Where Can You Find Tamales In DFW?
Tamales are good anytime of the year, but they are especially popular during the holidays. Texans seem to crave tamales more than ever from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Our search for the best-tasting and most authentic tamales—like those made from scratch by an Abuelo–turned up several places in our Best Southwest community.
My personal Top of the List ratings go to The Tamale Company and The Bodega, which opened last September on Cedar Ridge Road in Duncanville. The Bodega is owned and operated by Elizabeth Plimmer-Fernandez, her husband Israel Fernandez, and her father Richard Plimmer.
Their tamales are delicious, and obviously hand-crafted with loving care by folks who know their tamales. I pick ours up in Duncanville at the nearby Bodega, but the Tamale Company is able to ship them anywhere in the world.
Bodega’s Head Tamale Pusher
Elizabeth Plimmer said, “We ship nationwide, I think the farthest we have shipped is Hawaii. Mele Kalikimaka to our Hawaiian friends!”
“Business has been steady (since their September opening). The Duncanville community has truly embraced us, and we love serving them and others of course,” Plimmer said. “This winter we will have our showstopper Chocolate tamales. We will have some great local items in the shop that would be great for holiday gifts for family and friends, or a gift for those small family get togethers. We love to support other local business so we carry some of their great snacks too! We can even gift wrap them for you!”
“We will continue to have grab n go options for our customers. Because we love to experiment with new dishes, what you find today, you may not find tomorrow,” she says. “If you follow us on Instagram @thetamalecompany you can see our weekly menu items. Keep an eye out to see what’s next…you won’t be disappointed!”
One of the items shown on their social media pages and website is a Homesick Texan T-shirt. Plimmer said, “We get at least one or two emails a week from our online customers letting us know that they are homesick, displaced or misplaced Texans. We commissioned Artist Aaron Garcia to create the perfect t-shirt for them, and we sell out in days!”
The Bodega’s best-selling tamales, offered on a daily basis, are: Ancho Chili Pork Tamale ($19.95 a dozen); Beef Tenderloin Tamale ($19.95); Chicken Tomatillo ($19.95), Black Bean and Corn (vegan, $19.95); and Cheese and Jalapeno Tamale (vegetarian $19.95).
Restaurants Selling Tamales
Dallas Tortilla & Tamale Factory now has a store in Red Oak, located at 213 TX 342. Their original Marsalis Ave. location in Oak Cliff is a family-owned business that’s been operating over 60 years, so they are obviously doing something right! They sell pork, beef, chicken, pork jalapeno and beef jalapeno tamales for $11.95 a dozen at both locations. Pick up or delivery is available at both locations. Call 972-576-1171 to reach the Red Oak store, or 214-943-6981 for the Marsalis Ave. store in Oak Cliff.
Dallas Tamales Café, 1702 Small Street in Grand Prairie, is a Mexican restaurant that is said to have good tamales along with other traditional dishes. Tamales are available for takeout service only (no deliveries). For more information, call 972-262-0850.
Cox Farms Market: A wide variety, made by Texas Tamale Company, are available at Cox Farms Market, 1026 S. Main Street in Duncanville. They carry beef, pork, chicken, spinach, and black bean varieties ($9.39 a dozen) in a freezer bin near the front of the store. But on my last few visits they were out of every variety except black bean. Which just goes to prove the point, we all crave tamales during the holidays!
Tommy Tamale, Grapevine: Tommy Tamale has been serving tamales since 2009. You can order chicken, beef, pork, non-meat or sweet tamales with multiple flavors available. $13 a dozen or $7.50 for six tamales. They also offer salsas, nachos and quesadillas.
