Indianapolis, INTamales

Tamales were once the flagship dish at this Washington Street counter. The savory choices include beef, pork and chicken with calabacita squash. Meat-free choices include soyrizo, pinto beans, and poblano with cheese, all made with lard-free masa. Order a mix of the savory and meat-free tamales to taste the range of fillings.

This northside restaurant makes open-faced tamales with a sweet, textured bite. Meat fillings and a seasonal ingredient are among the choices. Its Salvadoran tamales also have a light, fluffy texture. Order the tamales alongside the pupusas for two dishes from the same kitchen.

Tamales are the main event at this Rockville Road shop, where the kitchen bags them warm for takeout. Fillings run from pork and chipotle chicken to pineapple and raisin, a sweet choice that works after a savory order. Order a pork or chicken tamal first, then add the pineapple-raisin version if you want both sides of the menu.

The Lafayette Road shop pairs Mexican ice creams and fruit drinks with substantial tamales. The tamales come wrapped in either corn husks or soft banana leaves, with a lighter, supple masa at the center. Order a tamal in each wrapper to compare them, then look to the ice cream case or the fruit drinks for something alongside it.