Santa Masa Tamaleria

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Chef Driven Mexican in Dunning

You already know this but ‘The Bear’ is back for a 3rd season on Hulu. What you might not have known is Santa Masa Tamaleria is also back. The story of this masa forward restaurant on Addison began back in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic when restaurants had to close. Chef Danny Espinoza had plans to open a Mexican seafood restaurant with his wife but they had to scratch that idea. Instead they pivoted to tamales which they sold out of a commercial kitchen in Avondale but when the city started to open back up they moved to the suburbs where they took jobs outside of the restaurant world. As time went by they missed cooking and yearned for those interactions that working in a restaurant can bring and with that they opened Santa Masa Tamaleria at 7544 W Addison.

Recently Opened in Dunning 

Classic tamales made with corn husk are front and center here as their old pop up helped spawn the restaurant. Both Danny and his wife Jhoana come from tamale making families, his from Michoacán and hers from Mexico City. The menu lets you choose from five tamales including the classic red and green varieties made with chicken in tomatillo sauce and chicken in Guajillo Chile sauce. 

Tamale at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

They also feature a Tamale Del Mes which takes us back to my previous mention of the The Bear. This month’s special is an Italian beef tamale that pre-dates the show but they brought it back to celebrate the release of the third season. If I'm being honest an Italian beef tamal sounds like something you would make for clicks on TikTok but this is hardly a gimmick. Chef Danny shows off his food knowledge and fine dining training by pulling off one of the most surprising bites of the year. He starts by roasting a piece of top round which also produces the gravy which is seasoned with the essence of Ancho and Pasilla chiles, Mexican oregano and more. The beef is sliced and mixed into fresh masa which goes into grilled banana leaves the same way a Oaxacan tamale is made. “Escabeche-esque” giardiniera is added behind the counter and a little cup of the gravy (au jus) is poured over when served. High quality ingredients throughout make for a fantastic snack. I asked Danny if he’s ever considered putting his beef in some sort of torta roll as it would easily be one of the best beefs in the city. I have no idea if that’ll happen but he did seem intrigued. You have until the end of the month to try the Italian beef tamale as its August replacement will be Corunda tamales - a regional variation from Michoacán.

Italian Beef Tamale at Santa Masa Tortilleria 

Tamales aren’t the only thing Danny is passionate about. I asked about the green chorizo used in one of the tacos and Danny explained how his love for it stems back to the first time he tried this regional recipe from Toluca. He told me a story of how enamored he was when he first came across it on a trip with his uncle. Upon learning of chorizo de verde estilo Toluca he became obsessed with making his own and as time has passed he's developed a recipe which he plans to package and sell to restaurants and supermarkets across the city thru his other venture called Santo Chorizo. But for now you can try Chef Danny’s delicious green chorizo in a taco dressed with fried breakfast potatoes and pickled onions on a fresh pressed corn tortilla. The chorizo is deep green due to all the earthy ingredients used to make it. The potatoes were a nice touch as this taco reminded me of a popular stand in Mexico City called Ricos Tacos Toluca that puts fries on their green chorizo tacos. 

Green Chorizo Taco at Santa Masa Tamaleria 

On my initial visit to try the Italian beef tamal Danny had waxed poetic about his weekend special pozole so I made plans to go back for some of that when the weekend rolled around. Although his family makes a red version Danny has come up with his own recipe which is green. It’s pretty traditional in the sense of the dish but a few chef driven tweeks like chunks of soft and tender pork butt and fresh grilled tostadas make this one stand out. I think it might be the best bowl of pozole in town right now. 

Pozole 

Santa Masa Tamaleria
7544 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 982-9306
Website