The canonical version and where to order it.
Tacos made from masa ground daily from heirloom corn varieties including blue maize and landrace white corn, then pressed and cooked immediately.
The practice of grinding whole corn (nixtamalized) for fresh masa largely disappeared from El Paso's restaurant scene in the mid-20th century as commercial masa harina became dominant. ELEMI's chef Emiliano Marentes revived the practice in the 2010s using heirloom corn varieties sourced from Mexican cooperatives, earning a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination in 2022.
1 editor pick for Heirloom Corn Masa Tacos in El Paso, ranked by editorial score. All El Paso signature dishes · Heirloom Corn Masa Tacos across every city.
ELEMI on Eastlake Boulevard in east El Paso is the James Beard semifinalist taqueria of chef Emiliano Marentes, built around daily-ground heirloom corn.
OrderHandmade corn tortilla tacos made from daily-ground heirloom masa
TipWalk-ins welcome; parties over 10 call ahead. Worth the 20-minute drive from downtown.
Heirloom Corn Masa Tacos makes more sense with someone from El Paso explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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