Puerto Rican chef Maria Bidó officially opened her first permanent location in New York City last week at a new stall in Essex Market. Mia’s Cocina offers traditional favorites like empanadas, alcapurrias and pionones along with rice and beans and chicken and pork stew. Bido is known for getting her start in cooking at the age of 6, helping her grandmother prepare family dinners, and has continued to cook traditional dishes for her family and friends for many years on the Lower East Side.
She opened her own business (Mía’s Cocína) vending food at festivals and catering in the neighborhood. She found success by offering popular in-person cooking classes at Essex Market, which in turn led to a new stall of her very own. You can check out the daily specials on her Instagram account @mias_cocina.essex
