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Tucson boldly proclaims itself to be the "Mexican Food Capital of the United States," and most of the Mexican food in town is Sonoran-style. This means prolific use of cheese, mild peppers, corn tortillas, pinto beans, and beef or chicken. It's the birthplace of the chimichanga (Spanish for "whatchamacallit"), a flour tortilla filled with meat or cheese, rolled, and deep-fried.
The best Mexican restaurants are concentrated in South Tucson and Downtown, although some favorites have additional locations around town. If Mexican's not your thing, there are plenty of other options: you won't have any trouble finding excellent sushi, Thai, Italian, and Ethiopian food at reasonable prices.
For sampling regional flavors, upscale Southwestern cuisine flourishes at several resorts in the Foothills, most notably the Grill at Hacienda del Sol and Flying V Grill at Loews Ventana Canyon. A recent trend in Tucson dining is combining hip restaurants with chic shopping locations. Choose from sushi, steak, Italian, or Mexican at La Encantada in the Foothills. Casas Adobes Plaza, in the Northwest, is home to upscale shops alongside Wildflower Grill and trendy, thin-crust pizza at Sauce—and the gelato shop, Frost, is handy for dessert. Downtown has recently exploded with first-rate dining and drinking establishments, from modern comfort food and homemade ice cream to gourmet pizzas, craft beers, and contemporary Mexico City cuisine.
Tasty fare as varied as Indian, Greek, and Middle Eastern can be enjoyed on the west side of U of A's campus, along University Boulevard and 4th Avenue—another great area for people-watching and barhopping as well as quelling hunger pangs.
On Friday and Saturday nights and during the Gem Show (first two weeks of February), reservations are usually a good idea at upscale and popular restaurants. Dress ranges from casual to casual-dressy here; jackets for men aren’t required at any restaurant, even at resorts.
This charming spot off the lobby of Hotel Congress is at the epicenter of Tucson's hippest scene, but it also serves up excellent food from breakfast through late night. Try the cast-iron baked eggs or huevos rancheros for breakfast, and the ahi poke bowl or the veggie burger later in the day. It's especially crowded during weekend brunch and in the evenings. Opt for patio seating on Friday or Saturday night, where there's often live music as well as great people-watching.
Take the American tradition of ballpark franks, give it a Mexican spin, and you'll have a Sonoran hot dog, created by and sold at El Guero Canelo restaurants and their strategically placed food trucks around town. If hot dogs aren't your thing, choose from their equally delicious renditions of standard street food fare: tacos, burros, quesadillas, and tortas (sandwiches).
This colorful and deservedly popular restaurant serves delicious Sonoran classics in Tubac village. Try one of the five chicken moles, ranging from sweet to nutty to spicy, and you'll know why chef Ruben has such a devoted following. Chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and heartier steak and fish selections don't disappoint either. Save room for the divine flan, a creamier version of traditional Mexican custard with caramel sauce. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights adds festivity to this gem of an eatery in a quiet little town.
An anchor in the downtown district, this French-inspired bistro, bar, and gourmet market takes up part of Tucson's historic train depot. Clever thematic touches—a dining room fashioned long and narrow like a train car, with wheel-like divider walls and lamps made from rail spikes—and the attentive yet relaxed service evoke the romance of a largely bygone era. Choose a table by the window and watch the trains go by. Or, if you prefer, sit outside on the vast patio overlooking the tracks. Menu choices range from starters like fresh oysters and steak tartare to bouillabaisse, coq au vin, and burgers served with pommes frites. The more casual Maynard's Market, open from 9 am to 7 pm daily, sells pastries, sandwiches, and wholly satisfying lighter fare to take out or dine in, as well as regional wines, tamales, and ice cream.
A perennial favorite among locals (the wait is worth it), Mi Nidito ("my little nest") has also hosted its share of visiting celebrities: following President Clinton's lunch here, the rather hefty Presidential Plate (bean tostada, taco with barbecued meat, chiles rellenos, chicken enchilada, and beef tamale with rice and beans) was added to the menu. Top that off with the mango chimichangas for dessert, and you're talkin' executive privilege.
The term "market" is slightly misleading for this neighborhood gathering spot serving delectable pizzas, creative sandwiches on freshly baked breads, house-made pastries, espresso, and craft beers. Sit a while or take it to go, along with all the wonderful local and imported treats you've loaded into your shopping basket.
Local and visiting foodies claim Tito & Pep to be the best restaurant in Tucson, and with good reason: the chef-owner, John Martinez, a James Beard semifinalist, takes Southwestern flavors like mesquite, cilantro, roasted chiles, and lime to heavenly heights. The menu emphasizes mesquite-grilled steak, pork, and fish, but don't stop there; share a few small plates, like charred beet salad and crispy calamari, and indulge in the sublime orange olive oil cake for dessert. Reservations are a must, though a few seats at the bar are open to whoever gets there first. The setting is just fancy enough, and service is top-notch; go early if you want quieter conversation, though, as the dining room gets noisy when full.
This "no frills" vegan and vegetarian restaurant serves bountiful portions of exceptional, bold-flavored Mexican food in a funky old territorial house on the corner of 4th Avenue and 4th Street. Nonvegans will be amazed that the jackfruit-filled tacos and tamales are not meat; even the accompanying rice, beans, and salad are a cut above. For the best experience, sit and people-watch on the ample front porch---where your meal is prepared in a food-truck-like outdoor grill---rather than inside. Tumerico's original location, with an indoor kitchen and liquor license, is at 2526 E. 6th St. (Central).
At one of Tucson's oldest and most elegant hotels, dine on the patio overlooking the lush grounds or enjoy the view from the dining room, which has Southwestern details from the 1930s. The culinary range here is broad, from burgers and salads to roasted duck in a tart cherry demi-glace. Locals mostly come for weekday power breakfasts, business or special occasion lunches, and Sunday brunch.
Easily the best Thai food in town, this bright, spacious café serves favorite Thai dishes and has pleasant service. The Thoong Tong appetizer of fried veggie-filled pouches is blissfully good, as are the curries and soups. The spice-heat level of any dish can be adjusted at your request (from 1 through 5—just keep in mind that a 5 might cause steam to blow out the top of your head).
Twenty-seven varieties of bread are made at this bustling bakery with Central, Eastside, and Northwest locations, open daily from 7 am to 7 pm. Highlights from the menu of generous sandwiches include Annie's Addiction (hummus, tomato, sprouts, red onion, and cucumber) and Brad's Beef (roast beef, provolone, onion, green chiles, and Russian dressing); soups, salads, and desserts are equally scrumptious. Eat inside or on the patio, or order takeout, but either way, splurge on one of the incredible desserts. The other locations—larger and just as busy—are at 6260 East Speedway Blvd. and 421 West Ina Rd.
Maria Mazon, the award-winning chef and owner of Boca, has elevated tacos to an art form at this restaurant and bar in the center of the 4th Avenue district. Creative fillings of meat, seafood, and veggies (try the grilled cauliflower tossed with cilantro curry) are topped with cabbage and guacamole on either flour or corn tortillas.
This upscale eatery at the eastern end of the foothills is known, and loved, for their sophisticated comfort food, happy-hour specials, and relaxed vibe. Everyone can find something that satisfies, from burgers and fried chicken sandwiches to mussels expertly prepared in a Thai curry broth. Chat with the friendly bartenders, sit in the airy, contemporary dining room, or bring your pooch and chill on the sizeable patio with a view of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Started by Monica Flin in 1922, the oldest Mexican restaurant in town still serves splendid versions of the Mexican-American staples Flin claims to have originated, most notably chimichangas and cheese crisps. Located in an old stone house in El Presidio Historic District, the colorful restaurant and bar exude a festive, if slightly touristy, vibe.
Popular with local families and the business crowd at lunch, this bustling restaurant in Tucson's Barrio Historico neighborhood has been serving topopo salads (a crispy tortilla shell heaped with beans, guacamole, and many other ingredients), huge burritos, and green-corn tamales (in season) made just right for over 50 years. The spicy menudo (tripe soup) is reputed to be a great hangover remedy.
A popular upscale bistro, Feast has a contemporary setting that is bright, cheerful, and conducive to conversation. The eclectic menu, which changes monthly, is filled with interesting combinations of flavors such as rosemary–goat cheese risotto with artichoke hearts and tomatoes, and orange-glazed chicken breast with roasted beets on sesame-cream noodles. Many of the herbs and veggies are grown in the restaurant's garden. A similarly eclectic array of wines is available for both dining and retail. Though the cuisine may be hard to categorize, it is always yummy—including the homemade desserts.
Beer lovers should head to Gentle Ben's, a friendly, laid-back burger-and-brew pub that also makes a scrumptious veggie burger and bountiful salads. Open until midnight---a rarity in Tucson---this place is an institution for students and locals alike. The deck upstairs offers a good view of the sunset.
Tucked into the foothills and surrounded by spectacular flowers and cactus gardens, this special-occasion restaurant, a favorite among locals hosting out-of-town visitors, provides an alternative to the chili-laden dishes of most nouvelle Southwestern cuisine. Wild-mushroom bisque, grilled buffalo in dark-chocolate mole, and pan-seared sea bass are among the menu choices at this luxurious guest ranch resort. Lower-priced tapas such as tequila-steamed mussels and carne asada tacos can be enjoyed at the more casual (and lower-priced) outdoor bar, accompanied by live acoustic music on weekends. The lavish Sunday brunch buffet is worth a splurge.
From curry to kebab, the tasty and plentiful dishes at Kababeque satisfy for a quick bite Indian-style.
Don't expect any newfangled foods like fish tacos here, and don't wear a city slicker's necktie (unless you want to watch the wait staff theatrically snip it off). This cowboy steak house is part of the family-friendly Trail Dust Town, a re-creation of a turn-of-the-20th-century town, complete with a working antique carousel, a narrow-gauge train, and old fashioned curio shops. Expect a long wait on weekends.
Quality Indian cooking is hard to find in Tucson, but this sophisticated eatery holds its own with the best anywhere. Delicious samosas, tandoori, and chicken tikka masala can be enjoyed in a casual yet refined dining room.
Modern Italian fuses with fast food at this lively, family-friendly eatery in Casas Adobes Plaza. Delicious thin-crust pizzas, chopped salads, pastas, and panini are ordered at the counter; the restaurant is brightly decorated in a contemporary twist on the colors of Italy's flag—green, white, and tomato-red. The food is fast, fresh, and affordable, without sacrificing sophisticated taste. Two additional locations, on East Broadway in Eastside and North Campbell in Central, are identical in both decor and menu.
There's a line most days at this eco-friendly Mexican place with the best breakfast burritos in town. Order at the window, and your food will be brought out to your table in the pretty, grass-filled courtyard of Mercado San Agustin, a chic little complex of shops and foodie delights. Though breakfast is only served until 11 am (noon on weekends), choose from the plethora of meat, fish, and veggie taco and burrito fillings for lunch and dinner. The Taco Platter, where you can try any three tacos, is your best bet. Creative flavors are inspired by six different regions of Mexico (Seis means 6 in Spanish); do the math and you'll leave thinking that Seis is numero uno.
A good homemade tamale is special, and a restaurant that prepares and serves them fresh every day with all sorts of creative fillings is a find indeed. Carnivores can indulge in beef, pork, or chicken tamales, while vegetarians can opt for traditional, cheese-filled green-corn tamales or numerous vegan choices like the Austin, with a spinach and mushroom filling. Basmati rice and salad greens are satisfying sides.
A modern Italian bistro in a lovely Foothills setting, Vivace has long been a favorite with Tucsonans. Wild mushrooms and goat cheese in puff pastry is hard to resist as a starter, and the linguine with grilled salmon is a nice lighter alternative to the lasagna or osso buco. For dessert, the molten chocolate cake with spumoni is worth the 20 minutes it takes to create. Patio seating, with either city or mountain views, is especially inviting on warm evenings.
Well known—and loved—for its creative American fare and stunning presentation, Wildflower has compelling choices like a salmon and seafood bouillabaise; bow-tie pasta with grilled chicken, tomatoes, spinach, and pine nuts; and red wine–braised short ribs. The decadently huge desserts are equally top-notch. A glass wall separates the bar from the dining area, where an open kitchen, high ceiling with painted flowers, and blue-green banquettes complete the light and airy effect. Request a banquette or seating on the patio in the evening if you want quiet conversation, as the room can be noisy.
This small, friendly family-run eatery with a loyal following prepares classic Ethiopian dishes, served on a communal platter with injera, a spongy bread, and eaten with the hands. Sampler plates of any three items allow you to try dishes like yemisir wat (a spicy lentil dish) and lega tibs (a milder beef dish with a tomato sauce).
Have a glass of wine or a cocktail with your gourmet burger and fries at this high-energy, somewhat noisy, and unquestionably hip burger joint. Zinburger delivers tempting burgers—try the Kobe beef with cheddar and wild mushrooms—and decadent milkshakes made of inventive combinations like dates and honey or melted chocolate with praline flakes. A few creative salads, including one with ahi tuna, round out the menu. The restaurant also has a second location on the northeast side of town.
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