New restaurant spin-off opens near one of Tri-Cities busiest retail districts

Angel and Carmen Peña love food almost as much as they love each other.

The couple met working in a family-owned restaurant that was like the ones they operate today. Carmen started there in high school, using the money she made to pay for college.

And the two still use the skills and experience they learned then to open their first startup: Conquer Meals, a food prep business that offers weekly, fresh-made meals.

Now, the couple is opening their second full-service eatery, Angel’s Family Restaurant. Doors are set to open Tuesday, June 23.

It follows on the heels of their breakfast spot, Angel’s Cafe off Fourth Avenue, and Penelope’s Event Center, all in Pasco.

New business, new menu

The family’s new restaurant will be larger and ideally situated to serve Tri-Citians and travelers, alike.

It’s across the parking lot from the HAPO Center, near the sprawling Pasco Sporting Complex and the Gesa baseball stadium.

And it is tucked between the My Place Hotel and the Hampton Inn & Suites, sharing a building with Reign Sports Performance, just off Road 68 and Burden Boulevard.

The modern setting features plenty of windows, an exposed, industrial ceiling and an upstairs dining area.

For fans of their cafe, you can still expect your favorites like the pancakes or Alan’s Eggs Benedict, along with an expanded menu of items for lunch and dinner.

Their twist on Eggs Benedict features poached eggs, bacon and avocado over crispy country fried steak topped with Hollandaise.

The chicken and waffles is another favorite at the cafe.

They also will offer an expanded beer and cocktail selection, from mimosas to margaritas.

“We agreed to have a super small dinner menu,” Carmen said. “We don’t want to overwhelm not only customers, but our own cooks (and) our own staff.”

Some of their dinner options include The Blue Royale, a burger topped with blue cheese, bacon and a few other condiments, and The Club, a classic sandwich with turkey, veggies and more.

Another way they are going to make the transition to dinner service as seamless as possible is that they have hired an experience chef to bring fresh ideas to the table.

“He came with many ideas,” Angel said. “So he’s going to be helping me add a few additional items for our next menu change.”

The extra help will allow the Peñas to still focus on their kids and three other businesses.

Angel’s Family Restaurant, 6902 Rodeo Dr., will be open every day from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. for breakfast and 3 to 9 p.m. for dinner.

Dream team makes the dream work

When the Peñas first opened Angel’s Cafe in 2020, they had their hands full.

“We had just had our baby at the time,” Angel said. “So (Carmen) had him in one of those baby carriers, serving tables, and I was cooking.”

It helped that they’ve been working in tandem like this since the day they met, and the Peñas consider this an asset for running their businesses.

Carmen trains employees and takes care of the front of the house while Angel handles operations and the back of the house. “That’s how we worked at the other place,” Carmen said.

“There’s so much time that we have to dedicate to one business” Angel said. “We have kids as well (and) we can’t just not pay attention to the kids or one business. So, being a team helps us a lot.”

Compared to the cafe, which seats 36 people, their newest endeavor will have room for more than double that.

Part of the reason for the new space is that they quickly grew out of the cafe. “In two years,” Angel said. “The place was packed all the time. We had people waiting inside, people waiting outside.”

Now, with the opening of Angel’s Family Restaurant, they will be able to accommodate the cafe’s superfans and family restaurant newbies alike.

Know of a restaurant or bar opening or closing in the Tri-Cities area? Send your tips to emma.zawacki@tricityherald.com

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 11:10 AM.