UC Davis alumni create a community-oriented vegan cafe in a unique downtown space
By AMBER DUHS — features@theaggie.org
Downtown Davis is home to a myriad of small businesses, from thrift stores to coffee shops; it’s an extension of campus and a second home to many students. Among the many businesses students will pass on a daily basis is a pink house, home to both candles and vegan drinks: Eiar Studio and their Pink House Cafe.
Eiar Studio began as the brainchild of UC Davis alumna and small business owner Diosa De Guzman, a 2025 graduate with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in genetics and genomics. With in-house candles and unique scents, she sold her candles in various stores near her hometown in the Bay Area.
As students at UC Davis, De Guzman and her co-owner — Arham Farooqui, a 2025 UC Davis alumnus who received a B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology — noticed multiple holes in the general Davis area: a lack of well-constructed third spaces and a lack of vegan options. So, with graduation ahead and ideas brewing, they sought to create a welcoming space for students, by students.
“A cafe was always something we wanted; to slow down a little bit because [science, technology, engineering, math] (STEM) can be very demanding, especially at UC Davis,” De Guzman said.
Downtown Davis has many cafes and spaces where students spend their free time, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re tailored specifically to student needs.
“The main cafes that are here, in my experience at least, [are] grab and go situations,” Farooqui said. “We want [Eiar] to be a space where everyone can hang out.”
Eiar Studios is split into two parts: Eiar, which sells candles and hosts workshops and community nights to help bring students together outside of the classroom, and the Pink House Cafe, their mobile coffee cart that allows students to grab a drink and study anywhere in their indoor space or outdoor patio.
The combination of coffee shop and candle studio may seem random. However, Elodie Chien, a first-year environmental science and management major, noted that this atmosphere is what makes it particularly warm and welcoming.
“Eiar has such a warm presence whenever I walk in,” Chien said. “There is space to talk with your friends or study quietly. They always have calm music going and candles burning, so it’s honestly just like a picture-perfect study spot or chill space.”
The Pink House Cafe is a vegan establishment, coming from De Guzman’s personal background and experience as a UC Davis student.
“I’m vegan and have been for a few years — unfortunately, there [are] not a lot of options in Davis, but there’s a community here,” De Guzman said. “That’s a market that’s been untapped, and it’s been difficult, especially as a student.”
De Guzman’s goal with the cafe is to offer a space for vegan or plant-based students to have those options, beginning with vegan drinks and slowly expanding their menu to include vegan pastries and food options as well.
Beyond their vegan menu are their unique flavor blends found in their coffees and teas. From Hochija to Earl grey tea lattes — all served only with oat milk — their housemade syrups and flavor combinations take inspiration from both De Guzman’s and Farooqui’s cultural backgrounds.
“I look into where I come from, what I’ve experienced,” De Guzman said. “I [was] not born in the United States […] so a lot of the flavors I missed — a lot of the flavors I grew up with — unfortunately are not readily available here, and especially in Davis.”
Growing up in the Bay Area, De Guzman shared, allowed her to experience cultural diversity and indulge in diverse foods and flavors; a gap she noticed while attending UC Davis, and one which she hopes to slowly fill with Eiar.
“We wanted, essentially, to bring home here,” De Guzman said. “The Bay Area is so diverse; you can find anything and everything there, and there [are] always new things popping up and new things for you to try. Doing Pink House and Eiar [in Davis] allows us to do that.”
Their intentionality with their space, flavors and offerings are evident in their work to curate an inviting space, from their foster dog Bruce hanging out in the shop to checking in with students on how they’re enjoying their time at UC Davis.
“My favorite thing about going to Eiar is the friendliness of both Diosa and Arham, the owners,” Chien said. “They [have] created such a lovely space and are so welcoming to everyone that comes in, along with serving delicious drinks.”
Written by: Amber Duhs — features@theaggie.org
