Sweet Tomatoes in Tucson is finally here 🎉 ... and it's the only location in the whole country

Just a few years ago, Tucson had two locations where customers could grab lunch at their salad buffet, piling lettuce, croutons and dressing on their plates to make the salads of their dreams.

Then in 2020, the Sweet Tomatoes chain announced that ALL of their restaurants would be closing down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All around the United States, people’s hearts broke into a million pieces.

Unlike other chain restaurants that have closed in the past, people did not want to give up on their beloved salad buffet. With a simple search, you can find several TikToks of people mourning the closure, reflecting on all the good times and yummy meals they had at their local locations.

I even saw a Facebook group called “Sweet Tomatoes Fan Page” with over 1,000 members. Scrolling through the page, you can find posts from fans asking about people’s favorite soup and reminiscing about the blueberry muffins.

What seemed like just a nostalgic memory changed for Tucsonans in 2023 when it was announced that the Sweet Tomatoes location on Broadway would be reopening — the only location in America to come back.

That announcement made people lose their minds.

Though we don’t typically cover chains at #ThisIsTucson, I can’t even begin to count the number of emails I’ve gotten about the reopening of Sweet Tomatoes.

I promise this isn’t an April Fools' joke — Sweet Tomatoes is hosting its grand opening on Monday, April 1, though fans of the chain have been enjoying the treasured salad bar during its week-long soft opening. 

Starting Monday, Sweet Tomatoes, located at 6202 E. Broadway, will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. This location is also cashless, which means they only accept credit, debit and contactless payments.

“We are thrilled to announce that Sweet Tomatoes is making a comeback,” their website says. “Under new ownership, we are excited to bring back your favorite dishes and create new memories with our loyal guests. Our first location is set to reopen in Tucson and we can’t wait to see everyone.”

You can see a sneak peek of their menu on their website, which includes popular salads like their Caesar Asiago, Wonton Happiness and Joan’s Broccoli Madness. They also have chicken noodle soup, chili, clam chowder, mac and cheese, various focaccia, muffins, cornbread and chocolatey desserts.

While the Broadway location was renovated and has reopened, the other Tucson location, on Wetmore Road and Stone Avenue, is owned by Tucson Mall. So far, no plans have been announced for that location, the Arizona Daily Star previously reported.