I love the pace of Tucson’s summers, their lack of traffic and urgency. The inherent bond that emerges between everyone who remains here after the heatwave begins: we love this place, are tied to this place, enough to stay.
But opening a restaurant in Tucson’s springtime can be a daunting prospect. Our slow summer has already started and will only get sleepier for months. This year, though, restaurant openings have been pushed back by dilemmas in supply chains, paperwork and construction deadlines: restaurants must open as soon as they’re ready.
Despite these obstacles, Tucson is lucky enough to be getting a few kinds of food that we haven't seen before: Bolivian street food, Moroccan-inspired sandwiches and Ethiopian mead called tej have all arrived in Tucson this season.
Here are the brave bunch of 15 that have opened in the last few months:
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Adis is expanding its menu to include raspados and other snacks at American Eat Co.
Adis
Adis Refresqueria started as an Instagram page, where owner Adilene Castro would cater events with her aguas frescas and custom candy mixes. Now, the refresqueria has evolved into a vendor at American Eat Co. selling antojitos like churros and paletas in addition to her classic menu.
Location: American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Better Bevs
This drink shop combines techniques of boba tea shops with Mexican flavors and aguas frescas: chamoy mango shave ice, piña colada snow, cucumber lemonade with spicy chile popping boba. Find creative snows, shaved ice, slushes, milk tea and boba here.
Location: 210 N. Fourth Ave.
For more information, follow them on Instagram.
David Woods of the Brillé Mead Company with “Addis ababa,” left, a traditional mead named for the Ethiopian capital city, and a “rosé” with strawberry and hibiscus at Dillinger Brewing Co. in Tucson.
Brille Mead Company
Brille specializes in tej, the style of mead traditionally brewed in owner David Woods' home country of Ethiopia. Based out of Dillinger Brewing Company, Brille currently offers two meads on tap.
Location: Dillinger Brewing Company, 3895 N. Oracle Road
Albert Lopez, right, helps a customer with her order during the grand opening of Chick-in Waffle on May 19. This is the Missouri chain restaurant’s first Arizona location and first location outside its birthplace in Kansas City.
Chick-in Waffle
This chicken-and-waffle spot was founded in Kansas City and their Tucson location was their third location overall — and their first franchise to open outside of Missouri. Their menu features bubble waffles and bone-in and boneless chicken and tenders dipped in a choice of 10 sauces, including maple and Nashville hot.
Location: 5524 E. Grant Road
For more information, check out their website.
The Coop will occupies the space left vacant when Kitchen 86 moved to the next stall.
The Coop
Cowpig’s first brick-and-mortar location is this vendor spot in American Eat Co., peddling strictly fried chicken. Find sandwiches, loaded fries, tendies and even chicken and waffles here.
Location: American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes is on the menu at Doughbird.
Doughbird
This rotisserie chicken and pizza restaurant is part of Fox Restaurant Concepts, a major player in the industry that got its start in Tucson. Though the first Doughbird locations were in the Phoenix metro, they’ve come home to a midtown location.
Location: 2960 N. Campbell Ave.
For more information, check out their website.
Flower Child, the former Old Chicago Pizza building at 2960 N. Campbell Ave., is a Sam Fox venture.
Flower Child
Another Sam Fox concept, Flower Child is the kind of restaurant that you can find at a fancy mall in Denver, in Washington, D.C. walking distance from the White House, and now in Tucson. They serve avocado toast, salads and grain bowls.
Location: 2960 N. Campbell Ave.
For more information, check out their website.
The three iterations of a Moroccan sandwich: halloumi ($10), merguez ($11) and vegan veg ($8). You can also get a grilled chicken sandwich for $10 at La Merguez.
La Merguez
Named after a Moroccan lamb sausage, this late-night sandwich cart is posted up at Che’s Lounge some weekends. Their menu is centered around Moroccan-style sandwiches filled with merguez sausage, chicken, halloumi or a vegan option with grilled veggies. Their sandwiches' Khboz (bread) has been custom-baked by local baker Holy Focaccia. For dessert, they have a pastry called Briwat, made out of puff pastry; delicate, slightly sweet cheese and honey.
Location: Che’s Lounge, 350 N. Fourth Ave.
The Yo Yo Yoji at Miss Dessert comes with sticky rice pellets with vanilla or green tea ice cream.
Miss Dessert
Find Hong Kong-style desserts here, like boba and snows topped with flavored jellies, sticky rice, fruit and ice cream. Miss Dessert is a small chain born in Phoenix.
Location: 1800 E. Fort Lowell Road
Oralia Coffee
This petite, industrial-chic cafe offers espresso drinks and pastries, including gluten-free options, close to downtown.
Location: 501 N. Sixth Ave.
For more information, follow them on Instagram.
Pasta La Vista
This midtown pasta shop advertises itself as to-go, but they do have a dining room. Their menu rotates around a few mediums: pasta, pizza and subs. Each is customizable, and you can also order sides like salads and Italian desserts.
Location: 2425 N. Tucson Blvd.
For more information, check out their website.
Pin + Flour
The Eddy Hotel is a new Hilton hotel in the Foothills, and Pin + Flour is its restaurant. Their brunch menu features its cocktails and wine options in as much space as its food options (which include classics like pancakes, French toast, omelettes and benedicts). Its dinner menu is classic American with a few Sonoran touches.
Location: The Eddy Hotel, 4626 N. Campbell Ave.
For more information, follow them on Instagram.
Purple Tree is known for its acai bowls.
Purple Tree Organic Acai
Tucson mourned André Newman when he died in 2020. The popular acai food truck he began has returned with new owners, who were close friends of his. Their organic acai bowls can be found across town in this mobile operation.
Screwbean Brewing is home to beer, seltzer cocktails and coffee.
Screwbean Brewing
Screwbean uses brewing as a double entendre — on this Pie Allen patio, you can find freshly-made coffee and in-house brewed beer on tap in stylish adobe quarters.
Location: 103 N. Park Ave.
For more information, follow them on Instagram.
Sumaj commissioned a Bolivian artist from the Amazon to decorate its food truck with art representing their home country.
Sumaj Bolivian Street Food
Bolivia is so proud of its cuisine that McDonald's couldn’t take root in Alexandra Gutierrez’s hometown. Alexandra celebrates that cuisine with her baked and fried empanadas, made with her family recipe.
Location: 403 N. Sixth Ave.
P18 will be a cocktail bar in the basement with a 51-passenger train car and a rolling video in the windows that gives the illusion of being on a moving train. Video courtesy of Rio Nuevo.
On the horizon:
- Cabali — Tiki drinks are loved for their beachy vibes and elaborate recipes. Cabali, owned by the man behind Fini’s Landing, will bring tiki — and an enormous collection of festive mugs — to Oro Valley, at 8195 N. Oracle Road, according to KGUN 9.
- Dos — Borderlands Brewing and Boca’s chef Maria Mazon are continuing their collaboration, after a successful launch of a Sam Hughes location. Dos brings Maria’s culinary chops to the Foothills at 5605 E. River Road.
- Platform 18 and Grey Hen — Platform 18 is a basement bar where window-sized screens fill the walls with videos mimicking a train ride. Its accompanying bar, Grey Hen, will replicate a New Orleans patio indoors. Both concepts come to downtown, 58 W. Congress St., from Phoenix.
- The Jewel Cafe — This future breakfast-and-lunch spot at 431 N. Fourth Ave. has recently found a designer for their space and is set to open by the end of summer.
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