As a Tucson native, Foodie, and Certified Tourism Ambassador for the City of Tucson, I get asked for dining recommendations A LOT. Since Tucson is a City of Gastronomy, the multitude of choices in town can be overwhelming so I decided to put together a map of our favorite, sometimes off-the-beaten path, and/or frequent places my husband (@JasonScheer) and I enjoy. This list is comprised of LOCAL restaurants (mostly). #SUPPORTLOCAL #ScheerScoop PS: Not every entry has specific notes from me…yet. I’m working on it! This is a labor of love. But anything on this list is recommended. PPS: This is MY list. You may disagree with some of these. That’s cool. Start your own list! I am always open to suggestions but please be kind.
SUPER RECOMMEND: La Chaiteria is the sister restaurant to the vegetarian/vegan Mexican, Tumerico, but additionally serves meat dishes, breakfast options, and coffee drinks that Tumerico doesn’t and has something for everyone. Like Tumerico, this is just really good, clean, Latin-inspired food. The portions on the plate are always perfect and you feel good after you eat here. It’s especially an exceptional place to bring guests from out of town. There are murals inside, including one of the late Anthony Bourdain, and small patio seating outside. The menu changes daily but if they have it, we recommend: The cuban chicken plate, barbacoa, ropa vieja, and huevos rancheros. We normally eat here for brunch but they do stay open through lunchtime.
Baja Cafe on Campbell is a breakfast staple in Tucson. It’s just excellent food. Their Liege waffles are great and they are known for their creative egg dish variations. Bonus: You may spot an Arizona Men’s basketball player or coach on a Sunday morning as it’s a low-key fav spot for them.
facebook.combajacafetucson.comTOURISTY & LOCAL: I remember eating at Blue Willow as a small child and being fascinated by the gift shop full of interesting gifts and trinkets. My dad only buys birthday cards from here to this day. The Blue Willow Special (pictured above) is a breakfast stand-out that everyone must try and they also have excellent toast (I know that sounds weird but its good bread). They do have lunch and dinner service as well but we traditionally only eat here for breakfast.
bluewillowtucson.comPresta Coffee is the five star standard for coffee drinks for me in Tucson. Their iced or hot vanilla latte with oat milk is my #1 favorite latte ever (with the exception of an amazing one we had in Pagosa Springs, CO). They sell whole beans and have other great products too. In 2024, Presta was nominated as one of the best independent coffee shops in America by USA Today and they were named Best Coffee in Arizona by Food & Wine Magazine in 2019. There are three locations in Tucson but we prefer the one at Mercado San Agustin. You can grab a coffee here and then get an authentic Mexican pastry 10 steps away at La Estrella Bakery.
tucsonfoodie.comThe breakfast gem of Barrio Hollywood is no longer our little family secret…they are straight up famous now. Seriously, look it up. And with fame comes long lines. But if you do wait in line or get lucky on a hot summer day when only locals keep it afloat, the coffee and burritos are worth it. They have an expanding menu full of options and a cute little store as well. They recently added pre-order option and also have a walk-up kiosk that helps alleviate the line situation.
Southern Arizona is known for having the Best Mexican Food in the Country per Visit Tucson. And as a native Tucsonan, I cook my own Mexican Food (frequently) and/or eat out at Mexican restaurants A LOT. I could eat Mexican food every day much to my husband's chagrin. I also am a HUGE supporter of Food Trucks so some of them are listed here. Note: Mi Nidito is not listed here because they are under new ownership and are not the same as their glory days. The food is OK but if you are going there to re-live a previous “best Mexican food I’ve ever had” moment, you will be disappointed.
BK’s > El Guero Canelo. This debate goes on to this day but it was settled once upon a time on a show called “Food Wars” on the Travel Channel. BK’s won and for good reason. Their meat quality is insanely perfect every time. Their Sonoran Hotdogs are classic and tasty. They have THE BEST PASTOR TACO IN TUCSON too plus ooey-gooey cheesy caramelos, my favorite pickled onions at their salsa bar and just a cool atmosphere at both their locations. We go to the one on 1st the most but the original south side location is also great.
It is not a secret that Amelia’s is our favorite Mexican restaurant in Tucson. Besides having a James Beard nominated chef, this food exhibits the best of Sonoran Mexican food on the plate and the restaurant atmosphere.
TOURISTY: El Charro Downtown is the A: oldest Mexican Food restaurant in the United States, B: still owned and operated by the same (Flores) family, AND C: they invented the Chimichanga. They also sun-dry their famous carne seca on the roof of the building in specially designed cages. If you only have ONE DAY in Tucson and you are wanting to try authentic Sonoran-style cuisine in a historic location full of history, this is the go-to place. This is a brag-worthy location to take out-of-town guests or a fun immersive Mexican food experience.
elcharrocafe.comFOOD CART: Best Sonoran Hot Dogs I've tried. And there are a lot of really good ones....but there is just something about these that makes them memorable.
TOURISTY: IF you happen to get down to Tubac to enjoy the artisan craft offerings from local artists, Elvira's has fantastic food and has incredible interior decor. A very 'Grammable location for the food AND the design.
Everyone loves pizza. I love pizza. But I am a little more discerning now about pizza since I ate it in Italy in 2019 but I am not a pizza snob either. These are my (very subjective) favorites. I hate even sharing a few of these...but its just soooo good.
Listen. All Tucsonans have had a birthday party or attended a birthday party at a Peter Piper Pizza. It's DECENT (nostalgic) pizza, especially when its hot out of the oven. Plus, they serve beer in pitchers and you can have a fun family night playing arcade games with the kiddos too. I'm not saying this is the BEST pizza, (thought its certainly better than Chuck-E-Cheese); I am saying Peter Piper offers a family-friendly experience that happens to serve pizza. And sometimes thats all you need. Note: There are a LOT of Peter Piper Pizzas around Town. Google it. I prefer the one by our house which is the one on Ina Road.
JAPANESE: I have known Ikkyu’s owner, Hiro, since I was ten years old at his first restaurant, Samurai (which still exists with different owners). Since he opened Ikkyu on the NW side of Tucson, we have been regulars who eat there at least twice a month. Everything is prepared fresh. I believe they have the best miso ramen in town…the garlicky broth is to die for. But their bento boxes are a hit with our kids, especially the chicken or ginger pork. My husband always orders the spicy tuna don (not volcano style). And we always share a Super Hiro Roll in honor of Hiro himself who is always behind the counter at the stovetop ready with a wave and a smile.
FRENCH: Excellent for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
ghiniscafe.comJAPANESE: Stepping inside this restaurant transports you to another place, somewhere in Tokyo maybe, with a colorful Godzilla mural on the wall and kitschy collectibles on display. The food is authentic and wonderful with a HUGE variety on the menu. They have sushi, ramen, cold noodle soup, bento boxes, gyoza, and more. Their pork gyoza is mouth-watering. Spicy tuna rolls super spicy, and their strawberry sando was a charming way to end a hearty meal.
The main reason we got to most of these places is for food and I happen to get a drink there. But they obviously have excellent alcoholic beverage options too.
MOSTLY DRINKING & SOME FOOD OPTIONS
DRINKING ONLY! Gentle Ben's is a staple down on University. While I have never had a good MEAL there, the vibes and the drinking there is excellent.
A little off the beaten path, these places are incredibly unusual and give the impression of being transported to another place when you eat this food.
Toto's Taco Restaurant is a West side surprise. It's very small inside...only four seating groups but has a lovely patio and a robust take-out business. This is a family-run operation and the food is always consistently good. We like to eat here when we want a quiet, low-key dining experience. Notable menu items: Tacos Dorados (beef and potato), fish and shrimp tacos, ALL THE SOUPS, chicken chimichangas, birria and quesabirria, breakfast burritos and cheese crisps.
facebook.comITALIAN: Nate’s is as far away “across town” it can be from our house. 35 minutes and 20.2 miles away in fact. But it’s worth every minute to get there because is high-quality, handmade Italian food your Nonna makes. It’s really a little hole-in-the wall in a strip mall with maybe 6-7 tables inside. They serve traditional “Italian-American” staples and have daily specials as well. The portions are GINORMOUS…the lasagna can feed four people or you alone for several days. This is a family-run operation and everyone who works there are just lovely people. You can also BYO win bottle and drink it with your dinner for free. Because of the size of their space, they have a robust take-out clientele.
facebook.comFOOD TRUCK: Location by day may vary. Check their social media for locations.
A South 12th Avenue staple, Tacos Apson is a family-owned, non-fussy, fast, affordable and always delicious place to get great Mexican food. What to get: Tacos Apson has the BEST Lorenza (carne, beans and cheese in a tostada) I’ve ever had and their Taco Haas (carne, green chili, cheese) is also extremely crave-able! Everything here is tasty…though I do not prefer their chicken items. Fun Fact: The taqueria is named in tribute to Francisco’s father, also Francisco Durazo, who started a Mexican rock-and-roll band with his brother in 1957 called Los Apson. The name “Apson” is an acronym for Agua Prieta, Sonora, the town and state in Mexico where the band, Yazmin, and Francisco all hail from.
FOOD TRUCK: No cap, I believe Taco Rico has some of the BEST tacos in Tucson. Their carne, adobada (a stewed carne) and pastor are my favorites. On weekends they have birria too. Their regular spot is in an empty gas station lot (located across the street from the Fascinations Adult Store on Ina Road) next to Donut Wheel.
FOOD TRUCK: One of the only local and delicious options up in North Marana (for now). This food truck has a permanent location here in partnership with the Main Street Grocery with indoor seating. EVERYTHING IS GOOD!
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