Cristina Olvera and her son Diego Olvera. Photo by Adam Finkle.
Casa del Tamal began as a side hustle for Cristina Olvera, who made tamales out of her home in the evenings and delivered them fresh the next morning. Word quickly spread, and soon the whole city wanted in on these perfect little bundles of handmade masa, savory meat fillings and abuela’s love. It’s a family affair, says panelist Ali Vallarta, who admires the restaurant’s devotion to tradition as much as their signature tacos de birria, “It’s been beautiful to witness a passing of the torch, a generational storytelling through food,” she says. The restaurant recently expanded to a second location in the Post District, and inside locals line up for juicy birria tacos (loaded with decadent 12-hour braised beef, mind you), shrimp aguachile and fresh guacamole. Olvera has recruited a dedicated staff to help fill the demand for Casa del Tamal’s legendary verdes de pollo and rajas con queso tamales, but maintains the quality of love and care that’s wrapped up in each one. lacasadeltamalutah.com
Side Dish
At Casa del Tamal’s new Post District outpost, a glass kitchen window offers a front-row seat to the painstaking tamale-making process. From soaking the corn husks to simmering the filling, perfecting the corn dough and steaming batches for at least 90 minutes, you might just appreciate that pocket of perfection even more.
This year’s 2026 Dining Awards is a showcase of the best experiences across Utah’s foodscape, and a reminder that each recommendation is a promise. A human-to-human promise. An assurance that a restaurant we say is amazing, is amazing. As you consider your next celebratory meal or casual weeknight outing, here’s your menu of Salt Lake’s 2026 gustatory darlings. The food is thoughtful, the hospitality is warm and the chefs care deeply about the dishes on your table.We promise.
