It’s time to stock up on tamales from Houston’s experts, like the Original Ninfa’s.
For many Texans, tamales make the celebration. In the weeks leading up to the holidays, Latin American families gather to prepare them by hand—an hours-long ritual that anchors the Las Posadas tradition, which begins in mid-December and is often paired with piping-hot cups of ponche. During the process, the masa, a corn-based dough mixture, is shaped, filled with meat, or beans and cheese, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves, and cooked until tender.
The work is meticulous, and while the payoff is big, plenty of families choose to skip the marathon and place an order instead. Luckily, Houston has some excellent options. Spots like Cochinita & Co. in the East End and Momma’s Tamales in Bellaire keep tamales on their menu year-round. Here are some of Houstonia‘s favorite places to pick them up, so you can spend less time prepping the masa and more time eating with the fam.
This guide has been updated to include BB’s Tex-Orleans, Feges BBQ, Molina’s Cantina, and the Original Ninfa’s.
Upper Kirby
The most magical time of the year is almost here—otherwise known as the return of the Tamale Stand at Picos. This season, the Upper Kirby Mexican restaurant offers its tamale menu through January 6, selling tamales by the dozen and half-dozen for takeout. Norteños-style tamales, wrapped in corn husks, come in flavors such as pork in red chile, chicken in green chile, beef in red chile, black bean and cheese, peppers and cheese, piña colada (pineapple and coconut), and sweet raisin. Prices are $13 for a half-dozen and $25 for a full dozen. Chocolate tamales are available for an upcharge of $1 per half dozen.
The Oaxaqueños selection, wrapped in banana leaves, includes flavors like pork in red chile, chicken in green chile, chicken in black mole, portobello mushroom and huitlacoche, and chicken and chipilín in roasted tomatillo salsa. These are priced at $23 for a half-dozen and $46 for a full dozen.
Finish your spread with sauces and sides, including Picos’s trio of moles, chile con queso, guacamole, and a variety of salsas.
Cypress
The multigenerational Balderas family has been in the tamale business since 1967 and makes some of the best tamales you can find in the Houston area. Fillings include pork and beef (spicy and mild), chicken, and bean and cheese, and run $10 for a half-dozen and $18 for a dozen.
Switch it up with Cajun tamales from BB’s Tex-Orleans.
multiple locations
East End
Chef Victoria Elizondo’s East End staple offers some of the best Mexican food in the city, which includes phenomenal tamales. Priced at $14 for a half dozen, Cochinita’s tamales feature fillings like shredded pork in red salsa, shredded chicken with roasted green salsa, roasted poblano peppers and panela cheese, and a vegan black bean option with epazote.
Spring Branch, Greenway Plaza
Add a barbecue twist to your annual tamale tradition. Beginning December 1, this barbecue joint will take online orders for smoked brisket tamales for $40 a dozen. Orders can be picked up at either the Spring Branch or Greenway Plaza location.
Montrose
Hugo Ortega’s namesake restaurant features a traditional Mexican menu that has won over legions of Houstonians and visitors alike. Take some of the restaurant’s magic home with an order of its delicious tamales, priced at $28 per dozen. Choose from pork with chile puya, chicken mole poblano, or mushroom with pipián.
multiple locations
Go classic, and order the chili-laced braised pork tamales for $16 per dozen. Available through the new year, this offer is great for anyone hosting holiday parties. For a bigger spread, ask about the restaurant’s Fajita Holiday Fiesta, which lets diners build their own meal with options like fajitas, enchiladas, and Jose’s dip, a blend of chili con queso and spicy taco meat.
Bellaire
This always-busy tamale purveyor sells tamales year-round at its Bellaire storefront and several farmers market stands operated by its owner Ana Soria. Purchase Momma’s tamales by the dozen ($16) or half-dozen ($9). Fillings include pork, chicken, spinach and cheese, jalapeño and cheese, black bean and cheese, black bean and spinach, and brisket and cheese.
Monkey’s Tail is spreading the holiday cheer this year with its green chile chicken and red chile pork tamales.
Lindale park, conroe
navigation and uptown
This local institution has many Houstonians in a chokehold thanks to its tacos al carbon, but the tamales also have their following. Spend $50 on a Ninfa’s Hot Tamale Box, which will get you two dozen tamales, filled with beef birria or pork en guajillo, or a mixture of both. Each order includes pints of salsa tomatillo and salsa molcajete. Frozen tamales are available for $24 per dozen, but if you need them hot and ready to eat, place your order at least four hours in advance.
Woodway, Memorial
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen is taking orders for pork and chicken tamales ($22 for a dozen) and enchiladas ($40 for a dozen, $46 for the dozen if they’re filled with shrimp, crab, or fajitas). As a bonus, those who order five dozen tamales will receive a complimentary dozen. Orders should be placed at least three days in advance. This offer is only valid until the end of the year.
Willow Meadows
Tamales Don Pepe makes tamales authentic enough to receive approval from your abuelita. Priced at $5 each, they come wrapped in banana leaf and stuffed with your choice of chicken or pork in green sauce, chicken with mole, jalapeño and cheese, black beans and cheese, or mushrooms.
multiple locations
Can’t make it through the holidays without your tamales fix? Texas Tamale Company offers “survival kits” of various sizes for purchase online or at several grocery stores throughout the Houston area. You’ve likely seen their unmistakable cloth bags in the freezer section at H-E-B. Fillings include pork, beef, chicken, black bean, green chile, and spinach.
Northside
Since 1960, this Northside staple has been dishing out some of the best tamales in Texas. The outpost has an endless variety of handmade tamales—pork (mild or spicy), beef, chicken, spinach, and jalapeño and cheese—available for between $17 and 19 per dozen.
Garden Oaks
The tamales here aren’t limited to the holiday season. Stop in during its open hours for a variety of flavors, including pork, beans, chicken (with or without cheese), sweet corn, beef, spicy pork, and jalapeño cheese. Prices are $19 for a dozen and $10 for a half-dozen.
Vegetarians can enjoy mushroom tamales at Urbe.
Uptown
Urbe, Hugo Ortega’s Mexican street food–inspired restaurant, has become a favorite since opening in 2021 by highlighting street foods from across Mexico’s many regions. The restaurant’s holiday tamales are available for $28 per dozen. Choose from brisket, pork with adobo, chicken with green sauce, and mushroom. Ortega’s sister restaurant Caracol also offers tamale specials.
