A dish with rich history and ties to holiday feasts, the humble tamale combines the best in satisfying flavors. Made with fresh masa steamed or boiled, these savory pockets trace their history back to the Incas. When you’re ready to enjoy a culinary delight wrapped in cultural traditions, check out our list of the best tamales in El Monte, Calif., and our surrounding areas.
Tamales Liliana’s
Family-owned Tamales Liliana’s started when the restaurant founder began selling tamales on a street corner. Tamales Liliana’s has grown to include two restaurants serving the El Monte area. Choose from seven delicious tamale flavors, including Chile Rojo con Carne, Chile Verde con Carne, and Rajas con Queso with ingredients like chilies, onion, garlic, and Mexican crema.
Tamales Liliana’s also offers dozens of traditional Mexican dishes and house specials. Taste the Chicharron in Salsa Verde with rice and beans or the Plato Mexicano comprising three different types of meat, a fried taco, one fried roll taco, rice, and beans. They also serve a variety of seafood dishes like Caldos de Mariscos, a seafood stew, and Mojarra Al Gusto, a fried tilapia dish.
Location: 4629 E. Cesar Chavez Ave., Los Angeles and 3448 E. First St., Los Angeles.
Hours: Varies by location.
Tamale Street
Buy tamales individually, by the half dozen, or by the dozen at Tamale Street. Select your favorite from classic choices like cheese and jalapeño or shredded pork, beef, or chicken. Tamale Street offers one sweet and one savory tamale of the month, so you can always taste something new. They also serve tortas, and Mexican-style sandwiches, with fillings like soy chorizo and carnitas.
Stop by Tamale Street for daily meal deals with one or two tamales, chips, beans, and salsa or a family meal bundle featuring 12 tamales, rice, beans, chips, and salsa for you and the kids.
Location: 206 S. Glendora Ave., West Covina.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Cafe Tizon
Grab a red pork or green chicken tamale seasoned with Mexican spices and cooked to perfection at Cafe Tizon. They also offer special order tamales available with 24-hour notice. Order by the dozen in flavors like red beef, dulce with raisins, strawberry with raisins, and Elote (sweet corn). Weekend specials include Pozole and Menudo served in both large and small portions. Stop by for breakfast to enjoy Chilaquiles served with eggs and beans or a breakfast plate with chorizo and eggs.
Location: 11308 Lower Azusa Rd., El Monte.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tamales Alberto
From selling tamales at the back of a bakery to opening a stand-alone restaurant, Tamales Alberto continues to serve their authentic Mexican delicacies to the greater Los Angeles area. Try one of their hand-made tamales like chicken mole, pork with red salsa, or a vegan option with vegetable fillings. For dessert, grab a sweet pineapple or strawberry tamale. Tamales Alberto also offers catering with more details on their website.
Location: 1644 W. Temple St., Los Angeles.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sandra’s Tamales
Sandra’s Tamales serves “wet” tamales dripping with sauce. Stop by to try a sweet corn tamale or a meat-filled tamale in red or green sauce. Or, choose a cheese-filled tamale with Monterey Jack Cheese and a spicy green sauce. Sandra’s also takes custom orders with 24-hour notice. Order specialty tamales like the bean, chicken, green sauce, masa-only, and vegetables. Enjoy other Mexican favorites like Menudo, Carnitas, and Chile Rellenos. You can find additional information about special ordering on their website.
Location: 5390 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles.
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
La Indiana Tamales
La Indiana Tamales offers fresh tamales in classic flavors like Chile and green cheese, chicken, pork, beef, and sweet corn in their unassuming dining spot. Order tamales hot or frozen in single, half-dozen, and one-dozen servings. Family-owned since 1979, La Indiana Tamales serves hand-made tamales, gorditas, and other classic Mexican dishes made fresh to order. They also offer catering and delivery services. Check their website for details.
Location: 1142 S. Indiana St., Los Angeles.
Hours: Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tamales Elena y Antojitos
After Elena and her husband started selling tamales from a cart in their neighborhood of Watts, the business prospered, and they began offering Elena’s delicious tamales from a mobile trailer. When they outgrew the trailer, they knew it was time for a restaurant, and Tamales Elena y Antojitos opened to the public.
Now with two locations in Los Angeles and Bell Gardens, Tamales Elena y Antojitos offers their corn husk tamales to diners throughout the area. Order classic varieties like pork in red sauce, chicken in green sauce, or cheese and jalapeño. Elena’s also serves sweet tamales in strawberry and pineapple flavors.
Location: 10900 Wilmington Ave., Los Angeles, and 8101 Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens.
Hours: Varies by location.
Artesano Tamaleria
Located in the fashion district of Los Angeles, Artesano Tamaleria is reinventing the tamale for the next generation of foodies. They offer tamales in five categories traditional, vegetarian, vegan, gourmet, and sweet. Go for a classic like chicken with green tomatillo salsa and braised pork with guajillo peppers. Taste something meatless like the vegetarian panela cheese or the vegan cactus tamale. Artesano Tamaleria’s gourmet offing features pork slow-cooked in an achiote marinade. Finish with a sweet tamale filled with pineapple, cinnamon, and shaved coconut. Artesano prepares all tamales gluten and lard free.
Location: 819 Santee St., Los Angeles.
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Social Media: Instagram
Order Online: Toast Tab
Like our list of the best tamales in El Monte and beyond? We hope you taste them all and support our local businesses. Did we forget one of your favorite tamale spots? Let us know so we can try it for ourselves.
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