Urgent community grocery needs added to Delgado’s restaurant menu

CARPINTERIA, Calif. - Delgado's restaurant in Carpinteria has gone back to its past to deal with the challenges its facing in modern times.

"We felt the need that the community was out of products that we were able to get ahold of," said Christina Castellanos who is in the Delgado's family.

Leaning through the restaurants front door, serving as the take-out county she hands an order to a customer saying, "here you go love, thank you."

Delgado's has loyal customers.

It has been at the current Carpinteria Ave. site or a short distance away since 1965.

The restaurant was originally a grocery store, and adding essential supplies was a natural move during the coronavirus conditions.

A quick shift early on responded to impacts on the community,  especially the immediate neighbors.

"Oddly enough the day we had to do to-go (only) was our 55th anniversary at Delgado's and we had to adjust to everything to-go and here we are," she said.

 The dining room is now somewhat of an emergency relief center.

The demand was quite the shopping list, "and especially toilet paper was a huge thing in the beginning along with other products that people were in need of," said Castellanos. Her customers, " feel safe coming here."

A erasable board is propped up out front next to the area where customers pickup their lunch and dinner take-out orders. It lists the items inside and some modest prices. "Eggs. bleach,  toilet paper, rice, beans, vegetables, onions  I do have access to great avocados, I always buy local," said Castellanos.

The family run business knows they are helping in a crisis.

Many residents don't have the means to go to big box stores, and the town shuttle was just shut down due to temporary cutbacks. Walking up for a few items is a convenience that helps during times of stress.

One customer just needed bleach.

"I called the other day and they said come in so here I am," said Vanessa Windham who said the stop was perfect and much faster than waiting in a grocery or drug store line.

Sam Dudley lives close by and says, "they have the essentials you need and you can make a lot of dinners with the stuff they have."

Coming to Delgado's with a picture showing the old gas station-grocery days from the early 60's sitting at the counter is like going back in time.

" Like their picture exactly. Delgado's grocery," he said.

The classic  photo would make anyone pause and reflect at the nostalgic details from decades ago.

"There's my grandmother Christina Delgado," said Castellanos pointing to the two women and young boy in the photo. Moving to the others she said,  "Susanne Delgado my mom  and a family friend Rueben Gonzalez."

Dudley pointed out that little boy in the picture is now his father-in-law.

 Just as they were 55 years ago,  Delgado's remains solid as a  business the community can count on under any conditions.