Your Culebra Meat Market Shopping List

The original Culebra Road location opened 40 years ago, but the family-owned grocery market now has more than 15 stores with fully stocked meat counters (think cut up menudo, pork feet, beef tongue and standard ground beef or chicken) plus full-service panaderias that churn out fresh tortillas and pan dulce. Several locations also have taco counters so you can enjoy breakfast or lunch without having to assemble the ingredients into a meal yourself.

1 / Sliced nopalitos

Let someone else do the work and purchase sliced cactus that’s ready to brine, sauté or even add to your next smoothie. $3.29 per pound, price can vary

2 / Green Hot Sauce

Made in-house, the green and other salsas will make your own breakfast tacos taste almost as good as the ones from the in-store counter. $3.49 for 8 ounces

3 / Bolner’s Fiesta Brand Menudo Spice Mix

Get the flavor of simmering soup without the hours of cooking thanks to this blend of onion, garlic, chili pepper and other spices. It’s made by San Antonio–based Bolner’s. $2.89 for 2.5 ounces

4 / Pan Dulce

Offerings vary depending on location but at several stores, guests can select from a full wall of fresh pastries, whether traditional conchas and chocolate-dipped calvos or doughnuts, orejas and buñuelos. $1.49 each

5 / El Super Leon Mango candy

Whether tamarindo, chili gummies or these chili lemon mango treats, a bag of sweets is the perfect reward for sticking to your list until you reach the checkout line. $1.69 per bag

6 / Strawberry Kuii

Made by a North Texas company, Kuii drinks are a mix of coconut milk and coconut water plus coconut jelly cubes that add to the flavoring. It’s like a dessert, but it’s meant to hydrate and it’s only 150 calories. $2

7 / Barbacoa

Sold by the pound on Saturdays and Sundays, barbacoa specials come with homemade menudo, beans, lengua, and, if you desire, Big Red. There on a weekday? Snag pork or bean and cheese tamales. $19 per pound, price can vary