Eat Your Heart Out

photo by John Anderson

The Bee Grocery

This friendly, upscale neighborhood convenience store occupies a sunny corner spot on the west end of Corazon. Proprietor Brenda Le has a background in accounting and finance, but this is her first food service venture with partner Albert Pham. The partners are still getting to know the building tenants and surrounding neighbors and are actively seeking feedback and suggestions about local products shoppers would like to see in the store. Shelves are now stocked with cereals, snacks, and packaged foods – an array of items that ranges from umbrellas and toilet paper to JuiceLand beverages, eggs, milk, and ice cream. Le expects to be stocking honey and skin care products from BeeWeaver Apiaries of Dripping Springs very soon. There is a small wine selection and an impressive walk-in beer cooler, as well as a full complement of freshly made coffee beverages. The only misstep we noticed was a sad little produce section with choices that were days past their peak.

The main attraction here is the in-store deli and scratch bakery serving Vietnamese mainstays such as bánh mì and vermicelli bowls based on Le and Pham family recipes. There is also an attractive selection of French and American pastry items created by baker Tien Hoang. Look for reliable croissants, eclairs, cream puffs, and napoleons as well as a few varieties of big, soft American cookies and tender, cakey muffins. Bánh mì sandwiches here are made on ciabatta baguettes from the bakery, which are also for sale in both large and demi sizes, and the small loaves of jalapeño Cheddar bread make a wonderful savory toast.