Whatever your holiday gathering looks like, fresh tamales from these DFW spots will make an excellent addition. (Sergio Hayashi/Shutterstock)
As the weather gets chillier and the festive decor goes up on the walls, we’ve got your guide to holiday tamales across Dallas-Fort Worth.
The holiday season brings lots of festive cheer—and it’s also peak time for tamales. There are enough talented home chefs across Dallas-Fort Worth that you could very likely find someone selling tamales out of their trunk in a Home Depot, QT, or Walmart parking lot.
However, those appearances are often spontaneous; you’d really have to press your luck to make it happen. So instead (or in addition) to that, here are eight spots serving up delicious tamales for the holiday season.
1. Magdalena’s
1300 Gould Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164
One of Fort Worth’s finest venues, Magdalena’s has an impressive menu of holiday tamales. Choose from brisket and Oaxaca cheese, black bean and Oaxaca cheese, guajillo and chicken, red pork, and jalapeño and cheese. Each dozen includes a serving of house-made salsa verde and salsa macha. Pickup dates are every Wednesday from November 26 to December 17.
2. Tommy Tamale’s
Multiple locations
Perhaps the name gives it away, but Tommy Tamale’s serves up a mighty fine tamale. With both full and half-dozen options available, you can get a nice variety for your holiday gatherings. Regular, habanero, and hatch chili chicken and pork highlight the savory options, and the apple cinnamon is a nice way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
3. Taqueria Nuevo Leon
Multiple locations
Taqueria Nuevo Leon promises to offer a taste of Mexico. With locations in Richardson, Garland, Carrollton, and Murphy, you’re never too far away from that taste—and it’s an excellent one. There are quite a few varieties to pick up as full or half-dozen packs, ranging from traditional chicken, pork, and bean options to more exotic selections like cream cheese and jalapeño. Don’t miss out on a sweet tamale, either; sweet cream cheese, dulce de leche, and blueberry will have your mouth watering.
4. Hush Hush Barbeque
9633 Brenden Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76108
Tamales and BBQ are a bit of an unusual combo, but they make a ton of sense together. Hush Hush Barbeque in Fort Worth drops new tamales throughout the year, such as smoked brisket, smoked pork, and smoked turkey with garlic thyme masa. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for limited-run batches.
5. Cantina Laredo
Multiple Locations
Cantina Laredo has multiple locations across Dallas, Frisco, and Addison. For the holidays, they’re serving up a dozen pork or chicken tamales. And if you prefer to be more hands-on with your tamale-making, the restaurant also hosts tamale-making classes, including one on December 18 at the Frisco location. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer (though, let’s not kid ourselves, you’ll probably eat it before you get home).
6. Dallas Farmers Market
920 S Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201
If you’d like to sample a variety of tamales, it’s tough to beat the Dallas Farmers Market. On both December 13-14 and December 20-21, the market will host Tamales Weekend, showcasing made-from-scratch options from several different vendors. There will also be other seasonal produce and handmade goods for attendees to create an entire holiday smorgasbord.
7. Al’s 1187 Sports Bar & Grill
3953 FM1187, Crowley, TX 76036
Drive a bit south of Fort Worth to Crowley, and you’ll find Al’s 1187 Sports Bar & Grill, one of the least pretentious places in the neighborhood. The casual gas station and bar brings good vibes year-round; come the holiday season, it also brings a bounty of tamales. They’re housed in a cooler and offer a variety of flavors, so you can mix and match to your heart’s content.
8. Rocio’s Handmade Tamales
1103 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
Rocio’s Handmade Tamales has been serving its namesake item since 2014. Grab three, six, or 12 tamales, choosing from chicken, pork, beef, rice and beans, and cheese and peppers. If you need some sides for your tamales, Rocio’s also provides corn in a cup and an astonishing number of Kool-Aid pickles; you’ve got over 25 flavors to choose from. Pick up a jug for the whole family to indulge. After all, you deserve a holiday feast!
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: DFW’s freshest finds: Here are the 9 farmers markets you don’t want to miss
