A while back I saw that something called “Mi Familia Cafe” was going to open in what I knew to be Que Pasa Cantina. I set it aside because it did not make sense to me at the time. Fast forward to June and I was delighted to hear from the people behind Mi Familia Cafe—who did indeed open in the Que Pasa Cantina space!
So what’s going on? Here is, as Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story.”
First, to clarify: Mi Familia Cafe and Que Pasa Cantina are indeed in the same space. They are sharing it—a practice we are seeing more and more these days. Mi Familia occupies the space during the morning and day (it has been characterized as a “pop-up” by some), and Que Pasa is there in the evening. They are owned by the same people, and soft opened on May 27.
Que Pasa Cantina
One tidbit in the email I received about these two restaurants is that Que Pasa Cantina celebrated their 20 year anniversary this year. That’s no small feat, and I congratulate them on this. Here’s more about their start and ethos:
“Angie and Sarah opened in March 2005, with a dream of sharing their love of Mexico with Portland. R+D trips to Mexico served as inspiration to create drink and dinner recipes in a welcoming cantina vibe. Add in our love for a good get together with family and friends, and voila!, Que Pasa Cantina. We strive daily for the trifecta; delicious food + drinks, friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere. Thanks for your support of 20 years, Portland.”
The People Behind Mi Familia Cafe
The owners, Sarah Drain and Angie Duncan, have partnered with Gabe Azcorra (AKA Papa Gabe) and his sons Jaime and Jesus to open Mi Familia Cafe. Jaime and Papa Gabe come from Dos Hermanos; Jesus has been the Que Pasa manager for fourteen years. There are actually five brothers in the Dos Hermanos family; Jaime and Jesus are the youngest of the five.
Jaime and two of his brothers spent three+ years running the Dos Hermanos Farmer’s Market stalls and most recently have been running their cafe, with their famous chopped sandwiches.
Sarah is a big fan of Dos Hermanos and is grateful for the work and contributions Jesus has made to Que Pasa, and now Mi Familia. “Jesus has been the heart and soul of Que Pasa,” she remarked.
What You’ll Find at Mi Familia Cafe
Sarah expanded on the Dos Hermanos contribution to Mi Familia. “Papa Gabe has shared his traditional family brunch recipes for Milanesa, Motuleños, Chilaquiles, Dulce Torreja, the best breakfast burrito, and together we have created tortas and breakfast sandwiches on Dos Hermanos breads. We also have Cafe de Olla, French Press style coffee, Aguas Frescas, Dos Hermanos pastries, and more.”
You can see their menu on their Instagram page, or below.
“Together we have created this new restaurant to embrace our love of family, our community and share our cooking with Portland,” said Sarah.
Additional Details
While Que Pasa Cantina and Mi Familia Cafe have the same owners, they are two separate restaurants. Case in point: They are still waiting or their OLCC license so they can serve brunch cocktails like Bloodys, Mimosas, Micheladas, and the like. Que Pasa has their liquor license, so alcohol-based cocktails are available when they operate in the evenings.
But you can still enjoy great NA options at Mi Familia right now, like the aforementioned cafe de olla, as well as horchata, aguas frescas, Mexican Coke, and more. Their cozy patio is open all day long for both restaurants.
Mi Familia Cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7am to 2pm. All the best to Sarah and Angie and the whole team at Mi Familia Cafe and Que Pasa Cantina as they start this new chapter together.
Mi Familia Cafe [soft opened May 27, 2025]
1408 SE 12th Avenue, Portland
Instagram
Que Pasa Cantina
1408 SE 12th Avenue, Portland
Que Pasa Cantina website | Instagram
Meg Cotner
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