This family shares Mexican heritage at their renovated restaurant in Sheboygan

SHEBOYGAN — A family restaurant in Sheboygan offering authentic Mexican food has a new look.

Cocina Mi Familia (My Family Restaurant) recently completed an overhaul of renovations — flooring, furniture, light fixtures, bathrooms and the bar — after minor cosmetic changes when it opened at 1423 Union Ave. in 2021.

“We wanted something modern and simple, but a little bit of taste of our background,” Maria Pavon said. “I feel like we were able to meet that. ... We chose very neutral colors. Very simple, because we wanted our food to be the main staple.”

Maria said opening during the pandemic was a “leap of faith,” but her family — including her brother Ricardo, her mom Norma and dad Ricardo — agreed they would support each other.

Maria said her family wanted to bring their Mexican heritage and cuisine to the Sheboygan community. The love and passion for cooking, passed down from Maria’s grandparents and her parents, was central to her childhood.

“When we would have dinner together is our time when we would have family time,” she said. “It's one of our best memories we have with our family. We wanted to make this restaurant (a place to) come with your family and have great memories and share great food.”

Maria said everything is made-to-order. Favorites include enchiladas and dishes with mole sauce, inspired by flavors from regions like Veracruz, Mexico, where one of her grandmothers has roots.

Making mole sauce from scratch requires a lot of hard work, passion and patience, Maria said. It can take her dad an entire day to make.

Other menu items include margaritas, chilaquiles, chips and salsa, nachos, chimichangas, gorditas and fajitas.

Sharing their culture and cuisine through Cocina Mi Familia has been a dream come true, she said.

"One of my grandmas that lives close nearby, she comes and she sits here sometimes and just observes,” Maria said. “It's very heart-touching because it's like, you're seeing my parents and then you're seeing her, and we're trying to continue that legacy of our passion and our culture.”

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Here's when Cocina Mi Familia is open

Cocina Mi Familia is open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. It offers dine-in, takeout and delivery. Contact the restaurant at 920-287-7039.

Have a story tip? Contact Alex Garner at 224-374-2332 or agarner@gannett.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @alexx_garner.