By Emily French
HOOD RIVER — “Some places don’t need to be explained; they need to be felt.”
Cups & Memories (CyM) is one of those places.
Opened on Aug. 23, this new tea-forward spot sits in the old Lake Taco location between 12th and 13th streets. Ironically, for a city known for its winds, CyM rests right in the “eye of the storm” — the calm spot in the middle of the Heights’ one-way island. Just far enough back from the road, the small, colorful building offers a still moment between the noise and the wind, with a cozy interior where time seems to slow the moment you walk in.
CyM is the newest venture from Enrique and Maria Ortega, owners of Lake Taco, the beloved Mexican restaurant known for its home-style flavors. After Lake Taco moved to its current downtown location at 606 Oak St., the Ortegas saw an opportunity in their former space — a chance to re-imagine it as something quieter, slower, and deeply personal.
“We’re not here to compete with coffee. We’re here to offer a different kind of pause.”
That’s the energy that defines Cups & Memories.
As Enrique shared, “Cups & Memories didn’t begin as a business — it began as an idea: the idea that there should still be places where a person can breathe before they move.”
For him, tea isn’t about flavor alone — it’s about tempo, a way of returning the body to a more human rhythm. Long before CyM had walls or a window, it existed as a question: what if a shop didn’t rush you, but slowed you down instead?
With support from The Next Door’s Promoting Prosperity Program and the Mount Hood Economic Alliance, Enrique and his family brought that vision to life — turning the former Lake Taco space into a place where tea is the anchor, not the alternative.
The food follows the same philosophy of care. Their handmade Torti-Yes tortillas, crafted daily and now available at Treebird Market, were born in this kitchen as an expression of presence over speed — nourishment made with intention. Warm and hearty breakfast burritos and Aurora’s Touch buñuelos de viento — crisp, golden pastries made with love by Enrique’s suegra — round out a simple but intentional menu.
You’ll find tea on tap — an evolving lineup of artisan blends (including collaborations with Portland’s Smith Teamaker) — and a growing list of drinks featuring matcha, chai, and strawberry honeybush tea.
Delivery is available daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., so you can enjoy burritos, tortillas, and tea at home or at work. Call or text 541-490-0394, or stop by. Pull up to the purple window for tortillas, or park and have your drinks brought out to you.
Inside, you’ll be welcomed by Freya, CyM’s first barista, who joined the team in early September. True to the spirit of the space, her role is about more than making drinks — it’s about offering connection, presence, and care in every cup. Each drink is prepared as an act of quiet intention, guiding guests gently back into stillness.
“CyM was created as a place where people can breathe,” Enrique says. “And when someone leaves, the hope is that they take something intangible with them — the reminder that life can still move more slowly than we’ve been taught.”
Cups & Memories isn’t designed for speed. It’s designed for presence. And in Hood River, where the wind always seems to hurry things along, that might be exactly what we need.
To visit
Between 12th and 13th streets, Hood River. Delivery from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; call 541- 490-0394. You can follow them on Instagram: @cupsandmemories.
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