When I wrote my first edition of Cheap Eats, I was new to the job and not used to dining out yet. The best parts of that article, in my opinion, are the tips and tricks I learned while eating on a freelance writer’s budget for years.
This follow-up is composed differently altogether. Over the past nine months I’ve been on the job, I’ve been paying attention to good deals (or “gangas”) throughout the course of my daily research. These are either tried-and-true weeknight favorites or menus that caught my eye out of the hundreds I’ve looked at over the past several months. I’m excited to share every one of them.
Bobo's pancakes are so big, Bobo's uses pizza boxes as takeout containers.
Pancakes at Bobo’s Restaurant
This place has a retro sign that has caught my eye every time I pass it on Grant Road. I always think to myself, “That looks like a perfect hole-in-the-wall.”
Their diner menu keeps it simple and affordable. While Bobo’s is not some hip “elevated” diner, don’t mistake it for a run-of-the-mill cafeteria either.
The thing I’m most excited to try is their enormous pancakes. I have photographic evidence of blueberry pancakes bringing tears to my eyes (coming home after my first six months living abroad in college). There isn’t a more sentimental food for me, and Bobo’s pancakes look incredible. Loaded with the good stuff. Golden-crusted with those tiny air bubbles that signal the cakes were cooked on a hot grill. Bigger than the plate they’re sitting on.
One huge blueberry pancake costs $4.99. Get a pancake with two eggs, two links of sausage and two pieces of bacon for $8.99.
Their early-bird special, for true budget seekers, is $1.99 for two eggs, potatoes and toast, available before 8 a.m. Adventurous diners can try a flying saucer — a pancake with spinach, spices and two cheeses — for $8.79.
Location: 2938 E. Grant Road
Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday-Tuesday. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
For more information, check out their Yelp page.
Carne Asada Quesadilla at The Quesadillas
The Quesadillas is named for their specialty. Their menu doesn’t expand much farther than quesadillas because it doesn’t need to.
All of their quesadillas are under $9, but I haven’t been able to resist ordering anything other than their carne asada since I started getting takeout from there in earnest a couple months ago.
Their carne asada comes with a bean taco you can eat in the car on your ride home: a slip of pure pleasure that will hold you from devouring the quesadilla before you can sit down and really appreciate it.
To be clear, you can get good carne asada across Tucson. I’m including The Quesadillas because this has become a regular rotation in my off-duty meals at the given moment. Next time around I might feature Tacos Apson, or Deliciocho, or any number of outstanding taco shops in Tucson. I wanted to encourage those who haven’t tried this place in particular yet to get on it.
Location: 2418 N. Craycroft Road
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday | Closed Sunday
For more information, check out their website.
Squared Up's white pie uses both ricotta and mozzarella cheese.
White Pie at Squared Up Pizza
I was talking to my editor the other day about the amazing pizzas I’ve had since starting my job. While the base pies at any of my favorite pizzerias are worthy on their own, I’ve found that most of the places that stand out to me most have specific toppings that are simply transcendent. Squared Up Pizza’s White Pie is one of those truly special inventions.
If you’ve gone to Squared Up and eaten anything other than their White Pie, you have to give this one a try before you make up your mind about the place.
It’s almost a dessert — it’s so indulgently rich (not greasy, though). The ricotta is like silk, its weight borne easily by Squared Up’s Sicilian-style golden crust. They add just a little bit of honey. Coming from a red sauce devotee, this pie is perfect.
One slice costs $5.75 and is easily hearty enough for a meal.
Location: Park Place Mall Food Court, 5870 E. Broadway
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday | 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
For more information, check out their website. Read our story about Squared Up here!
Korean corn dog at HeeMee Coffee + Bakery
HeeMee is my editor Gloria’s favorite restaurant. It’s a shame that I haven’t had the chance to go. Fried chicken sandwiches are one of my favorite comfort foods, and they make theirs Korean-style with spicy garlic and gochujang sauces. Gloria recommends the spicy pork bulgogi bowl. Both items cost $9.
The item I’m highlighting, though, is their corn dog. Instead of the traditional corn pancake coating, HeeMee’s Korean corn dogs are coated with either chunks of potato or crunchy ramen noodles.
Their fillings, too, are inventive: while you can opt for the traditional hot dog, you can elect to go vegetarian with mozzarella cheese or indulge with a half-and-half. Prices vary depending on what toppings and fillings you choose, but they’re not going to run you more than $4.50.
Location: 20 E. Congress St.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday-Friday | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday | Closed Sunday-Monday
For more information, check out their website.
Nouveau Quiche
I first saw this farmers market quiche spot on @phx_food_whisperer’s Instagram. When I checked it out at the Rillito Park Heirloom Farmers Market, her hype did not disappoint.
The quiche’s custard has a mind-blowingly silky texture (likely achieved with an obscene amount of butter and cream). As a garlic girl, I couldn’t get enough of their vegetarian roasted garlic quiche, studded with mahogany cloves of roasted garlic at the bottom of every bite. The decadent $7 slice had me full until mid-afternoon.
Nouveau Quiche travels to sell at farmers markets across Arizona. I came across them at the Rillito Park market, 4502 N. First Ave., which runs Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through April 3, and 8 a.m. to noon from April 10 through September.
For more information, follow them on Instagram.
This is spinach and feta gözleme, or stuffed Anatolian flatbread, from Elif's Gozleme, which is run by Elif Demirbas.
Elif’s Gözleme
Another farmers market find!
Gözleme is a Turkish stuffed flatbread from the Anatolian region. It’s a little bit like a quesadilla, but with more bready flatbread instead of tortillas and a variety of different fillings. My favorite filling is spinach and cheese, which gets a lot of tang from the cheese yet still feels healthy. For me, it’s a full meal at $6.
Elif also makes gözleme with spiced potato or ground beef seasoned like köfte. You can’t go wrong — but you can break your budget if you start sampling her dolmas or baklava.
Location: Rillito Park Heirloom Farmers Market, 4502 N. First Ave.
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sundays through April 3, and 8 a.m. to noon from April 10 through September.
For more information, check out Elif’s Facebook page. Read our story about Elif here!
Perche’ No’s happy hour
I’ve highlighted Perche’ No’s happy hour in my newsletter, but it bears repeating. This downtown Italian restaurant has two daily happy hours: from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., then from 4-6 p.m. During these windows, you’ll find some of the best deals on Congress Street.
I’m especially excited by gnocchi al gorgonzola because I know trying to recreate the same dish at home would probably cost me about the same, if not more than, the $9 price tag — gorgonzola can be expensive and I want to taste it in the sauce.
Classics like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmesan also cost $9. Check out their full happy hour menu here.
Location: 46 W. Congress St.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
For more information, check out their website.
