{"id":67534,"date":"2026-10-28T21:27:30","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T21:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/67534\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T21:27:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T21:27:30","slug":"six-missouri-tamale-shops-worth-ordering-from-by-the-dozen-before-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/67534\/","title":{"rendered":"Six Missouri Tamale Shops Worth Ordering From By The Dozen Before The Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"

Holiday tables in Missouri have a secret weapon, and it comes wrapped in a corn husk. Tamales are easy to share, easy to reheat, and hard to stop eating once the first one is unwrapped.<\/p>\n

Ordering by the dozen saves a lot of kitchen time, which is a gift on its own during a busy December. These six shops, from Kansas City to Joplin, make tamales worth calling ahead for.<\/p>\n

1. The Tamale Kitchen, Kansas City, MO<\/p>\n

\"The\u00a9 The Tamale Kitchen, Kansas City, MO<\/p>\n

Some kitchens make tamales as a side item. The Tamale Kitchen makes them the whole point, with Mexican-inspired tamales described as handmade with purpose.<\/p>\n

The shop is based on E Armour Blvd in Northeast Kansas City, and it keeps things flexible. You can pick up takeout, set up tamale delivery, or book catering for a larger holiday spread.<\/p>\n

Weekend shoppers have another option. The kitchen also sells at City Market KC on weekends, which makes it easy to grab a bag while doing other market errands.<\/p>\n

Prices land in the budget-friendly range, and a dozen makes a thoughtful gift for a neighbor or coworker. The folks behind the counter are known for being warm and welcoming.<\/p>\n

Hours run Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, plus 8 AM to 3 PM on weekends. It is closed Mondays, and reservations are not taken, so plan to order ahead by phone when the holidays get busy.<\/p>\n

2. Tortiller\u00eda Perches | Mexican, Springfield, MO<\/p>\n

\"Tortiller\u00eda\u00a9 Tortiller\u00eda Perches | Mexican, Springfield, MO<\/p>\n

Apple tamales. That one menu detail tells you Tortiller\u00eda Perches is willing to have a little fun with tradition.<\/p>\n

This family-run spot on W Sunshine St in Springfield is known for handmade tamales with soft masa and savory fillings. Pork and rajas versions are popular, and sweet apple tamales round out a holiday order nicely.<\/p>\n

Mixing a dozen of one with a dozen of another is a smart way to please a crowd. The tamale plate, served with guacamole and spicy salsa, is a good way to sample before committing.<\/p>\n

Homemade tortillas are part of the name and part of the appeal. Mole and other traditional dishes like caldo de res also fill out the menu.<\/p>\n

Hours are Tuesday through Thursday 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday until 9 PM, and Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM. Tuesday evenings tend to be busiest, so midweek daytime pickups are easier.<\/p>\n

3. Tortillera Lemus, Sedalia, MO<\/p>\n

Set an alarm for this one. Homemade tamales at Tortillera Lemus show up on Saturday mornings, and early arrivals have the best shot.<\/p>\n

The Sedalia shop on Thompson Blvd is a classic tortilleria first. Fresh tortillas are the everyday draw, along with raw chorizo that is easy to toss in the cooler for holiday breakfasts.<\/p>\n

It is a quick, no-fuss stop with friendly staff. There is no delivery, so this is strictly a pickup kind of place.<\/p>\n

Sedalia sits in the middle of the state, which makes it a handy pause on a central Missouri road trip. Grabbing tamales, tortillas, and chorizo in one visit covers a lot of a holiday menu.<\/p>\n

Weekday hours are 10 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday runs 10 AM to 4 PM. Sundays are closed.<\/p>\n

4. Fred & Red\u2019s, Joplin, MO<\/p>\n

\"Fred\u00a9 Fred & Red\u2019s, Joplin, MO<\/p>\n

Route 66 travelers know Joplin for plenty of things, and chili-smothered tamales belong near the top of the list.<\/p>\n

Fred and Red\u2019s is a retro diner on S Main St with a horseshoe counter and old school counter service. The menu leans on a short list of signatures: chili, spaghetti red, and homemade tamales.<\/p>\n

Here the tamale often comes dressed up. The Jumbo Tamale Spread and cheeseburger-topped tamales are the kind of thing you will not find at a tortilleria, and Frito pie keeps the chili theme going.<\/p>\n

I like this stop for a holiday order with a twist. Grab plain tamales to go, and maybe a container of chili to pour over them at home.<\/p>\n

There is a drive-through, plus free parking. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM to 9 PM.<\/p>\n

5. La Oaxaque\u00f1a, St. Louis, MO<\/p>\n

\"La\u00a9 La Oaxaque\u00f1a, St. Louis, MO<\/p>\n

Not every tamale comes in a corn husk. At La Oaxaque\u00f1a, flat Oaxacan-style tamales wrapped in plantain leaves sit right alongside the classics.<\/p>\n

The south St. Louis County restaurant on Lemay Ferry Rd focuses on regional Oaxacan cooking. Chicken verde tamales, tlayudas, and enchiladas de mole are all part of the lineup.<\/p>\n

The masa is fresh, and the spice level hits a comfortable middle. Ordering a mix of husk-wrapped and leaf-wrapped tamales makes a holiday table more interesting.<\/p>\n

Adventurous eaters can also try chapulines, or grasshoppers, plus molotes and picaditas. A full vegetarian menu helps when the guest list has varied diets.<\/p>\n

The restaurant offers catering and takes reservations. It is open daily from 11 AM, staying until 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.<\/p>\n

6. Los Alamos Cocina, Kansas City, MO<\/p>\n

\"Los\u00a9 Los Alamos Cocina<\/p>\n

Breakfast at 6 AM and a bag of tamales on the way out is a pretty strong way to start a holiday errand day.<\/p>\n

Los Alamos Cocina is a family-owned spot on Summit St in Kansas City\u2019s historic Westside. Daily tamales share the spotlight with chilaquiles, menudo, barbacoa, and breakfast burritos.<\/p>\n

Homemade salsas are easy to add to a tamale order. That combo turns a simple dozen into a ready-made meal.<\/p>\n

Sunday mornings get busy, so weekday stops are calmer. No reservations and no delivery mean you will want to stop in or call ahead.<\/p>\n

Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 6 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday 6 AM to 2 PM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Holiday tables in Missouri have a secret weapon, and it comes wrapped in a corn husk. Tamales are easy to share, easy to reheat, and hard to stop eating once the first one is unwrapped. Ordering by the dozen saves a lot of kitchen time, which is a gift on its own during a busy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":67535,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[3642,3640,3638,3641,3639],"class_list":["post-67534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-missouri","tag-missouri","tag-missouri-dining","tag-missouri-food","tag-missouri-grocery-stores","tag-missouri-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/vive.im\/@dc\/117520658836889741","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}