San Diego, CATamales

The taquitos may be the famous order, but the tamales have a strong claim on the table. Their masa tastes distinctly of corn, with generous fillings of beef, chicken or cheese rather than a thin strip tucked inside a thick layer of dough. Order a chicken tamale alongside the taquitos or the small mordiditas. The kitchen makes its own tortillas, and the India Street restaurant has a patio for eating them outside.

The Ancira family makes both savory and sweet tamales at its South Bay shop. Beef and pork are the familiar staples; the sweet versions bring nuts, raisins and strawberry into the masa. This is a dedicated tamale kitchen with several fillings to choose from. The family has spent decades making tamales for the area, and the Chula Vista storefront is a place to pick up a mix of savory and sweet bundles.

The Estudillo family brought this Barrio Logan institution into a new home on National Avenue, a few blocks from its former Logan Avenue counter. Tamales still belong beside the handmade tortillas, tacos, rice and beans that made the restaurant a neighborhood fixture. In the new kitchen, the family continues to hand-stuff pork tamales. Order a tamal as part of a plate, and expect the same straightforward comfort food in the Mercado del Barrio space.

This Barrio Logan brewery has hosted Isa’s Tamales, a mobile maker that prepares its masa and fillings from scratch. The pop-up started here and later became a recurring stop as its maker expanded around the county. Look for meat or vegetarian tamales when the stand is on site, with a beer from the brewery alongside. Isa’s moves among several venues, so check its current pop-up calendar before going to Julian Avenue specifically for tamales.