Maceo’s, the Spice Shop With a Sandwich Story
Smell the spices, grab a muffaletta and sign the wall at this Galveston shop from 1944.
Walk up to the white shop on the corner of Market Street. Look for the jazz band painted on the wall. Step inside and take a deep breath. That smell? Spices, and lots of them!
This is Maceo Spice & Import Co. It’s part spice shop, part grocery and part lunch spot, and it has been in Galveston since 1944.
In 10 seconds
What’s on the menu
The muffaletta is a round sandwich. It’s stacked with ham, salami and provolone cheese, with olive salad on top. The Infatuation says most people come here for it. You can have it steamed or at room temperature. Get a quarter, a half or a whole one.
The bread is baked in League City from Maceo’s own recipe, The Infatuation reported.
Still hungry? Try the gumbo. It’s made from scratch with shrimp and crab, and it comes with rice. The red beans and rice come with sausage, “just like momma makes.” Can’t pick just one? Try the Great Combo. You get a quarter muffaletta with a small gumbo or red beans.
Love meatballs? The meatball sub has meatballs rolled by hand and stuffed with mozzarella cheese. Then save room for a cannoli. It’s a pastry shell filled with ricotta cheese and chocolate. Pistachio and powdered sugar go on top.
On Saturday and Sunday there’s brunch, too. Think chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, and French toast.
What’s on the shelves
After lunch, browse the shelves. They’re packed with spices and Maceo’s own spice blends. You’ll also find pasta, olive oil, coffee and tea.
Look for jars of Maceo’s Tomato Gravy, which is their red pasta sauce. You can take home a jar of their olive spread, too. Some of the pasta is even shaped like music notes!
What people are saying
The ratings are high. On Google it has 4.7 stars from 974 reviews, and Yelp and TripAdvisor both give it 4.5 stars. On Facebook, 98% of reviewers recommend it.
“Wonderful Muffuletta and Gumbo!!!”
“Came with my family for lunch and we loved it. The food was so good and everyone was so nice. We will definitely be back.”
“Super friendly service. Great vibe. The muffalettas are the way to go.”
“Little hole in the wall with lots of Galveston history.”
Texas Monthly calls it “a historic shop with the best muffuletta west of Louisiana.”
The story
Maceo’s started in 1944, more than 80 years ago. Back then it sold spices to restaurants, and it still fills orders for local restaurants today.
Concetta Maceo-Sims is the third generation of her family to own the shop, ABC13 reported. She calls herself the Spice Queen. A Yelp reviewer who met her in 2026 says she “has continued the family legacy.” Back in 2015, her dad, Ronnie, owned the shop. He visited with diners at their tables while Concetta ran the back. She even has her own cooking show, “Cooking with Concetta.” On November 9, the shop shared a new crab claw recipe on YouTube.
The family says they made the very first muffaletta! Ronnie told Texas Highways that his dad made the sandwich as a kid in New Orleans in the late 1920s. A famous shop in New Orleans says it was first. Try one and decide for yourself.
The shop moved to this spot after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Look up, and you’ll see old photos hanging above the shelves.
Know before you go
Their site says the shop opens at 10:30 a.m. every day. It closes at 5 p.m., or 4 p.m. on Sunday. Lunch runs until 3 p.m. Other sites list different hours, so check their site first.
There aren’t many. Texas Monthly says there’s “a handful of tables,” and there are tables outside, too.
Order at the counter, and the staff will bring your food to you.
Not a big olive fan? One Google reviewer warns about “a tremendous amount of olives,” so ask at the counter.
One Yelp reviewer came in with the Sunday church crowd and said service was a bit slow.
Sign the wall! The shop says you’ll “become an honorary member of the Maceo family.”