Parkside Convenience — Local services in Manchester

A strange place indeed... my first notion was that an angry, rampaging, failing thrift shop swallowed a corner store from the backstreets of Brooklyn, then a Puerto Rican market, and eventually landed in the middle of New Hampshire where it would live out the rest of its days as a sad and grumpy little mini-mart where nothing of use can be found. If you're into randomly selected 2nd hand small children's clothing, a minute selection of tattered used children's books and chintzy toys, super random glassware that perhaps may match the ones that even your grandmother would give to Goodwill, and bunches of beer, then maybe this store is for you. I just wanted a soda, and the place fell short of providing something that looked like I would want to take it home. I was not approached or spoken to by anyone, even though I was eyed over by the attendant hiding under the plethora of scratch-off tickets and cigarettes. I'm not sure what is convenient about the store, but it didn't make much sense to me. The kitchen wasn't open when I visited, so I couldn't try any food, and between the random drug paraphernalia, tobacco products, lottery tickets, and questionable assortment of secondhand items I just had to bow out of this place. Not for me. It is apparent that the place didn't draft up much of a business plan; they just wanna grind to make it another day, and that is commendable. All this is not enough for me to offer less than 4 stars, though. A relatively clean appearance, and a reasonable following has to stand for something, but a business model that makes a little more sense would...

My husband and I stopped in today to grab some lunch. This is our first time here, and let me tell you, THE. BEST. Puerto Rican food in New England is right here. We've tried lots of places all over NH and MA only to be disappointed. This food tastes just like my grandmother's and my aunt's on the island. The meat in the cubano was moist and flavorful. The pollo guisado (chicken stew) was tender while the beans (habicuelas) had just the right amount of spices to give it a bold flavor. The alcapurria and empanadilla tasted like it had been imported from the island. The tamarin juice was refreshing. I can't wait to go back and try the pernil. The owners are super friendly and treat you like family. The other customers are super friendly too. I wish I could give them more...

The husband & wife that does the food in the back are saints. They make you feel welcome and that you are family. The food is delicious and so are the desserts, that aside, they are the nicest people. My daughter has MD and in the year and a half she has been a part of this world, nowhere that I’ve ever brought her out to eat at has offered to purée her food. Even if I did mention her G-tube. I started talking to the wife about the baby because she was so kind to her, she grabbed my hand and said, “Why didn’t you tell me she had a G-tube before? I would’ve puréed her food.” No one has ever said that to me outside of my family. It brought me to tears. I will only go there from now on when I want some good, soul healing...