If the sale is finalized, the development would mark a stunning twist in the decades-long story of the Estudillo family business, which has served handmade tortillas, rolled tacos, and burritos to generations of San Diegans since 1933. The listing for the two adjoining parcels at 1851–1853 Logan Avenue was reported in July, following months of speculation and a trail of public tax liens totaling nearly $200,000.
According to the San Diego Regional MLS and Zillow, the property has been in escrow since late September under listing number #250033604, with a sale price of $1,995,000. The mixed-use offering includes the restaurant structure and the adjacent “La Victoria” property, featuring multiple residential and commercial units and parking access via alleyway. The buyer’s identity has not been publicly disclosed, but multiple community sources claim the La Luz del Mundo congregation - whose global leader is currently imprisoned in California for child sexual abuse - submitted one of the strongest bids during an open bidding process in August.
La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World) has been a subject of deep controversy for years. Its leader, Naasón Joaquín García, was convicted in 2022 and sentenced to 16 years in prison for multiple counts of sexual abuse involving minors. The church’s reputation is further troubled by prior accusations of coercion, lack of transparency, and its hierarchical structure, which critics say concentrates power in the hands of its leadership with little external accountability.
Despite presenting itself as a devout, family-centered religious institution, multiple legal and journalistic investigations have exposed a darker side: the misuse of church property to shield assets, internal pressure on members to remain silent, and resistance to oversight. Many who have left the church describe an environment of fear and control, making its potential acquisition of a community landmark especially unsettling to neighbors who fear that the restaurant’s identity could be swallowed by the church’s controversial legacy.
For Barrio Logan residents, the potential sale of Las Cuatro Milpas to such a buyer is both shocking and deeply symbolic. The restaurant, founded by Petra and Natividad Estudillo during the Great Depression, has long represented family tradition, resilience, and community pride. “It’s the end of an era,” one longtime neighbor said. “If that church takes over, it’ll feel like we’ve lost a piece of who we are.”
The Estudillo family has not commented publicly on the pending sale, though past statements suggest their decision was driven by age, retirement plans, and mounting financial pressure rather than urgency or distress. Listing agent Voltaire Lepe of eXp Realty previously stated that the family “has worked hard for generations and simply wants to rest.” According to Lepe, the sale "will close next week."
This latest news appears to confirm SanDiegoVille's initial October 21, 2024 report - an article that was widely condemned at the time and labeled “fake news” by other outlets and even the restaurant’s ownership. That story accurately predicted both the family’s retirement plans and an impending property sale in 2025. It also cited early rumors of interest from the adjacent church, a possibility that is now resurfacing as the pending sale becomes official.
As of this week, the listing remains marked Pending on the MLS, meaning the property is under contract but not yet closed. Whether La Luz del Mundo is indeed the buyer has yet to be confirmed by official documents - but given the neighborhood chatter and the church’s proximity, the speculation is hard to ignore.
Las Cuatro Milpas continues to operate at 1857 Logan Avenue for now, but with escrow underway, the restaurant’s future - and the fate of its nearly century-old legacy - appears to be hanging in the balance.
Originally published on October 9, 2025.
As of this week, the listing remains marked Pending on the MLS, meaning the property is under contract but not yet closed. Whether La Luz del Mundo is indeed the buyer has yet to be confirmed by official documents - but given the neighborhood chatter and the church’s proximity, the speculation is hard to ignore.
Las Cuatro Milpas continues to operate at 1857 Logan Avenue for now, but with escrow underway, the restaurant’s future - and the fate of its nearly century-old legacy - appears to be hanging in the balance.
Originally published on October 9, 2025.
