By June Peers

On Friday, April 4, local food truck Frida’s Cravings celebrated its grand opening at GrubFest, a beloved Granada Hills tradition that features a large array of food trucks. Their truck was a smashing success with over a hundred customers eager to try this new Latin-inspired bakery and café. They introduced their authentic take on Mexican food and desserts to the community, serving specialty conchas, empanadas, crêpes, and boba drinks. Already, people have been lining up to grab a bite at their location off of Chatsworth Street on Lindley Avenue.

What makes Frida’s Cravings’ commitment to spreading Latin American culture especially unique is that it is entirely family-owned and operated. Iliany and Andrea Lopez, both in their 20’s, were inspired to start their own business not only to finance their college loans but also to give Granada Hills a taste of a variety of Latin American foods. Frida’s Cravings is also known as Antojitos Latinos, which translates to Latin Snacks, representing their commitment to allowing their heritage shine through their branding.

Growing up, Iliany and Andrea watched their grandma’s passion for cooking, sparking their interest in taking Latin American foods and adding a unique spin to each dish. Their dishes are defined by creamy textures and sweetness. Their crêpes, especially, are crafted to perfection, as they include strawberry Pockys, strawberries, powdered sugar, and sweet vanilla cream. Most notably, their signature drink is directly inspired by their grandma’s recipe: Frida’s Classic, which is hibiscus and pineapple-flavored. 

“We have all kinds of different foods from Latin American people, like empanadas that are inspired by Argentina and we have Mexican conchas, or arroz con leche is inspired by Guatemala,” Andrea said.

Frida’s Cravings menu is not only derived from Latin American cultures, but includes a taste from around the globe. For instance, their crêpes are inspired by the Japanese style in which the crêpe is rolled into a cone shape rather than laid out flat.

The mobility and convenience of a food truck has allowed Frida’s Cravings to cater a birthday party, participate in festivals, and host a fundraiser at Patrick Henry Middle School. The easy access to their brand has cemented their business as a “must-try” bakery within just a month.

“We’ve been living here for about five years now,” Iliany Lopez said. “We have a great community here, and we love that. In fact, my sister goes to school at Patrick Henry and I graduated from Granada Hills High School. So, we wanted to share our culture with our community.”

Within the next year, they hope to open a second food truck in the San Fernando Valley. This way, their business can gain more recognition while spreading their culture to people of various backgrounds. 

Overall, Frida’s Cravings is an up-and-coming food truck that has a mission to spread Latin American flavors. Come by after school or on a weekend with friends to try their delectable treats.