By the end of March, Quiche Me if You Can restaurant will open in the former Sebastiano‘s space at 411 SE 81st Avenue. Owner Christa Voytilla will take over the shop on March 1st and begin reshaping the space with an indoor service counter and quiche-focused kitchen. Since 2019, the farmers’ market chef has grown her business and is now expanding into the company’s first brick-and-mortar location. Although the new Montavilla storefront will become the central home for Quiche Me if You Can, they will retain their farmers market roots.

Christa Voytilla started selling her culinary creations while working as a full-time nanny during the day and a waitress in the evening. Having worked in the food service industry since age 16, she knows how to cook and developed a passion for baking quiches. That personal interest soon attracted attention and launched her current career. “I was bringing these little quiches to the Barrio at the Portland Mercado, spending time with the community there, and I got close with the owner, Chris Shimamoto,” recalled Voytilla. A regular Barrio customer noticed the baked goods and asked to sample one of her quiches, offering to pay. Seeing an interest and receiving an enthusiastic review of her food, Voytilla wondered if this personal passion could evolve into a business. Shimamoto encouraged her to explore it further and use the Portland Mercado’s resources for small businesses. “I wanted to stop waitressing and do something more for myself,” explained Voytilla, and this was the opening she needed. With the direction from a business advisor at the Portland Mercado and access to the Portland Mercado Commissary Kitchen, Quiche Me if You Can started selling food at a farmers market in November 2019.

For the last four years, people have found Quiche Me if You Can at farmers markets all over Portland, including Lloyd, South Waterfront, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Hollywood, PSU, Woodstock, Moreland, and the Montavilla Farmers Market. The markets are a place to sell to customers and also where this chef finds her ingredients. “We source all of our produce from the farmers market, explained Voytilla. She built lasting relationships with egg farmer Trent Family Farms and shiitake supplier Mindful Mushrooms during the early years working the markets. “I’m pretty loyal to our farmers, and they’re loyal back,” remarked Voytilla.

The mutually beneficial relationship with the market community is essential to Quiche Me if You Can’s past success and future operation. “I’m definitely still going to do farmers markets. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them, and I think there’s such an excellent opportunity to meet new customers and stay connected,” said Voytilla. However, the market-based business has limits, and after years of expansion, Quiche Me If You Can needed to adjust the model. “I’ve been looking for my own space because, as your business grows, it is easy to outgrow the commissary kitchen, and it becomes challenging to find enough time to produce your products. Sharing hours and space is possible, but it’s more of a challenge as your business grows,” explained Voytilla.

After two years of looking for a dedicated kitchen, Christa Voytilla received a tip about the Sebastiano’s storefront and jumped at the opportunity. “I heard about it before they made the [move] announcement public, and I knew in my heart that the space was right for me,” said Voytilla. The small restaurant on SE 81st Avenue is perfectly sized for Quiche Me if You Can. They expect to cook all menu items in the shop, and although the restaurant will not offer indoor seating, they will make room for people to order and wait inside. “I am excited to open up the space for people to come in for the first time in -I don’t know how long- because it’s been strictly window service at Sebastiano’s,” explained Voytilla.

Quiche Me if You Can’s chef is still working on setting the menu and hours for the new location. However, Voytilla intends to emulate Sebastiano’s schedule so customers have a seamless experience eating at that location. Patrons can expect various quiches on the menu, changing seasonally and served in 4-inch petite versions, slices, or whole full-sized quiches. The menu will also offer gluten-free waffles, from-scratch soups, and sandwiches. Voytilla will not expand the menu drastically until they hire staff and settle into the new format. Since 2019, Christa Voytilla has worked the business alone with occasional help from her boyfriend, Jared Hacmac, who will increase his involvement at the new shop. Knowing that the store will require more support than the two can offer, Quiche Me if You Can is now looking to hire staff.

This restaurant is a Portland Mercado success story. That group offers affordable retail space and a cultural platform for Latinx and other entrepreneurs to start or grow a business. The non-profit organization and Barrio recently suffered a fire on January 3rd, 2024. They have raised funds to rebuild, and the many food carts outside the main building are open. However, they can always use continued support from the community, and Barrio still has its fundraiser underway. Look for Quiche Me if You Can to open its first permanent location next month and watch the company’s Instagram for details about their grand opening.

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