Mami's Tamales

Mami's Tamales is a Mexican restaurant on Keong Saik Road that puts tamales at the centre of the menu. A tamal is corn dough wrapped around a filling of meat, beans or cheese, then cooked inside a corn husk or banana leaf. The restaurant describes itself as Asia's first tamales-led restaurant.

It opened in July 2024 and is run by two Mexican chefs. Maribel Colmenares, known as Mami, comes from Puebla. She started as a home cook and ran tamale pop-ups before the restaurant opened. Mauricio Espinoza, known as Papi, comes from Papalotla and also founded Papi's Tacos in Singapore in 2016.

What to order

Order at least one tamal each, then add a few small plates to share. Fillings on the current menu include:

• Birria: beef in a rich guajillo chilli sauce
• Pork salsa verde: pork in a green tomatillo sauce
• Chicken pibil: chicken marinated in achiote, Yucatán style
• Cheese and pepper: a vegetarian filling with roasted jalapeño
• Papas con chorizo: potato and chorizo with chipotle sauce

There are also tacos on corn tortillas, such as al pastor with pineapple and gobernador shrimp with melted cheese. Starters include esquites, which is sweet corn with jalapeño aioli and queso fresco. Guacamole is made at your table, and there is a crab tostadita too. For something warming, try the pozole, a hominy and chicken soup, or the tortilla soup.

At lunch, set meals pair a tamal or taco with rice and refried beans. There is also a torta, a Mexican sandwich filled with braised brisket. Desserts are churros with chocolate hazelnut sauce and paletas, which are Mexican ice lollies in flavours such as mango passionfruit and coconut.

Drinks

The bar makes frozen and shaken margaritas in flavours such as lime, mango, tamarind and hibiscus. Spicy versions use jalapeño, serrano or habanero. There is a short list of tequila and mezcal, Mexican beers and a few house cocktails. Without alcohol, you can try aguas frescas such as horchata and agua de jamaica, Jarritos sodas or one of the house mocktails.

The setting

The dining room is bright and playful, with pink walls, Mexican artwork and sombreros hung on the walls. It suits a casual lunch with friends or an easy dinner before a night out on Keong Saik Road.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: you can reserve a table online through the Mami's Tamales website.
• Dietary needs: the menu marks vegetarian and vegan dishes. It also flags dishes that contain gluten.
• Getting there: the nearest MRT station is Outram Park.

Nearby

Keong Saik Road has plenty of bars and restaurants, and our Tanjong Pagar and Keong Saik guide covers the area. For more Mexican food in this part of town, try Lavi Taco in Chinatown. If you need a place to stay, Mondrian Singapore Duxton is in the same district. You can also browse all restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar or our list of burger, Mexican and international restaurants.