Is there such a thing as too many tamales? Yes, especially if you’re the one making them, but that’s a whole other story, and really, who has the time? If you’re jonesing for tamales these days you won’t have a hard time finding them. These corn husk-wrapped beauties are perennial in San Antonio. Save yourself the headache and order your holiday batches ASAP.

Adelita’s Tamales & Tortilla Factory
1130 Fresno, (210) 733-5352, adelitastamales.com

Don’t be turned off by their nondescript building off Fresno. Adelita’s Tamales & Tortilla Factory is instead focusing its efforts on getting delicious tamales out. Dozens are available in pork ($8.25), pork jalapeño ($8.25), chicken ($9) and bean and jalapeño ($7.75). They can handle walk-in orders of up to 10 dozen, but call ahead if you’ve got a hungry crowd to feed.

Cocina Heritage
(210) 560-3424, cocinaheritage.com



The sisters at Cocina Heritage are handling an extensive menu of tamales, wrapped in either corn husks or banana leaves. Choose from pork in red sauce ($15/dozen), chicken in green sauce ($15/dozen) and sweet guava tamales ($14/dozen) in traditional husks, or the tamales Veracruzanos ($24/dozen), bean and cheese ($24/dozen) or vegan prepared with organic coconut oil and seasonal veggies ($24/dozen) in banana leaves. Orders can be made online by emailing info@cocinaheritage by December 10.

Delicious Tamales
Multiple locations, delicioustamales.com

Owned by Laredo native Valerie Gonzalez, Delicious has carved a niche for itself with its variety (you’ve gotta find a way to stay fresh after more than 30 years in the business). With more than 70 dozen tamales produced every two minutes inside their massive factory on Culebra, Delicious cranks out nine varieties, all at $8 per dozen — including regular pork, bean, jalapeño cheese, sweet and Southwest vegetarian. You’ll find something for all appetites.

The Gardener’s Feast
(210) 913-0906, sanantonio@thegardenersfeast.com

You’ll find these goodies at The Back Yard Farmers Market (5300 N. McCullough Ave. at The Yard, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays) and Castle Hills Farm to Market (2211 NW Military Hwy., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays) with organic tamales free of additives, gluten, preservatives, trans fat oils and lard. The tamales ($3 each) are available in pork tomatillo, chicken mole and pork pastor. Vegetarian flavors include bean and goat cheese, poblano and cheese, spring veggies and feta and Xochitl, with roasted poblano peppers, calabacita, corn, epazote and queso fresco; vegan varieties include spinach and caramelized onions, mushrooms and nopalitos. Like Cocina Heritage, Gardener’s Feast always carries banana leaf tamales ($5 each) such as the Chiapaneco (with shredded chicken, mole, prunes, fried plantains and olives), beef tinga with chipotle sauce and a Costeño with pork rib in a chile-ajo sauce. Don’t forget dessert — Gardener’s Feast carries the Pink (with cinnamon and raisins), Mexican brownie (with chocolate bits) and guava (made with guava jelly) priced at $3 a pop.

Mimi’s Barbacoa Tacos Tamales Y Mas
10918 Wurzbach Road, #134, (210) 558-6008

At $8.99 a dozen, Mimi’s Barbacoa Tacos Tamales Y Mas offers pork, pork jalapeño, refried beans, charro beans and chicken available to order now. Small caveat: You’ll need to put half down on your order when you place it, which is a small price to pay for a great holiday season. Chicken poblano tamales and sweet tamales are also available to order.

Tellez Tamales
1737 S. General McMullen Drive, (210) 433-1367

The only tip we can possibly offer to you on this one is get your orders in early. If you want to “unwrap the good stuff,” Tellez is open every day until Thanksgiving with $10 dozens of traditional pork, chicken and spicy jalapeño pork. Come December, both Tellez locations will only offer pork on a first-come, first-served basis.

Viva Vegeria
1422 Nogalitos St., (210) 465-9233, myvegeria.com

This just in: Tamales don’t have to be filled with lard to be delicious. The staff at Viva Vegeria cranks out 13 different varieties of the foil-wrapped goods, including a sweet potato ginger chipotle, arroz con calabaza, spinach huitlacoche and a quinoa cranberry stuffing all for $13 a dozen. Pick up dates are available on Wednesday, November 25; Saturday, December 12-19; and December 21-23. Get those orders in now.