This queer-owned, family-run restaurant is flying the flag for Mexican cuisine in New York
“I didn’t see many examples of openly gay Latino men running family businesses, especially in more traditional spaces.”
Mark
Unlike states such as California and Texas, New York is less known for its Mexican restaurants.
However, there are a few gems within New York City, and the Big Apple launched its first Mexican Restaurant Week during Hispanic Heritage Month in 2024.
One of the names that crops up again among aficionados is Café Ollin (339 E 108 St, 1/2 Ave.). The mom-and-pop restaurant, opened by husband-and-wife team Juan and Leticia Perez, has a history dating back to the late 90s.
It’s now fronted and run by their son, Jonathan, 39. He’s helped boost the business’s footfall by turning to social media, and TikTok in particular, to spread the word far and wide.
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GayCities caught up with Jonathan, who is gay, to ask him about promoting a long-running business to a new audience and taking on the weight of a family business.
@ollin.nyc Replying to @Paloma #mexicantiktok #mexicano #happyhour ♬ Get It Sexyy – Sexyy Red
Hey Jonathan – can you tell us a little about your background?
I was born in Puebla, Mexico, and immigrated to New York shortly before my fourth birthday. I was raised in East Harlem and have spent most of my life here.
Like many immigrant families, our journey wasn’t always easy. I spent much of my life undocumented and eventually received legal status before becoming a U.S. citizen in October 2023. That experience shaped how I view community, opportunity, and the importance of creating welcoming spaces for others.
My parents came looking for opportunities and worked incredibly hard to build a life for our family. Growing up, food, family, and community were always a big part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are helping around the family business and watching my parents work long hours to make their dreams possible.
Can you tell us about the history of Ollin?
The story actually starts before Ollin. My parents, Juan Perez and Leticia Perez, opened a small deli and grocery store called Rosa’s Del Tepeyac in East Harlem around 1997. It was located about two blocks from where Ollin is today. Besides being a deli and grocery store, we also sold traditional Mexican street food like tortas, tacos, cemitas, and other foods that reminded people of home.
Over time, Rosa’s Del Tepeyac became a staple of the Mexican community in East Harlem. The back of the business had three pool tables and several arcade games. On weekends and special occasions, we hosted cumbia nights and community gatherings. Families would come to eat, friends would meet to play pool, and members of the Mexican community would gather to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and special events.
One of my strongest memories is helping clean on weekends and school breaks. I remember sweeping and mopping the sticky floors after busy nights and thinking it was the worst job in the world. Looking back now, those experiences taught me the value of hard work and gave me a deep appreciation for everything my parents built.
Around 2008, when the lease was up for renewal, the landlord wanted to significantly increase the rent. My parents didn’t think it was financially possible to continue operating there, so they made the difficult decision to relocate.
When they moved, they shifted their focus fully toward the restaurant side of the business, which eventually became Ollin. What started as a deli, grocery store, and gathering place for the community evolved into the restaurant we operate today.
@ollin.nyc #keithlee #supportsmallbusiness #eastharlem ♬ MONACO – Bad Bunny
When did you take over running it?
My path back to the family business wasn’t exactly a straight line. Growing up, I was honestly a little rebellious and always curious about the world outside of East Harlem.
At 17, I got my first job outside the family business. Around that same time, I was figuring out who I was, including my sexuality, and learning how to navigate life as a young queer Latino.
One of the best things that happened to me was working outside the family business. I had managers and coworkers who became mentors, friends, and chosen family. They helped me grow not just professionally, but personally.
At 18, I moved to California for several months after being selected to help open stores for H&M. I’ve always been a little restless and full of wanderlust. Those experiences pushed me outside my comfort zone, exposed me to different people and cultures, and taught me how to adapt.
Later, I spent 14 years at CHOPT. I started in entry-level positions and worked my way up to Managing Partner. During that time, I helped open stores, train teams, manage finances, and lead operations.
CHOPT taught me how to run a business on a much larger scale and gave me tools that I eventually brought back to Ollin.
Over time, I realized I could bring everything I had learned back to the family business. Today, I still work alongside my family, but I oversee much of the day-to-day operations, marketing, social media, catering, and the future direction of the restaurant.
When I was younger, I never imagined I would come back and help run the restaurant. I thought my life would take me somewhere completely different.
But the older I got, the more I appreciated what my parents had built and the sacrifices they made. After years of working outside the family business, I realized I wanted to help preserve that legacy while also bringing my own perspective to it.
For a long time, I didn’t see many examples of openly gay Latino men running family businesses, especially in more traditional spaces. Coming back to Ollin wasn’t just about continuing a family legacy. It was also about showing that the next generation can honor tradition while being fully themselves.
@ollin.nyc #stitch with @dimelifting #tostadas #flattacos #colonizer ♬ original sound – Ollin.Nyc
Are there particular challenges to inheriting a family business?
Yes, absolutely. Working with family is always going to be challenging. My parents spent their entire lives building this business, and for most of their careers, they only worked for themselves. I came from a very different environment after spending years working in corporate settings.
Because of that, we sometimes had different views on operations, marketing, staffing, technology, and how the business should evolve. There were definitely moments where we didn’t always agree. At the same time, I think that balance is what helped us grow. They taught me things you can only learn through experience, and I was able to bring in ideas from outside industries and a younger generation.
When did you decide to lean into TikTok and other social media to help promote the business?
It started in the summer of 2021. My cousin and niece had a weekly pop-up at Ollin where they sold churros, esquites, fresas con crema, and other traditional Mexican snacks.
One day, an influencer named Isabella made a TikTok video about their stand, and it went viral. Within a few days, I noticed more people coming into the business because of that video. It was the first time I really saw the power of social media firsthand.
I reached out to Isabella and asked if she would help manage our social media. She ran our accounts from around September through December of that year and helped build a strong foundation. Eventually, I started taking over little by little. At first, I was nervous about being on camera, but I realized nobody could tell our story better than me and my family.
I started posting old photos of Rosa’s Del Tepeyac, sharing stories about my parents, my brothers, and our journey as a family business. I also posted food videos and behind-the-scenes moments. Over time, people connected with the stories as much as the food.
@ollin.nyc #gentrification #supportsmallbusiness #momandpopshop #capitalism ♬ original sound – Ollin.Nyc
Social media is great for driving business to new restaurants. Does promoting a long-running business require different skills?
I think it requires a lot of different skills. You have to be comfortable being outgoing on camera … to learn how to edit videos and create content. You also need thick skin because the internet can be a tough place, and not everyone is going to be supportive.
At the same time, having a real story to tell gives you a huge advantage. We weren’t trying to convince people that we were the newest trendy restaurant. We were sharing decades of history, family memories, immigrant experiences, and recipes that have been passed down through generations.
I was fortunate because my family is full of very different personalities, and our food reflects our roots in Puebla. That gave us a lot of authentic stories to share that helped us stand out from a typical taco or burrito spot.
If people come to you from your TikTok videos, what do you think is the main reason they want to check you out?
I think it’s usually one of two things. Either they see an appetizing food video and want to try the food, or they connect with our story.
A lot of people see themselves in our family. Whether they’re immigrants, children of immigrants, members of the LGBTQ+ community, small business owners, or people who grew up helping their parents work, there are pieces of our story that resonate with many different people.
@ollin.nyc #restaurantweeknyc #churros #margaritas ♬ Baila Esta Cumbia – Selena
How important is it to you to promote yourself as a queer-owned business?
It’s very important to me, but maybe not for the reasons people expect. One moment that really stayed with me happened when a young queer couple came into Ollin to introduce themselves as a couple to their parents. Our restaurant is small, so you naturally overhear bits and pieces of conversations while working. Watching that moment unfold in our restaurant really touched me. It reminded me that Ollin isn’t just a place to eat. It’s a place where people gather, celebrate milestones, and create memories.
Knowing that people feel safe being themselves here means a lot to me. I want Ollin to be a welcoming space for everyone, whether they’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrant communities, longtime East Harlem residents, or people visiting us for the first time.
Growing up, I didn’t always see people who looked like me or shared my experiences represented in business ownership. Being openly gay while helping run a traditional Mexican family business is something I’m proud of because it shows younger people that they don’t have to choose between their identity, their culture, and their dreams.
What are your favorite dishes on your menu?
Cemitas, hands down. Cemitas helped put food on our table and keep a roof over our heads for many years. We were one of the first and most recognized places in our area serving this traditional Puebla-style sandwich, and it remains one of the dishes I’m most proud of.
@ollin.nyc Cemitas 2108 2nd avenue
Another favorite is our mole poblano. My grandmother in Mexico still makes the mole paste from scratch. Whenever family members travel between Mexico and New York, they bring it to us. My father then finishes the recipe in small batches here at the restaurant.
Of course, I also have to mention our birria tacos. They introduced a whole new generation of customers to Ollin and helped many people discover our restaurant.
Whether people come for the food, the history, or the community, we’re grateful to be part of East Harlem and to continue sharing a piece of Puebla with New York City.
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