Ramos House Cafe with Owners Michelle & Kris Winrich

Welcome to O C Business Report, the show where we invite business owners, entrepreneurs and manufacturers in South Orange County to share their story. I'm your host Kira and today, I will take you beyond the menu and into the heart of the kitchen culture of an extraordinary restaurant. Today’s episode is a true feast for the senses—and the soul.

Today, my guests are Michelle and Kris Winrich the owners of the historical and beloved Ramos House Cafe, where the food is fresh, the history runs deep.

Nestled in the heart of San Juan Capistrano, on Los Rios Street, the oldest residential street in California, 

And right across the street from the Ramos House Cafe a rustic gem stands a living witness quietly watching the world change over the past 225 years…

Old Mr. Tree, a massive California Pepper Tree, dating back to the 1800s. A small weathered plaque hanging from its trunk reads simply, "Old Mr. Tree, Circa 1800." It's a reminder of just how far back this land’s story goes.

The Ramos House was built in 1881 by the Aguilar family and later became the long-time home of the Ramos family, one of San Juan Capistrano’s oldest. Legend tells of a hidden room beneath the main bedroom—now a wine cellar—that once sheltered Vaqueros evading capture.

And just behind the café, you’ll hear the steady rhythm of the railroad tracks, first laid in the 1800s, a turning point in the town’s history. When the trains came, they forever changed life for the Spanish settlers and Acjachemen Indians, who had long called this region home. The tracks still run today, marking the preserved charm of Los Rios Street.

In 1995, Chef John Q. Humphreys saw the beauty in this home and transformed it into the Ramos House Café, adding a kitchen, a cozy patio under a century-old mulberry tree, and a farm-to-table menu that reflects both the bounty of California and the soul of its past.

Today, under the loving care of Michelle and Kris Winrich, the café continues to thrive—serving up beautifully crafted dishes in a setting where heritage, hospitality, and home-cooked goodness all come together.