 N. Broome St., Waxhaw, NC 28173
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 7 am.-8 p.m.
Cuisine: American, Mexican
