Although commonly eaten during the holiday season, tamales are a classic Mexican dish fit for all sorts of occasions. They can have different fillings and unique twists on their basic cooking method. Plenty of restaurants in the El Paso area serve unique tamale recipes from different parts of the Latin American world. So, which of them should you try? Take a look at these El Paso restaurants famed for excellent authentic tamales.
El Sarape Del Valle
El Sarape Del Valle, a family-style Latin American restaurant, offers popular breakfast specials such as tamales and eggs, along with other common fare seen in Mexican restaurants. The food is fresh, and the restaurant is the right mix of well-known but not overcrowded. Each tamale is generously packed, well-sauced, and cooked to perfection.
Gussie’s Tamales & Bakery
That’s right, there’s a bakery selling tamales. Gussie’s is a fascinating combination of lovely, colorful pan dulces and other sweet baked goods with Mexican items that blend right in. You can get tamales, empanadas, or other sumptuous and savory items and then finish things off with sweet rolls, cookies, or a custom cake. If you have a passion for sweet, dessert-style tamales in particular, you owe it to yourself to try Gussie’s.
Dona Lupita Tamales
Don’t be fooled by the quaint building and location, because Dona Lupita Tamales is one of the busiest Mexican restaurants during the holidays. The menu includes green chicken, red pork, chili cheese, and sweet-style tamales, plus several varieties of burritos and other filling Mexican classics. Each tamale has that perfect mix of soft-yet-firm corn masa, and the fillings are generous, moist, and made from high-quality ingredients.
Mama Tamales
Loved for its green chile chicken tamales, Mama Tamales also serves other tasty home-style dishes from its Mexican-American menu, such as soupy tacos and several styles of enchiladas. The restaurant’s popularity leads to big lunch rushes sometimes, but anyone interested in great Mexican food should find a time to sit down and try Mama Tamales.
Pepe’s Tamales
Although there’s strong competition all throughout El Paso, this restaurant might stand at the top. Don’t expect a good spot for a date or lunch with friends, however, as Pepe’s is take-out only and has a rather simple, unassuming decor, and a building tucked away in a McRae Boulevard shopping center.
Although anyone visiting this eatery won’t be disappointed with the tamales, don’t expect other Mexican or Latin American items on the menu. Pepe’s has one specialization and sticks to it, using the freshest ingredients and perfect ratios for mouthwatering flavor combinations such as red chile pork, raisin, and green chile chicken. Each tamale is hot, fresh, perfectly cooked, and generously stuffed with filling.
El Paso has a great food scene, with plenty of great restaurants in almost any category, from impressive burger joints and steakhouses to authentic restaurants serving Asian, French, and other tastes from around the world. This is even more true for tamales and general Latin American cuisine, so be sure to give one of these places a try the next time you’re craving authentic Mexican comfort food.
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