A new Mexican restaurant has taken root downtown, right near PSU and the South Park Blocks. Madrina, which opened in late August, offers lunchtime staples like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas in its informal mercadito-themed space during the day. At night, Madrina’s neighboring dining room opens for dinner, with hearty plates like cochinita pibil and pollo rostizado, plus a wine list composed entirely of Latina winemakers from the Willamette Valley.
Madrina is the newest restaurant from food entrepreneur Lucy De Leon, whose parents started the legendary market-meets-hot-bar Tienda y Tortilleria De Leon in Gresham in 1999. If you don’t already know about De Leon, you will soon; this is her third restaurant opening in three years. In 2022, she closed Tienda y Tortilleria De Leon and opened Salsas Locas on Southeast Holgate, offering a hot bar full of guisados and chiles rellenos like the ones her parents used to serve. In 2023, she opened La Patroncita on Southeast Belmont—equal parts cocktail bar and restaurant, complete with bright pink martinis and pink tortillas stained with beets. When the opportunity arose to buy the entire building where Madrina now sits, De Leon seized the chance.
“I’ve always loved downtown, because I went to school there [at PSU],” says De Leon. “When I saw it—the Mexican consulate right across the street, and a giant Mexican flag flying—I’m like, this is an opportunity I can’t let go.”
Madrina is a sort of fusion of De Leon’s other two restaurants. Its daytime fare features some of the same guisados you’ll find at Salsas Locas, including birria and chicken tinga, plus nopales for a plant-based option. Its little market area, which sells Mexican tamarind chile candy and Oaxacan handicrafts, is reminiscent of her parents’ tienda. At night, the chile relleno dipped in fluffy egg batter—a staple at Tienda y Tortilleria De Leon which was carried over to Salsas Locas—makes an appearance. Tacos come filled with the likes of al pastor or cochinita pibil, while large plates include chicken mole and carne asada. The shareable half pollo rostizado, optionally served with rice, beans, and handmade blue corn tortillas, is an homage to the barbecued chicken her father made for her family growing up—simple, humble, and delicious.
The wine list offers a selection of bottles from Latina winemakers that’s likely unmatched in the city, from a Cramoisi Vineyard blanc de noirs to malbec from Gonzalez Wine Company. Wines from Alumbra Cellars, Cória Estates, and Mijita Wine Co. are also featured. Oregon brews come from Salem’s Latine-owned brewery Xicha Brewing, including an IPA and a guava-tinged golden ale. Micheladas with shrimp skewers, frozen piña coladas, margaritas, and sangria are also on the menu, along with a selection of mezcal and tequila.
Madrina means godmother in Spanish, and for De Leon, it’s an homage to all the women who supported her—as well as the role she hopes to play as a mentor and inspiration for other women. “Empowering other women is very important to me,” she says.
De Leon first got into the food business through her mother. The youngest of six kids, De Leon and her parents and siblings were migrant workers who traveled all over the country picking crops seasonally. At times, the family lived out of their car.
“My mom would get up super early in the morning to make extra food to sell to other farm workers—gorditas or tamales or burritos—and we would have to get up and help her make that extra food to bring more income to the house.”
Along with her three restaurants, De Leon also sells her salsas wholesale at stores like Market of Choice and New Seasons. She also offers catering services and makes lunches for schools in Portland, Hillsboro, Woodburn, Redmond, and Umatilla.
“That’s one of my biggest passions—making a product that’s culturally relevant to the children,” says De Leon. “Schools invite me when they’re serving our tamales, and I have kids coming up to me saying, ‘my mom makes them like this,’ or ‘they taste like my grandma’s,’ or ‘my mom puts black beans in it instead of pinto beans.’”
But De Leon promises this is “just the beginning.” She’s even vying to serve her tamales on airlines.
“My dad always taught us, ‘Remember, the sun shines for everyone. Who’s gonna go get it?’”
Madrina Cocina Mexicana, 1235 SW Jefferson St, madrinapdx.com