Store owner Veronica Alcaraz has wanted to open a restaurant since she was a little girl. Antojitos La Paloma, or “Cravings The Dove” in English, is the dream realized. Located between Chase Bank and Maria’s Tacos, the family business opened its doors last month and offers a wide variety of Mexican snacks — the first of its kind in Isla Vista. 

The store had its grand opening on June 3 and featured a live band. Michelle Cisneros / Daily Nexus

The store specializes in “antojitos,” a type of food seen as a craving or snack rather than a standalone meal. It is also sometimes referred to as street food and is extremely popular in Mexico, ranging from loaded nachos to sweet strawberries and cream. 

The store owner, Veronica Alcaraz was inspired by similar businesses in her native state of Jalisco to bring these flavors to the U.S. after moving there in 2005. 

“These types of places are really popular in my town. We would always get these cravings and my mom would send me out to get them,” she said. “Everything is made in-house. The creams we use are my family’s recipe,” Alcaraz said. 

The name was inspired by Alcaraz’s mother and her family’s connection to doves.

“Two years ago, my mom passed away. She had a lot of doves in her house because she liked them a lot. Also, when my daughter was young we always called her dove, my mom used to tell me that I should’ve named her that instead,” she said. 

Alcaraz said the planning and execution process took roughly two years to complete. 

“It was a really long and costly process. I had dreamed of having my own business since I was young. I saved up, worked hard, and discussed it with my children and husband until we came to the conclusion that we would all work here together. We each had our own job but now we see each other every afternoon,” she said. 

Isla Vista is a very unique market to establish a business within, being predominantly inhabited by college students with limited funds and an expensive cost of living. The location was formerly a bar named The Study Hall which closed in January 2023 after 26 years. 

The family ultimately chose the location due to its calm and laid-back atmosphere. 

Alcaraz said that she aims to provide affordable food for the local student population but is also looking to serve the greater Hispanic community in Goleta and Santa Barbara. 

“I trust that students will come but I’m also thinking about the Latino community. We’re here and we’re not going anywhere,” she said. 

Roughly 27% of Goleta’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino and accounts for approximately 47% of the total Santa Barbara County population. Spanish is the second most popular language spoken at home in Santa Barbara. 

She has big hopes for the future of La Paloma and has expanded the menu since its opening to include more dessert items such as flan and cake. 

“If someone is craving something and it’s within my ability, I will try it,” she said. “We’re doing well. Business goes up and down but we’re really happy we got to accomplish our dream.”

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Michelle Cisneros
Michelle Cisneros (she/her) is the Community Outreach News Editor for the 2024-25 school year. Previously, Cisneros was the Assistant News Editor for the 2023-24 school year. She can be reached at michellecisneros@dailynexus.com or news@dailynexus.com.