Rene Lynch
is a senior editor for Orange County, including food trends, politics — and whatever else the news gods have in store.
Published December 15, 2023 5:00 AM
Landing on anyone's list: The tamales from Tamales Olmeca.
(
Tamales Olmeca
)
Topline:
Did you really celebrate the holiday season if you didn't eat a tamale or three? Nope. These are our favorite places to get them, and it's best to pre-order as they sell out fast.
Why it matters: It's that wonderful time of the year, when tamales start appearing everywhere you go. Whether the tamales are Mexican, Puerto Rican, El Salvadoran... the more tamales the merrier in our book.
Why now: We're giving you a heads up: after your Thanksgiving feast you may not want to think about food for another, say, trillion years, but trust us, these places sell out fast.
We repeat: You need to order if you want tamales!
For many of us, it's not the holidays until we've tucked into a tamale. Doused in hot sauce. And you can find plenty of places that sell tamales at this time of year. But finding the best? That's harder.
Luckily, the LAist staff was up for the challenge: We asked the newsroom for their favorite places to order holiday tamales, and now we're sharing those picks with you.
One thing to keep in mind, though: You’ll see that many of the places on this list are mom-and-pop storefronts, solopreneur pop-ups and even families selling out of their home kitchens. Have patience with these small businesses trying to navigate the holiday rush.
Did we miss your favorite place for holiday tamales? Let us know and we may include it.
Editor's note: This story first ran last year; it's been updated to reflect 2024 prices.
Tamales Olmeca
(
Tamales Olmeca
)
This tamale pop-up — run by Yunia Funes-Mata — lands on any list of top tamale suppliers in and around L.A. Order online and you’ll get a pick-up location, or catch up with Funes-Mata on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, or until supplies run out, at The Golden Poppy Marketnorth of Elysian Park and Dodger Stadium. Favorites pay homage to Funes-Mata’s Guadalajaran roots and include Sesy’s Beloved (carnitas, tomatillo salsa verde) amd the vegetarian A Que No Te Rajas (queso, rajas and salsa guajillo). Typically $7 a piece, pre-order $70 for a dozen for the holidays. "It's a boutique style," Funes-Mata told us of her tamales, "but I think people see the hard work that goes into it."
La Mascota Bakery
(
La Mascota Bakery
)
How’s this for a recommendation: LAist 89.3 AirTalk host Larry Mantle says the tamales from La Mascota Bakery in Boyle Heightsare the best in L.A., full stop: “They've ruined others for me,” Mantle said, “My favorite masa. My in-laws' holiday tradition for decades.” Tamales are $2.84 apiece when you order online, or $33.79 a dozen. There are six varieties to choose from: Red chile with pork, red chile with beef, green chile chicken, green chile and cheese, vegetable and a sweet option with pineapple.
La Moderna Bakery
How good is La Moderna Bakery in Whittier? It’s where LAist food editor Gab Chabrán’s mom buys her holiday tamales. And this is the time to be planning your order. Their banner outside says “Xmas Tamale orders start the day after Thanksgiving.” La Moderna is known for old-school classics, and rock bottom prices: Red pork, green pork, green cheese, red beef, green chicken, and sweet tamales. $15.50 for a half dozen, $31 for a dozen.
Shane's Tamales
(
Shane's Tamales
)
If you’re vegan, many tamales remain out of reach. Enter Shane’s Tamales, which has now moved into its permanent Garden Grove location after much acclaim as a pop up. Tamales are $54 for a dozen, and include Chick'n Green Chile, "Pork" red chile, bean, cheese and rajas, and spinach and crema. "Contemplating moving to CA just for these tamales", says one online reviewer.
Señor Big Ed
Might as well make it a meal.
(
Gab Chabrán
/
LAist
)
For a Puerto Rican tamale — made from a masa with green plantains — head to Señor Big Ed, a beloved hole-in-the-wall restaurant located in the city of Cypress. The pasteles are filled with pork and wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled instead of steamed, resulting in a darker, softer, velvet-like texture. The restaurant’s menu is half Puerto Rican favorites, half Mexican dishes. So, try both style of tamales. A dozen pasteles are $58, pork tamales are $4.25 a la carte. And while you’re there, might as well enjoy some sweet fried plantains and arroz con gandules.
Mayra Soto’s take on holiday tamales channels her Michaoacan roots, as do many of items on the menu at her Lynwood location, Tacoz. There are uchepos, a sweet corn tamal made with a coarser masa and wrapped in a green corn husk (while others are made in a dried husk) and the seasonal corundas, which are chunkier in size, and wrapped in a long corn leaf, or milpa. (Their appearance on the menu went viral on IG and Tik Tok.) Uchepos and corundas, $3.50 each. You are even invited to bring your own pot for the pickup, to ensure “safe travels” for your corundas.
Tamale Man
You’ll have a hard time beating the prices at Tamale Man, located northeast of DTLA. It’s $30.50 per dozen tamales, with your choice of cheese, pork, chicken or sweet corn. The tamales are made with an “heirloom recipe” that has been handed down for generations, and has a devoted following: “My family has been eating tamales here for the last 15-20 years,” said one online comment. If you stop by, might as well try one of their tamale-centric breakfasts or lunches, such as tamales and eggs, $11.95, or the two-tamale combo, $10, both meals served with rice and beans. Order online for pickup, delivery options available for a fee.
Lupita's Bakery
Take a look at Lupita’s Bakery’s Instagram account, and you’ll see lavishly decorated birthday and wedding cakes, and young women in their quinceanera dresses. But go beyond the bakery sweets to find… Taqueria Lupita, tucked inside the bakery locatedon W. Florence Avenue in South L.A. The menu includes all the hits — hardshell tacos, chili rellenos, quesadillas and more. And this time of year, the menu extends to include a seasonal favorite: El Salvadoran tamales. These tamales are wrapped in banana leaves, versus the traditional corn husks used in Mexican kitchen. Fans say the banana leaves lend an earthier flavor. Here’s how you know Lupita’s are traditional: Cashier Erika Rodriguez told LAist that the tamales are made by the cook’s wife, who is El Salvadoran, and she goes back home for the holidays. “So if you want them, you have to order ahead.” Luckily, she said, they can sit in your fridge for a few days before reheating and serving. In case you are wondering why a kitchen that serves up so much Mexican food makes El Salvadoran tamales, Rodriguez said: “That’s what people ask for.” Tamales are $3 apiece. There’s just one flavor, chicken.
Chiquis Tamales
You’re not going to get more homemade than this: An LAist staffer swears by the tamales sold out of a home in East L.A., so you definitely need to order ahead and arrange for a pickup: Chiquis Tamales makes a wide range, include chicken, pork, cheese & jalapeno, and strawberry and pineapple varieties. Call: (323) 383-3376. Price: $2.50 a piece, and $30 for a dozen.
First artifacts installed in LA museum's expansion
Makenna Sievertson
has been covering space shuttle Endeavour's journey at the California Science Center since December 2023.
Published November 18, 2025 4:08 PM
The first of many artifacts have been installed in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery, including a space shuttle main engine (right) and a solid rocket booster segment.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
Topline:
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Why it matters: Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet that will inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
Why now: The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
The backstory: It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
What's next: Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
Read on ... for a peak inside the expansion coming to Exposition Park.
The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Once complete, the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will include multi-level galleries built around a towering centerpiece — the space shuttle Endeavour — displayed in its 20-story vertical launch position.
It’ll be the only place in the world where visitors can see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what museum officials called the process of moving each of the space shuttle components into place.
Museum admission will be free.
Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said the $450 million expansion is California’s biggest “endeavor” yet to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
“The enthusiasm that people have when they come in and see this stuff and get excited about it will hopefully lead to many more people, young and old, but particularly young people wanting to pursue more education in science,” Rudolph told LAist.
Museum officials expect to announce next year an opening date, according to Rudolph.
A look inside the center
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will feature three main galleries: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
Guests will be guided through hundreds of exhibits and authentic artifacts focused on the exploration of the universe — including rocket ships that carried humans into space and telescopes used to view stars and galaxies beyond our reach.
A real Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach spans several stories tall in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The first artifacts in the expanded museum were placed in the Kenta Kresa Space Gallery, including a three-story-tall Electron launch vehicle from Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
Adam Spice, chief financial officer of Rocket Lab, told LAist the Electron helped lower the cost of getting to space by sending satellites in smaller, cheaper rockets. The new center is an opportunity to get up close and personal with an Electron for the first time outside of a factory.
Spice said he hopes it’ll show visitors their dreams can become a reality.
“They can be part of something much bigger than probably they ever thought they could,” he said.
The first artifacts installed in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center include a solid rocket booster segment. Kenneth Phillips, aerospace curator, shows the scale of the piece, which has flown into space several times.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The solid rocket booster segment will become a walk-through interactive experience in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
A segment of a solid rocket booster that flew into space several times is laid on its side on the second floor of the gallery.
Kenneth Phillips, the California Science Center’s aerospace curator, told LAist it’ll be turned into an interactive exhibit with audio, video and educational graphics.
“It's 12 feet in diameter, so people can actually walk through it and learn about the function of it from the inside out literally,” Phillips said.
Visitors will be able to get up close and personal with a space shuttle main engine.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
A detailed model of a space shuttle main engine is set up next to the solid rocket booster. Three of those main engines helped boost space shuttles into orbit by providing about 20% of their power, Phillips said.
What's next
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center started more than three years ago and is on track to be completed in the coming weeks, according to museum officials.
With construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center weeks away from completion, crews have started to put in landscaping around the outside of the expansion.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The exterior of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center as of Tuesday.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The remaining exhibits and artifacts will then be installed over "many months," Rudolph said. Officials expect to announce next year an opening date for the expansion.
The California Science Center also is looking to raise about $70 million more for the $450 million project before it opens. You can learn more about its “EndeavourLA” fundraising campaign here.
Matt Dangelantonio
directs production of LAist's daily newscasts, shaping the radio stories that connect you to SoCal.
Published November 18, 2025 3:58 PM
The Westwood Village Theater will be operated and programmed by American Cinematheque when it opens
(
George Rose
/
Getty Images
)
Topline:
The group of directors restoring the Village Theater in Westwood are tapping film nonprofit American Cinematheque to program and run the venue when it opens.
Why it matters: American Cinematheque also programs the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Los Feliz Theater, making it a visible and active film arts nonprofit in the industry.
The backstory: The nearly century-old movie palace went up for sale in 2024 before Village Directors Circle bought it in February. The group is comprised of more than 30 notable filmmakers. They're led by director Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) and their ranks include Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao, Christopher Nolan and Ryan Coogler.
What's next: VDC says it's eyeing a 2027 opening for the Village Theater, and is currently in the quiet phase of a capital campaign to raise $25 million to restore and remodel the Village Theater into a more than 1,000-seat venue.
For January fire survivors looking for fresh start
Gillian Morán Pérez
is an associate producer for LAist’s early All Things Considered show.
Published November 18, 2025 3:46 PM
Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 8.
(
Etienne Laurent
/
AP
)
Topline:
The city of Long Beach has launched a new jobs program to help people affected by January’s fires.
Who is it for? The initiative will provide paid career opportunities and financial assistance to people looking for a fresh start in Long Beach.
To start, 10 people will get up to 300 hours of paid work experience with local employers. Another five people also will get training scholarships of up to $7,500 in high-demand fields like health care and information technology.
Who's paying for it? The initiative is funded by a $130,000 federal act called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
How to apply: Anyone interested in applying can contact Nakawa Shepherd, Career Center manager, Economic Development and Opportunity, at Nakawa.Shepherd@longbeach.gov or visit the LBWIN Adult Career Services Center.
How to participate: Long Beach’s Economic Development and Opportunity office also is looking for local employers to provide on-the-job training for applicants.
Jacob Margolis
covers science, with a focus on environmental stories and disasters.
Published November 18, 2025 2:51 PM
This undated photo provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office shows Jonathan Rinderknecht, who has been accused of setting a fire that led to the Palisades Fire.
(
U.S. Attorney's Office
)
Topline:
The man accused of igniting a fire that led to the deadly and destructive Palisades Fire in January will remain in custody without bond, U.S. Judge Rozella Oliver decided Tuesday in Los Angeles. Jonathan Rinderknecht has been in custody since his arrest in Florida on Oct. 7.
Where things stand: Rinderknecht was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and is charged with one count of arson, one count of timber set afire and one count of destruction of property by means of fire. Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty in mid-October and faces anywhere from five to 45 years in federal prison if convicted. His trial is set to begin April 21, 2026. His lawyers recently asked the court to allow him out of custody as he awaits trial.
Argument against release: In a filing on Monday, prosecutors said Rinderknecht is a flight risk because of his familial ties to France, as well as a danger to the community. The filing states that Rinderknecht threatened to burn down his sister’s home and that he purchased a gun and threatened to kill his brother-in-law. Prosecutors also raised the fact that a judge determined in October that the suspect’s mental health had declined.
The allegations: Authorities allege Rinderknecht set fire to brush near the Skull Rock Trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains at around midnight Jan. 1, starting the Lachman Fire. Though the fire was held to just 8 acres and was believed to have been extinguished, authorities say it flared up once again amid strong, dry winds a week later. That fire grew into the Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 structures.
