Want Mexican food on the go? Casa Maria is opening a new Belleville kitchen for takeout
Downtown Belleville’s Casa Maria Mexican Grill is about to open a new kitchen.
Starting Sunday, Feb. 11, Casa Maria Grab & Go will be open for carryout ordering.
Located at 1926 W. Main St. in Belleville, the Grab & Go is under the leadership of Felipe Belli and Casa Maria owner Daniel Gonzalez.
The new location is meant to take some of the strain off the restaurant’s kitchen at 100 N. High St., according to Gonzalez.
Both the restaurant and the food truck are always so busy that the restaurant’s kitchen isn’t big enough to accommodate everyone.
“This was supposed to be just a kitchen for the food truck,” Belli said about the West Main Street location.
While making plans for the second kitchen, he realized that when there are no booked events for the food truck, the kitchen would sit unused. Why pay rent on a space that isn’t being used?
So Belli and Gonzalez talked some more and came up with the idea for the Grab & Go.
People already come downtown from the west end of Belleville to pick up to-go orders, said Belli. The West Main Street location will be more convenient for them.
It will also lessen the wait for everyone, whether they’re ordering food to go or dining in at the High Street restaurant.
The Grab & Go menu is the same as the one at Casa Maria Mexican Grill. Folks can enjoy the same great food without having to choose between the two.
Orders can be placed by phone, online or in person.
Catering services will also be available and can be requested online or by phone.
Once open, the Grab & Go will be staffed only by Belli and Gonzalez. Staff from the restaurant will be brought in to help out as needed.
After settling in with the new business, more staff may be hired, depending on how busy they are.
They’ll eventually get a liquor license, said Belli. In the long term, they may consider adding indoor dining.
He will miss serving at Casa Maria, where he’s worked since 2016.
He learned a lot throughout his 20 years in the restaurant business and is still learning.
“Daniel’s been teaching me,” said Belli, adding that Gonzalez is letting him run things on West Main Street.
Gonzalez helped open another Belleville business little more than a year ago.
Grüv Bistro & Wine Bar, located at 223 E. Main St., opened in late December 2022 under the ownership of Gonzalez and Kierra Hennings, who was previously a manager at Casa Maria.
When the wine bar opened, Gonzalez’s role was minimal.
At that time, he said Hennings was “in charge of pretty much everything.”
About Casa Maria Grab & Go
Casa Maria Grab & Go is located at 1926 W. Main St. in Belleville.
Hours on opening day, Sunday, Feb. 11, will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Regular hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
For more information or to place an order, call 618-744-7070 or visit casamariagrabandgo.com.
