Food and Drink

Mobile Mexican bakery rolls into new spot in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood

A self-taught baker is bringing her traditional Mexican pastries to Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood.

Norma Zuniga, owner of the Dulce Dreams Café, is putting a mobile-spin on the bakery business known for its sweet, fluffy conchas, she told CharlotteFive.

Zuniga will sell the sweet bread and other desserts from her van, fittingly dubbed “La Conchis.” The mobile bakery will have a permanent spot at The Village Collective Monday through Friday and rotate locations on weekends.

A bright maroon food service van for “Dulce Dreams cafe,” featuring a large graphic of a smiling, traditional Mexican doll and several pieces of concha-style sweet bread on the side panel. The van is parked on grass next to a paved area under a sunny, light blue sky.
Dulce Dreams Cafe mobile van, called La Conchis. Norma Zuniga

What are conchas?

In 2022, Zuniga began doing pop-ups at farmer’s markets and other vendor events where she sold traditional Mexican sweet breads, called conchas, and other treats, CharlotteFive previously reported. The brioche-like dough resembles a seashell and is topped with a crispy, colorful streusel.

Norma Zuniga’s Dulce Dreams Cafe offers sweet treats with a nod to her Mexican heritage.
Norma Zuniga’s Dulce Dreams Cafe offers sweet treats with a nod to her Mexican heritage. Courtesy of Norma Zuniga

Dessert lovers can expect more of the same at her newest venture: sweet pastries filled with whipped cream, cookie butter and other flavors, according to Dulce Dream Cafe’s website.

The menu at La Conchis features more than 100 conchas flavors that rotate regularly, Zuniga said. Customers can pick from classics like vanilla and cookies and cream, or try more bold combinations like pistachio chocolate or apple pie.

Conchas are among the Mexican-inspired baked goods that Dulce Dreams Cafe will offer.
Conchas are among the Mexican-inspired baked goods that Dulce Dreams Cafe will offer. Courtesy of Norma Zuniga

Mexican hot chocolate is also on the menu alongside cafe de olla, aguas frescas, Latin-inspired iced lattes and more.

“I am passionate about sharing the sweets side of my Mexican culture and inspiring others that it’s never too late to follow their dreams,” Zuniga wrote on her website. “Can’t wait to meet you at my next event!”

A hand wearing clear plastic gloves holds a clear plastic cup filled with a pale, creamy iced drink. A black circular sticker on the cup reads “Dulce Dreams cafe” with the handle “@dulcedreamscafe” underneath. The background is a soft, warm blur.
The beverage lineup at Dulce Dreams Cafe includes Cafe de olla, Mexican hot chocolate and Latin-inspired iced matcha lattes. Norma Zuniga

Dulce Dreams Cafe | La Conchis

Location: Pop-ups, The Village Collective

Cuisine: Mexican bakery, dessert

Menu

Instagram: @dulcedreamscafe

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This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 5:30 AM.

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Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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