Welcome to Broadway Stages' Spotlight, where we feature local shops, restaurants, organizations, individuals, and venues. Join Broadway Stages in recognizing Hispanic and Latino Americans' values, culture, and contributions in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, observed each year from September 15 to October 15. This week, we dine on Evelia's Tamales!

Evelia's Tamales has come a long way. After arriving from Tlaxcala, Mexico, in 2000, Evelia Coyotzi had been working at a McDonald's near the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, this site closed after the tragic events of September 11. Searching for the opportunity in the crisis, she put the recipes passed down to her through generations to work.

In 2001, she opened a sidewalk stand in Corona, Queens, selling tamales made with salsa verde and mole. She put love into her work for twenty years, and it showed. Her creations' reputation grew. Even Anthony Bourdain sampled her cuisine on his show Parts Unknown. Building on this success, Evelia took a lease on a storefront in 2020. Today, besides this brick-and-mortar site on Northern Boulevard, she has food carts on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona, Queens, and one on High Line Park in Manhattan. The cart in Manhattan goes by the name Antojitos Evelia and also features menu items like Mexican street corn in cups and on the cob, as well as fruit juices known as aguas frescas.

Using the best ingredients, Evelia's makes fresh tamales daily including vegan, vegetarian, chicken, beef, and sweet options. Traditionally, tamales are a breakfast food. In addition to the tamales, they serve Mexican breakfast dishes like huevos rancheros and chilaquiles, quesadillas, and various atoles and champurrados.

But Evelia's easily convinces you to indulge in tamales throughout the day. In addition to the traditional mole and salsa tamales, they offer Tamales Oaxaqueños (Oaxaca style) in slick banana leaves, Tamales Dulces (sweet tamales), and a variety of gourmet tamales. And if you are in the mood for something different, there are sandwiches such as tortas and cemitas.

Of course, they also have other popular dishes like pozoles, quesadillas, tacos, and enchiladas. You can wash it all down with agua frescas like horchata and tamarindo or choose from a wide variety of Mexican sodas. Check out their menu for a complete list of what they offer. For those looking to dine at home, you can order frozen tamales or have your food delivered via UberEats, Doordash, and Grubhub.

Evelia's has cultivated fans through their excellent food and fantastic customer service. As one customer said on Yelp, "The tamales here are fantastic, but their tacos, to me, are their unsung hero. Their birria, barbacoa, and al pastor tacos are my fave. They also make a traditional cinnamon iced coffee drink that is outstanding. Their tomatillo and hot sauces are also housemade and a perfect pairing to all of their menu. Service is also friendly, efficient, and consistent. Really love this casual spot and have been a fan since their cart only days way back when. Definitely visit them if you haven't been."

As much as Broadway Stages loves great food, we also love an inspiring story. And Evelia Coyotzi's story is just that and more. Not only is Evelia an amazing cook, but she is also charitable. You can find Evelia’s tamales at the Community Center Services Organization (CCSO) Food Bank of Corona that Broadway Stages supports, offering the facility free of charge and donating regularly. As a local, Evelia knows the community and she often donates her delicious food to those less fortunate.

Follow her restaurants on Instagram and Facebook to feast your eyes (and stomach) and celebrate her story and the team that helps her make it grow every day. Moreover, we know that offering a quality product with exemplary personalized service is always the key to success. Evelia's Tamales has earned success using that recipe. We are proud to live in a City that fosters innovation and enterprise. We invite you to try the food at Evelia's today. And when you get there, tell them Broadway Stages sent you!