Restaurants in Tucson
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Bison Witches
Dive into a bread bowl at this lively hangout for college students and the occasional hipster. It's all about the sandwiches; the beef and brie is exactly what it sounds like. The music is boisterous, there are myriad TVs and drinks from the full bar are served till 2am.
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Blue Willow Restaurant
If you’ve greeted the day with bloodshot eyes, get back in gear with high-octane coffee, energy-restoring omelettes or a fiery chorizo scramble at this beloved local institution. Fresh pasta, bulging sandwiches, meat-free choices and daily specials keep the place packed through dinnertime. The patio is heated in winter.
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Janos
[ourpick] Janos The James Beard Award winner Janos Wilder is a chef-magician who teases flavors that you didn't know existed out of meat. One of the most scenic spots for a romantic dinner or special meal in Tucson, the dining room at the Westin La Paloma overlooks the desert valley. Try the New York strip steak rubbed with coffee, molasses and Mexican chocolate. The attached J Bar is good for an after-steak drink.
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Sakura
Usually packed to the gills, this Japanese restaurant will satisfy purists with its fresh eel and tuna, the squeamish with its baked California roll, and meat-eaters with its teppan (fun tableside chopping and pyrotechnics). The Sakura Boat featuring 32 pieces is great for sharing and there’s even a ‘Karate Kids’ menu for pint-sized Samurai.
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Casbah
- Tucson, USA
- Restaurants › Café
Beyond the 400-year-old wooden portal from Afghanistan lies Tucson’s grooviest hippie-style teahouse-cum-café. The patchouli hangs thickly in the Bedouin-tent-style back patio where you can loll on thick pillows, sip organic tea or munch on homemade vegan chile or a tempeh Reuben sandwich. Local performers entertain most nights.
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Yoshimatsu
Billing itself as a ‘healthy Japanese eatery, ’ Yoshimatsu uses mostly organic foods, eschews MSG and offers lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Order a bento box, steamy soup or rice bowl at the counter and eat in the woodsy front tavern, or get table service at the separate and more intimate sushi café in back.
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Lovin’ Spoonfuls
Burgers, country-fried chicken, meatloaf, salads – the menu reads like those at your typical café but there’s one big difference: no animal products will ever find their way into this vegan haven. Outstandingly creative choices include the cashew-mushroom pâté and the adzuki bean burger.
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Caruso
Caruso the cook has left as much of a mark on the local culinary scene as Caruso the tenor has on the world of opera. Linguine with clam sauce, chicken parmigiano and crispy-crust pizza have fed tummies and souls since the 1930s. If you’re on a romantic mission, skip the garlic bread but do book a patio table.
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Grill
In the wee hours this divey downtown diner gets howling with night owls hoping to restore balance to the brain. Squeeze into a red booth and keep an eye out for that cute drummer you just saw at the club up the street. Just don’t let the moth-eaten animal heads freak you out.
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El Charro Café
With its famous carne seca, this is probably the most revered Mexican eatery in Tucson, if not the state. The food is innovative, mouthwatering and fresh, making it popular with tourists and locals alike. There are four other area locations, but this is the original.
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Taqueria Pico de Gallo
A cheap and popular south-side institution, with huge burros (burritos) and mouth-watering shrimp tacos. The Paleteria Diana popsicle shop beckons just across the parking lot, with dozens of fruity Mexican favorites like guayaba and tamarind (around US$2).
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Pastiche
The name is the game at this ambitious, artsy and bustling bistro where dishes from the Middle East, France, Italy and Asia team up to form the quintessential American menu. Wallet- or waist-watchers can order the bistro portions and still walk away fed and happy.
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Cafe Poca Cosa
The excellent food incorporates many regions of Mexico, and it's freshly prepared, innovative and beautifully presented. If you want to catch a glimpse of Tucson's big-shot politicians and businesspeople, come here for lunch.
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Café Terra Cotta
This restaurant gets consistently high marks for its wood-fired pizza, spicy pork tenderloin and upscale Southwestern fare. The small-plate starters are so appetizing that many people order a couple and skip the main.
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Something Sweet Dessert Lounge
Death by chocolate, tarts, fruit pies, cheesecake or Big A$$ Brownie – pick your sweet poison. No booze.
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Mi Nidito
Authentic Mexican fare enjoyed by Bill Clinton, Enrique Iglesias and regular ‘Joes’ like us.
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Native Seeds
Snacks like prickly pear cactus lollipops are the only things ready to eat, but mixes for cooking at home are plentiful.
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B Line
Breakfast burritos and stacks of crepes in the AM, and a lunch and dinner menu with Mexican standards, pasta and salads. A small but exceptionally well-chosen wine and beer menu.
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