History

Las Cuatro Milpas opened in 1933 at 1857 Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan under the Estudillo family, serving the same pork tamale, handmade tortilla and chile relleno recipes for 92 years before financial pressures closed the historic location. The restaurant reopened on May 10, 2026, at 1985 National Avenue inside Mercado del Barrio, with lines around the block for opening week. KPBS and Times of San Diego ran the reopening story. The pork tamale is the dish that built the queue; the recipe has not changed since the Estudillo grandmother first rolled them.

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Make it at home

Yield 24Hands-on 2 hrTotal 4 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 24 large dried corn husks, soaked in warm water 30 minutes
  • 1.2 kg pork shoulder, cut into 5cm cubes
  • 1 white onion quartered, 4 garlic cloves smashed, 2 bay leaves
  • 8 dried guajillo chiles, 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt
  • 600g masa harina (instant corn masa flour)
  • 500ml of the pork cooking liquid, warm
  • 200g lard or vegetable shortening
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon fine salt

Method

  1. Simmer pork with onion, garlic and bay in just enough water to cover, 90 minutes, until shreddable. Reserve 500ml of the liquid.
  2. Toast guajillos and anchos 30 seconds per side in a dry pan; soak in hot water 15 minutes. Blend with cumin, oregano, salt and 200ml soaking liquid into a smooth chile paste.
  3. Shred the pork. Stir in the chile paste, cook in a skillet 10 minutes until thick.
  4. Beat the lard with the baking powder and salt until fluffy (5 minutes with a stand mixer). Add masa harina and warm pork liquid alternately, beating to a smooth, light dough.
  5. Spread 2 heaped tablespoons of masa onto each husk's smooth side, leaving a 2cm border. Spoon 1 tablespoon of pork filling down the center.
  6. Fold the sides of the husk over the filling, then fold the pointed bottom up. Stand the tamales upright in a steamer basket, open end up. Steam over simmering water for 90 minutes until the masa pulls cleanly from the husk.

Tip from the editors. Don't open the steamer for the first hour. Lifting the lid drops the temperature and the masa never sets. Test one only after 90 minutes.

Where to eat las cuatro milpas-style pork tamale

Las Cuatro Milpas-style pork tamale in San Diego

Las Cuatro Milpas ★ 4.6

$ Street foodBarrio LoganCash only

Las Cuatro Milpas at Mercado del Barrio in Barrio Logan, San Diego, the 1933 Estudillo-family counter back open since May 2026 with its same.

TryPork tamales, hand-pressed flour tortillas, rolled tacos

Directions

El Comal ★ 4.2

$ MexicanNorth Park

El Comal in San Diego is the North Park family-owned Mexican kitchen on Illinois Street, a longstanding interior-Mexican counter known for carnitas.

OrderThe carnitas plate with handmade tortillas; weekend chilaquiles before noon.

TipCash on hand speeds the counter; the courtyard patio runs warmer than the indoor room.

Directions Book

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