Barrio Logan's Las Cuatro Milpas, a San Diego mainstay for over 90 years, is up for sale, marking the end of an era for the city's food scene. The property at 1853 Logan Avenue, home to the restaurant, and its neighboring parcels are listed at $1.995 million, as reported by SanDiegoVille. Known for its handmade tortillas and popular Mexican dishes, the restaurant has served generations of locals and visitors since its opening in 1933 by the Estudillo family.
Financially, the Estudillo family is contending with a combined tax debt of more than $190,000. This sum includes overdue property taxes, state sales tax, and federal income taxes, according to SanDiegoVille. Yet, the family's real estate agent, Voltaire Lepe, has underlined that the decision to sell stems from a desire to retire, not solely financial duress. "They won’t be operating the restaurant anymore. Everyone is really sad that it will be closing, but they’ve been working for a long time, so they want to retire," Lepe told reporters.
Despite challenges that included a temporary closure for health violations last December, Las Cuatro Milpas has maintained a devoted clientele, with daily queues as a testament to its legacy. The current run by the daughters of the founders, both in their 70s, is set to end after many years of service. As they step back, the loss of this iconic eatery has reverberated through the community. "It’s been a part of our family, a weekly or monthly ritual," one customer disclosed to FOX 5 San Diego.
The listed property includes two buildings, residential units, and a neighboring church, while the restaurant business itself is not officially part of the sale, an arrangement that could change if the right offer presents itself. Lepe mentioned, "If someone comes in and says, we love your food, you’ve been in the community forever, and we want to offer you X amount of dollars for the business, I’ll present that to the owners," he said, "But every time I meet with the family, they say they’re up there in age and don’t want to work anymore," he conveyed in an interview with SanDiegoVille. Whether a new operator will step in to preserve the traditional culinary icon or the space will be redeveloped remains to be seen as the eatery continues to operate with the uncertainty of a final closing date looming.
