Mexican-inspired paleteria opens in downtown Columbia
A new restaurant opened in downtown Columbia this week, bringing a Mexican flare to the streets of Columbia.
Paleteria El Tajin was given the green light to open after the Boone County/Columbia Public Health Department gave them an operating permit Aug. 1.
“There is nothing like this here in Columbia,” co-founder Yoselin Herrera said. “We’re excited about people trying these things.”
The Boone County/Columbia Public Health Department assistant director said the operating permit process includes a visit from the health department during which inspectors look at the menu and the building before allowing them to serve customers.
After a few weeks of being open, the health department will go back to the establishment and do a routine inspection.
The menu at Paleteria El Tajin is filed with Mexican favorites including elote, paletas and empanadas. But there are a few American items that made their way on the menu, including hamburgers.
The restaurant’s paletas come from a Kansas City paleteria.
Founders Yesica and Yoselin Herrera grew up in El Tajin, Mexico, where Yesica learned to cook from her mother.
Their hometown fare has now made its way to downtown Columbia and the sisters incorporated their hometown name into their restaurant.
Yoselin, speaking in Spanish, had her sister translate for her.
“She saw the opportunity to open this business and for all of us as a family and to bring something different to the community.”
