Eat Tamales on Candelmas (February 2) in Portland

Here we are with yet another food tradition for February 2. Previously, we highlighted “ground hog” and pancakes for this day; this time, it’s about eating tamales.

February 2 is known popularly as Groundhog Day in the U.S., where the groundhog comes out to determine if we will have a short or long winter. But it is also the day of Candelmas, placed 40 days after the Christmas-Epiphany season. It also coincides with Imbolc (February 1 to 3), a cross-quarter day on the Celtic calendar, which marks the beginning of spring. 

Día de la Candelaria connects to Epiphany in this case, where the person who found the muñeco (baby Jesus doll) in the Rosca de Reyes cake pays for or makes the tamales. But it also has a connection to the story in the bible where Mary presented Jesus in the temple, 40 days after his birth, as is set in the ecclesiastical calendar. You can read more about additional aspects of this holiday in Mexico, here. 

Here are some places to eat tamales in Portland (and Beaverton, Tigard, Milwaukie, and Gresham) on February 2—or really, any day of the year.

Casa de Tamales

It was their quirky TV commercials that first caught my eye as far as Casa de Tamales goes. At their downtown Milwaukie location they offer over 50 different kinds of tamales—traditional, vegan, vegetarian, sweet, and more. They make the tamales with the fresh produce grown on their farm in Canby. You can also find them at farmers markets in Milwaukie and Canby.

10605 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Casa de Tamales website

Ki’ikibáa

Although better known for their panuchos, salbutes, and relleno negro, their tamale comes well-recommended. It’s a chicken and pork mix topped with achiote sauce, wrapped in a banana leaf, and served with tomato sauce.

3244 NE 82nd Ave, Portland. Ki’ikibáa website

La Oaxaqueña Market

This Mexican market on Cully Blvd makes tamales regularly. Usually they offer four different kinds at any one time, and those can include vegan and vegetarian options. Sweet corn, and jalapeño and cheese tend to be particularly popular.

4736 NE Cully Blvd, Portland. La Oaxaqueña Facebook page

Salsas Locas

They started out as Tortilleria Y Tienda DeLeon’s, so you may know them better that way. They have a page dedicated to their tamale offerings, which include chicken tamales with salsa verde, pork tamales with salsa roja, cheese and jalepeño, and vegan tamales.

4512 SE 28th Avenue, Portland. Salsas Locas website

Salvador Molly

They started out as a tamale cart at the PSU Farmers Market, and still operates at local farmers markets, though they also have their brick-and-mortar spot in Hillsdale in SW Portland. And they still offer tamales on their eclectic menu. You’ll find fillings of Yucatan chicken, verde pork, artichoke and Cotija cheese, or market veggie (vegan). They are topped with crema, Cotija cheese, salsa fresca, pickled onion, and guacamole, and accompanied by yellow rice and spicy black beans.

Shemanski Park, PSU, Woodstock Farmers Markets, and 1523 SW Sunset Blvd, Portland. Salvador Molly’s website 

Sara Mexican Tamales

Her truck is operating on SE Grand Avenue these days, but she has also has had a presence at various events and farmers markets, including PSU and Oregon City. She offers chicken with red or green sauce, pork with red or green sauce, jalapeño with cheese, vegetable, spinach with cheese, a couple of mushroom options (maitake, shiitake), and a small sweet tamale.

1801 SE Grand Avenue, Portland. Sara Mexican Tamales website 

Tamal Express

Their tamales get solid praise and come in four flavors: chicken with green sauce, pork with red sauce, cheese and jalapeño, and sweet pineapple. Their menudo also gets high marks. Find them in the Aloha Food Carts.

20001 SW TV Hwy, Beaverton. Tamal Express Yelp page

Los Tamales Locos

They used to be at the Eastport Food Carts pod until that fizzled out, and they are now at CORE. You can get your tamales a la carte or on a plate, which means it comes with rice and salad, and topped with queso fresco and sauce. 

3612 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland. Los Tamales Locos Instagram page

Tamale Factory

This tiny hole-in-the-wall spot in Gresham offers four kinds of tamales: chicken in red sauce, pork in green sauce, jalapeño and cheese, and sweet corn. They sometimes have the beef chili option, too, but not recently. You can just stop in, but it helps to order ahead.

48 NE Division Street, Gresham. Tamale Factory website

Tamale Boy

After Casa de Tamales, Tamale Boy is the tamale source I knew best early on. Their tamales are made with non-GMO corn and are steamed in corn husks or banana leaves. They serve them with pickled onions, green tomatillo and roasted tomato salsas. 

For the Oaxacan style tamales, fillings include cochinita pibil, mole negro, and vegetable. For the northern Mexican style tamales, fillings include pork chile verde, chicken tinga, and rajas con queso. They also offer a “tamal frito” prepared with their Norteño tamales. It is served with frijoles negros and topped with avocado salsa, queso fresco, pickled onions, Mexican crema, and cilantro. Two over-easy eggs come with it, too. You can also buy their tamales by the dozen.

Various locations. Tamale Boy website

The Tamale House

Here at this 15+-year old family-run restaurant, you can buy tamales by the each, by the dozen, or by the dinner. Fillings include pork, BBQ pork, chicken, cheese and jalapeño, corn, and sweet. 

Their tamale dinner feeds up to six people and includes 12 tamales, rice, beans, and salsa. Their tamale and enchilada dinner feeds up to six people and includes 12 tamales, six cheese enchiladas, rice, and beans.

13185 SW Pacific Hwy B-1, Tigard. The Tamale House website

Also of Note: This roundup of tamales along the TV highway in The Oregonian is worth your time.

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Make Tamales

We are so fortunate in Portland to have Three Sisters Nixtamal available to us. They make excellent tortillas and sell masa for tamales, which is a bit different than masa for tortillas. Options include a coarse-ground blue, yellow, and white corn masa. This stuff is fresh, so keep it in the fridge. You can also get corn husks from them.

Find their whole menu on the Three Sisters Nixtamal website.

7475 SE 72nd Avenue, Portland. Three Sisters Nixtamal website

Sidewalk Tamale Vendors

Some say this is the best—buying tamales from roving street vendors. Often they are women but there are also men who sell tamales out of a cooler or a big metal cooking pot, right there on the sidewalk. Some popular spots to find them include:

• Home Depot parking lot at Mall 205.
• New Seasons 7 Corners on SE Division Street.
• New Seasons Market at NE 33rd Avenue.
• From Reddit: “There’s usually a lady who walks up and down Hawthorne selling tamales and they are absolutely delicious.” and “There’s a guy that stands by his car during the day on Woodstock and 45th that sells tamales.”
• There may be other locations as well.