Mitla Cafe was founded in 1937 by Lucia Rodriguez and her then husband, Vicente Montaño. What started as a simple lunch counter on Route 66, quickly began to grow in popularity. After being widowed, Lucia later remarried to Salvador Rodriguez, and in the mid-1940’s helped expand Mitla Cafe to its current size. Along with help from her children, Theresa, Helen, Vera, and Frank, Lucia turned Mitla Cafe into a community staple on the Westside of San Bernardino, serving celebrities, local dignitaries, politicians and people from all walks of life.