Merendero Estela

A family dream born in Honduras. Brought to life in Portland.

Handmade Honduran food · 7107 SE 82nd Ave

Tuesday–Sunday: 12 pm – 9 pm · Monday: closed · Phone orders until 8:30 pm

Baleadas $5 – $7 See detailsHide

Baleadas: folded flour tortillas filled with refried beans, cotija cheese, sour cream, avocado and carne asada.

You simply cannot leave without trying our crown jewel.

The soul of a truly authentic Honduran baleada is the tortilla, and ours is unmatched: every single flour tortilla is handcrafted and pressed completely fresh at the exact moment you order, using Estela's cherished special recipe. They arrive in your hands warm, soft, and perfectly pillowy. It is a comforting, flavor-packed hug in every bite that is so undeniably delicious, you'll find yourself craving one on every single visit!

Baleada Simple $5
The perfect classic comfort bite. A smooth layer of our savory refried small red beans, grated cotija cheese, and rich Mexican sour cream, all folded inside our warm, made-to-order tortilla.
Baleada Especial $7
A homestyle masterpiece. Our warm, freshly made tortilla generously filled with rich refried small red beans, fluffy farm-fresh cage-free scrambled eggs, grated cotija cheese, a drizzle of rich Mexican sour cream, and buttery slices of fresh avocado.

Add-ons

Grilled Beef $3
Ground Beef $3
Chicken $2
Chorizo $2
Carnitas $2

Pollo con Tajadas (Fried Chicken & Green Banana Chips) $21 – $22 See detailsHide

Golden fried chicken drizzled with creamy dressing over fried green banana chips (tajadas), with shredded cabbage, pickled red onion, tomato and cucumber, in a paper-lined basket.

Our famous fried chicken, cooked to golden perfection with an irresistibly crispy skin, served over a generous bed of freshly fried green banana chips.

We top it off with crisp shredded cabbage, fresh tomato and cool cucumber slices, and vibrant pickled red onions for the perfect tangy bite. It's all generously drizzled with our signature creamy dressing and Estela's Secret Sauce, a savory, slow-simmered artisanal tomato and herb blend packed with authentic flavor and zero heat. A true classic that will keep you coming back for more!

Breast & wing $22
Thigh & leg $21

Carne Asada con Tajadas (Charbroiled Beef & Green Banana Chips) $24 See detailsHide

Chunks of grilled carne asada with chimol, a fresh salsa of diced tomato, onion and bell pepper, over green banana chips and cabbage, with creamy dressing.

Tender, juicy beef perfectly marinated in our signature house blend and cooked over an open charbroiler, infusing every single bite with a subtle, irresistible charcoal smoke flavor.

It is served over a generous bed of freshly fried, crispy green banana chips and topped with crisp shredded cabbage and our authentic homemade Chimol, a refreshing salsa of diced tomato, onion, and bell pepper seasoned with fresh lime juice and vinegar. To finish, it's beautifully drizzled with our signature creamy dressing and the exclusive Estela's Secret Sauce. A savory masterpiece that brings the true taste of tradition straight to you!

Carne Asada con Tajadas $24

Chuleta con Tajadas (Pork Chops & Green Banana Chips) $24 See detailsHide

Pork chop drizzled with dressing, with pickled red onion, tomato, cucumber, cabbage and fried green banana chips.

A feast designed to satisfy the biggest cravings! We serve two juicy, bone-in pork chops (a generous 3/4-inch thick cut), slowly marinated in Estela's special house recipe.

Cooked exactly to your preference: expertly grilled over an open flame for a smoky finish, or traditionally pan-fried in pork lard for a deep, rich, and authentic home-style flavor. They are served over a generous bed of freshly fried, crispy green banana chips, and topped with crisp shredded cabbage, fresh tomato, cool cucumber, and vibrant pickled red onions for the perfect tangy bite. To crown this masterpiece, we generously drizzle it with our signature creamy dressing and the exclusive Estela's Secret Sauce. Double the meat, maximum flavor, made just the way you like it!

Chuleta con Tajadas $24

Taco Catracho (Giant Crispy Rolled Chicken Taco) $10 See detailsHide

Honduran-style crispy rolled tacos (tacos catrachos) on cabbage, topped with dressing and grated cotija cheese, with avocado and cucumber slices.

This isn't just any taco; it's a crispy masterpiece!

Feast on a massive, perfectly golden rolled taco made from a 10-inch homemade corn tortilla, generously stuffed with Estela's special recipe savory shredded chicken. Fried to an irresistible, satisfying crunch, it is paired with fresh shredded cabbage, juicy tomato, cool cucumber slices, and our vibrant pickled red onions. For the mouth-watering finishing touch, it is completely smothered in our signature creamy dressing, a heavy dusting of grated cotija cheese, and the exclusive Estela's Secret Sauce. A giant, flavor-packed bite of pure Honduran tradition!

Taco Catracho $10

Our story

We've kept the flavor of our Honduran recipes alive since around 1993. Since 2015, we've been welcoming you in Portland with handmade food, fresh ingredients and family hospitality.

Estela, smiling in a red apron, in the kitchen of Merendero Estela's first food cart on opening day in March 2015: pots on the stove, squeeze bottles on the window ledge and tiles painted with coffee pots. — Merendero Estela's first day in Portland, March 2015, in our first food cart.

From Honduras, with flavor and family tradition.

Estela smiling in a red apron on opening day, March 2015. Our story began around 1993 in the El Porvenir neighborhood of Puerto Cortés, Honduras, where our mother, Estela, opened a merendero, a simple street-side eatery serving traditional Honduran food. After emigrating to the United States around 2003, we spent years working and saving to make our dream of starting over come true. In March 2015, the two of us, mother and son, opened Merendero Estela in Portland, first at 7129 SE 82nd Avenue. In early 2017 we moved to our current location, 7107 SE 82nd Avenue. We've kept our recipes from Honduras and make every dish by hand, with no shortcuts, fresh ingredients and the same dedication to flavor as to taking care of our customers.

Close-up of grilled carne asada chunks with chimol, a fresh salsa of diced tomato, onion and bell pepper, plus cilantro, cabbage and creamy dressing. — Carne asada con tajadas, from our menu.

Around 1993

Puerto Cortés, Honduras: Estela opens a merendero serving Honduran food on the main avenue of the El Porvenir neighborhood.

Zapatero a su zapato
A saying Estela often uses, roughly “let the shoemaker stick to shoes.” She and her son love to cook, and they work at what they enjoy.

Read our full storyHide the full story

From Honduras to Portland: a tradition we never left behind

Merendero Estela was born from the hands and hard work of our mother, Estela. Our story began around 1993 in Puerto Cortés, in the department of Cortés, Honduras, on the main avenue of the El Porvenir neighborhood. There, Estela ran a food business serving some of the best-loved dishes from back home: pollo con tajadas, chuleta con tajadas and carne asada con tajadas (fried chicken, pork chops and grilled beef, each served over tajadas, crispy slices of fried green banana), along with Honduran tacos and traditional drinks.

In Honduras, a merendero is a simple eatery right on the street, where people walk or bike over for a hot, freshly made, home-style meal. Hers was named after its owner: Merendero Estela. Over time, it won the affection of many people in Puerto Cortés, who came back again and again for our mother's cooking.

Around 2003, our family emigrated to the United States. We left that business behind, but we never gave up on the idea of reopening it. As newcomers, we didn't have the means to invest in a new food cart. Then came the 2008 recession, and the years that followed were hard: finding work and saving money took us much longer than we had imagined.

The dream stayed alive. Our mother always wanted to get Merendero Estela up and running again. At first she hoped to do it on her own, but she needed support to turn that wish into reality. That's when her son joined the project. We worked and saved until we had what we needed, and finally, in March 2015, we opened Merendero Estela in Portland, Oregon, at 7129 SE 82nd Avenue. In early 2017, we moved the food cart to 7107 SE 82nd Avenue, our current location. Since starting this new chapter, we've run the business together, mother and son.

What makes our cooking special is that we still use the recipes we brought with us from Honduras. We make our food by hand, without cutting corners or skimping on the care each dish deserves. We always seek out fresh ingredients of the best quality we can find, because for us, flavor starts with choosing what goes into every dish. And we put that same dedication into taking good care of everyone who visits us.

Over the years, we've met customers who come for the first time to discover our food, and others who return because they find familiar flavors here. Today we keep making dishes that connect us to our Honduran roots and to Estela's story.

More than a food cart, Merendero Estela is a family dream that crossed borders and found a new home in Portland.

Around 1993 Puerto Cortés, Honduras: Estela opens a merendero serving Honduran food on the main avenue of the El Porvenir neighborhood.
Around 2003 United States: the family emigrates, but the wish to reopen the business lives on.
2008 and the years after The recession and a lack of capital delay the project; the family works and saves.
March 2015 Portland, Oregon: Estela and her son open the food cart at 7129 SE 82nd Avenue.
Early 2017 Portland: the food cart moves to 7107 SE 82nd Avenue, its current location.
2017 to today Mother and son are still running the business, serving their community and new customers alike.