chelo

"Acclaimed chef Luna Contreras has been running Chelo for so long it’s sort of shocking that it hasn’t been a brick-and-mortar restaurant. On January 3, that changed, when Dame — the space that had been hosting Chelo — evolved into being simply the permanent home of Chelo. The food hasn’t changed, thankfully, with seasonal produce anchoring playful, inventive dishes like a duck leg confit smothered in mole served with Asian pears, grits, and escabeche." - Paolo Bicchieri

"Chef Luna Contreras has taken her pop-up Chelo to a new, permanent home on NE Killingsworth as of January 3. Diners can expect the crispy tlayudas that became popular in the restaurant’s pop-up days, and may delight in the gorditas de hongos, which is made with local mushrooms." - Krista Garcia

"Chelo is a restaurant in Portland specializing in Mexican cuisine, inspired by Guadalajara’s street food and fonda-style dining. It features veggie-forward dishes like maitake mushroom gorditas, tlayudas with seasonal produce, and a top-tier tres leches cake. The restaurant is owned by Chef Luna Contreras, who is known for her innovative Mexican dishes and advocacy for the trans community." - Katherine Chew Hamilton

"Known for its duck leg mole, Chelo offers Mexican food that brings Gabriella Martinez to tears. She finds the food authentic and full of love." - Thom Hilton

"At Northeast Killingsworth pop-up Chelo, tlayudas often show off seasonal produce like radicchio or Brussel sprouts." - Nathan Williams