Among the entrees at Magdalena's Tamales in San Marcos are the tamales con carne.[/caption]

Magdalena’s Tamales

Although Javier Mendez’s food truck, Magdalena’s Tamales, has only been open one year, the recipe for his business’ success dates to the early 1970s when his mother and grandmother would sell their beef and pork combination tamales to workers at a former downtown bank. Magdalena’s Tamales is taking orders for pork and beef blend tamales, jalapeno bean and cheese tamales and chicken tamales through Dec. 17.

Hours: Tue.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Sat. 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m., closed Sun.-Mon. Address: 128 S. Guadalupe St., San Marcos Phone: 512-914-4645

In addition to selling tamales by the dozen, Don Lorenzo in San Marcos sells masa, which is used to make tamales, by the pound.[/caption]

Don Lorenzo

Shirley DeLeon and her husband, Jesse, share quality time together in the back of their restaurant on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in San Marcos making tortillas that accompany the restaurant’s tacos and other dishes. Taco fanatics may appreciate the restaurant’s Taco Happy Hour Mon.-Fri. from 6-10 a.m., when every two-ingredient taco on the menu is $1. The restaurant also offers organic pork tamales for $8.95 per dozen and masa, the cornflour dough used to make tortillas and tamales, for $0.85 per pound.

Hours: Thu.-Tue. 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Address: 307 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, San Marcos Phone: 512-878-1184

El Roble owner Marta Camarena said the fajita taco is one of the most popular dishes at her Kyle restaurant.[/caption]

El Roble

Owner Martha Camarena said the most popular breakfast taco at her Kyle restaurant is the bacon, potato, egg and cheese taco. The restaurant’s corn tortillas are prepared fresh daily, and customers have three choices of salsa: red, green and orange, which Camarena said roughly translates to “medium, hot and really hot.”

Hours: Mon.-Sat. 6 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Address: 721 N. Old Stagecoach Road, Kyle Phone: 512-504-3705

In addition to breakfast and lunch tacos, Speed In in Kyle offers enchiladas, menudo, tamales and other dishes.[/caption]

Speed In

At this corner store located about a mile east of I-35 in Kyle, cooks create a variety of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, including enchiladas, menudo and fajitas. A few of the most popular breakfast tacos include the bacon and egg taco and sausage and egg taco, which are both wrapped in a homemade flour tortilla. Tamales offerings at Speed In include pork, chicken and rajas, which include cheese and peppers.

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Address: 102 Creekside Trail, Kyle Phone: 512-504-3366

The chicharron and egg taco is one of the most popular breakfast options at Casa Maria in San Marcos.[/caption]

Casa Maria

Breakfast is served all day at Casa Maria in San Marcos, and customers typically like to take advantage of that option. Popular dishes at the restaurant include the migas taco, chicharon and egg taco, and nopalitos and egg taco. Each of those tacos cost $2.24 and are served on freshly made tortillas prepared in-house.

Hours: Mon.-Thu. 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Address: 706 S. Guadalupe St., San Marcos Phone: 512-392-9302

Chunk Deuce BBQ's offerings include brisket tacos, brisket and bean tacos and chicken tacos.[/caption]

Chunk Deuce BBQ

Adam and Vivian Hernandez pride themselves on their barbecue, but the couple’s taco offerings are nothing to scoff at either, Adam said. The brisket used in the food truck’s tacos is smoked for 10-12 hours, he said. The meat is good enough to stand on its own, too, he said, so Chunk Deuce BBQ does not offer barbecue sauces to accompany its meat. Among the company’s most popular taco offerings is the barbecue chicken taco, which includes chopped bell peppers and sauteed onions.

Hours: Tue.-Sat. noon-6 p.m., closed Sun.-Mon. Address: 128 S. Guadalupe St., San Marcos Phone: 512-216-8530

Downtown Buda restaurant Helen's Casa Alde is known for its "Fatty" taco, but the restaurant's menu also features tamale dishes.[/caption]

Helen’s Casa Alde

The aptly named Fatty is this iconic Buda restaurant’s most popular offering. The breakfast taco is served on a homemade flour tortilla covered in sausage, egg, cheese, potatoes and bacon and sells for $2.90. Traditional offerings, such as bean and cheese tacos and bacon and egg tacos are also available. The restaurant’s menu also offers a variety of plates featuring pork tamales as well as jalapeno and cheese tamales.

Hours: Sat.-Mon. 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; Wed.-Fri. 7 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9 p.m.; closed Tue. Address: 108 N. Main St., Buda Phone: 512-295-2053