Tamale Lady Seeks Crowdfunding for Restaurant

The Tamale Lady isn't a bar hopper anymore.

Instead, she's looking for the public to help her turn her business into a brick-and-mortar operation.

Virginia Ramos was the Mission District tamale-seller extraordinaire whose late-night visits to watering holes, pubs and bars bearing the cornhusks filled with food were a San Francisco staple -- right up until she was forced to stop selling her tamales from an insulated cooler due to health regulations.

That ended a 20-year run for Ramos, 60, who started selling tamales in an effort to make extra money for her seven children, SF Weekly reported.

Ramos needed a commercial kitchen to continue her tamale trade, the Department of Public Health ruled, which means an honest-to-goodness restaurant location.

Now she needs $155,000 -- and your help. She's launched an Indiegogo.com account and is taking donations.

No tamales included -- for now.