Summer is historically a hard time for restaurants in Tucson.
When the students and snowbirds leave, restaurants have fewer customers to serve and less money to pay staff and make ends meet. Many restaurants take a summer break, to give their staff time off and to stretch their budget.
But some have bravely opened during our slower season, and brought an amazing variety of cuisines to Tucson, from a dim-sum counter and a Sinaloan restaurant to homestyle Desi snacks and Japanese-style sandwiches.
2 Hermanos Taqueria recently opened on Tucson's far-east side.
2 Hermanos Taqueria
This bar and grill has a festive atmosphere with big screen TVs and an accessible menu featuring tacos, drink specials on beer and margaritas, and house-made salsa.
Location: 8270 S. Houghton Road
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11-2 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.
Price: Most tacos are $3.50. Beer costs $8-$9 for a 23-ounce pour.
For more information, check out their website.
Ajuua serves a menu inspired by Sinaloa, including Sinaloa-style barbacoa (left) and fried octopus (right).
Ajuua
Ajuua is bringing Sinaloan-style Mexican food to midtown. While the coastal state offers a bounty of seafood options, highlighted on the menu, they also have barbacoa made more like stew with chunks of potatoes and carrots. To learn more, read our story.
Location: 2310 N. Country Club Road
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Price: Fried octopus costs $19.99. Barbacoa, $15.99. Three tacos dorados, $11.97.
For more information, check out their Facebook page.
Samosas are Faiziah's weakness: you can get veggie samosas at Desi Snacks and Sweets for $1.75 each. You can also find them filled with chicken.
Desi Snacks and Sweets
This hidden gem is an expansion of Desi Mall. The owner, Faiziah Rahman, is selling her homestyle snacks, like an addictive chickpea salad called chana chaat, and desserts like gulab jamun — a dense, syrup-soaked doughnut. Limited entrees are also available and listed daily: when I went, you could pick between chicken biryani and chicken wraps.
Location: 4662 E. Speedway.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 520-405-7071 to confirm hours.
Price: Chicken biryani entree costs $10.99. Snacks and sweets range from $1-$5 each.
For more information, check out our story.
The fruit and cream sando at Fatboy Sandos is made with vegan whipped cream and costs $7.
Fatboy Sandos
This food truck is bringing Japanese-style sandwiches to Tucson. The aesthetic food is made with milk bread and nearly arranged filling. While you can get pork katsu and the hallmark egg salad sandwich tamago, the short menu also has vegan options of eggplant katsu, and fruit and vegan whip. They do sell out, so if you’re determined to try, get there closer to their opening time. Check out our story to learn more.
Location: Usually the southeast corner of Broadway and Euclid Avenue. Check their Instagram for updates about hours and events.
Price: Sandos cost between $7-$14. Small bites are $6 each.
For more information, check out their Instagram.
Go Dim Sum offers traditional Chinese small bites in a fast-casual setting. Pictured clockwise from top left: sesame balls with red bean paste, pork and shrimp siu mai, Portuguese egg tarts and pork soup dumplings.
Go Dim Sum
Dim Sum is hard to find in Tucson. China Phoenix offers a full service on weekends; Sushi Lounge has a limited menu that expands on the weekends as well. Go Dim Sum adds another player to the dim sum rotation, this time in a more casual counter setting. Their Portuguese egg tarts are exquisite. Read our story to learn more.
Location: 3504 E. Grant Road.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
Price: price varies a la carte. Siu mai cost $4.99 for 3. Portuguese egg tarts cost $3.99 for 2. Soup dumplings cost $7.99 for 6.
For more information, check out their website.
Hello Bicycle's mural, painted by local artist Sasha Lewis (@sashaaliza), got a new addition recently: a little cloud saying "and cafe."
Hello Bicycle & Cafe
Hello Bicycle started in Seattle and recently moved back to Tucson, the owners’ hometown. They brought their coffee expertise with them and opened a charming cafe at their bike shop right off The Loop. Their menu offers Houlden’s Rise Above pastries and Yellow Brick Coffee. Read our story to learn more.
Location: 3702 E. Hardy Dr.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The bike shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Price: Drinks range from $3 for a pour-over to $5.25 for a mocha.
For more information, check out their website.
Consomme, Philadelphia dog, two quesabirra tacos and garnish from La Yaquesita tacos.
La Yaquesita
While La Yaquesita’s first location is a permanent food truck setup on the far southwest side, they expanded to their first brick and mortar in the former location of the L Station on Fourth Avenue. Their menu is centered around their outstanding quesabirria.
Location: 500 N. Fourth Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Price: Their signature quesabirria costs $13 for two tacos and consomme.
For more information, check out our story.
The Lobby
Earlier this month, The Arizona Republic reported that a "Chopped" champion and fine-dining chef from Phoenix is teaming up with a former chef of Tanque Verde Ranch to sling burgers and fries in Tucson. Their restaurant, The Lobby, is located inside the Seasons Apartments on Wetmore Road and First Avenue.
Location: Seasons Apartments, 811 E. Wetmore Road.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Price: A burger costs $17. Fries are $7.
For more information, check out their website.
Louie’s Cantina
Tucson Foodie reported that Louie’s Pub was founded by the beloved manager of Kon Tiki, Louie Lazos. He recently expanded to a cantina, where he’ll channel his Hispanic heritage in the decor and the menu.
Location: 8060 E. 22nd St.
Hours: 10-2 a.m. Monday-Saturday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Price: The bar says that drinks run from between $2.75-$12.75.
For more information, check out Louie’s Pub’s Facebook page.
Mt Lemmon Coffee Bean
Mount Lemmon is not an easy place to do business. The 45-minute drive up the mountain adds difficulty to every aspect of business, from hiring staff to getting basics like plumbing installed. When Mt Lemmon Coffee Bean announced last year that they were building their business from the ground up, I was worried it would take years to open. I’m thrilled to be wrong! This coffee shop opened for business this summer. To learn more, read our story.
Location: 12903 N. Sabino Canyon Park.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
Price: $5 for a house coffee; $3.25 for a pastry. Temporarily only accepting cash!
For more information, check out their Facebook page.
Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian recently opened in the former Peking Palace, serving up Thai and Cantonese dishes, including the shrimp Pad Thai, above.
Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian
The Thai and Cantonese menus at Nattha’s Bann Thai Asian reflect the modern population of Thailand, which contains a large Cantonese diaspora. Owner Nattha Post knows, as she grew up in Thailand and attended culinary school there. To learn more, read our story.
Location: 6970 E. 22nd St.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Price: Entrees range from around $12.95-$14.95.
For more information, check out their website.
Nosh has a monthly cookie club, where two dozen cookies are delivered to your door on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
Nosh Tucson
Nosh Catering made a splash with their home-delivery cheesecakes and cookies during the pandemic. Now owner Tina Marie Wilken has opened a full-service cafe, which features baked goods alongside a savory menu and goods from local artisans. Read our story to learn more.
Location: 4695 N. Oracle Road.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Price: Items are priced differently per unit: one snickerdoodle costs $1.50; a baker’s dozen costs $11. One cinnamon roll costs $3.75; a four-count is $12.
For more information, check out their website.
Pocha’s Grill
Pocha’s Grill offers Mexican food with a focus on Michoacan cuisine, like morisqueta and regional enchiladas.
Location: 5224 E. Pima St.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Price: Their morisqueta costs $15.99. Birria is priced at $10.45 and tacos de carne asada cost $12.99.
For more information, check out their Google Maps site.
Pictured is the Spicy Jim pizza from Penelope Wood Fired Pizza (formerly Over The Counter), which has pepperoni and jalapeño.
Restaurants coming soon
- Penelope Woodfired, located in Cartel Roasting Co. at 210 E. Broadway.
Formerly known as Over The Counter Pizza, this wood-fired pizza truck found more permanent digs in Cartel downtown. They’re set to open on Oct. 4! For more information, check out our story.
- Just Churros, located in Oracle Wetmore Shopping Center at 4380 N. Oracle Road.
Just Churros is an iconic food truck, using old school recipes passed down between generations of churreros. They are set to open a brick and mortar shortly. For more information, check out our recent coverage.
- Mojo Cuban Kitchen, 1929 E. Grant Road.
Nick Schaffer loves Cuban food and knew that Tucson didn’t have a formal Cuban restaurant. He teamed up with Patricia Espinosa, a Cuban chef who prepared food for Tucson Meet Yourself and her diaspora community, to make a menu and rum bar that channeled her home. For more information, check out their website.
- Batch’s basement bar, 118 E. Congress St.
Batch is expanding their doughnut-whiskey bar into the basement of their location. They hope to open by the end of October. For more information, check out their website.
- Tabu, 128 E. Congress St.
Tabu is bringing a Mexico City-inspired menu and advanced mixology program to the old Gus Taylor building downtown. For more information, check out their website.
- Casa Agave, 943 E. University Blvd.
The owners of Gentle Ben’s are expanding their business interest at Main Gate Square with Casa Agave, a Mexican restaurant. For more information, check out our recent coverage.
- Ciao Down, 3230 N. Dodge Blvd.
This pizza food truck gained a big following at Tucson Hop Shop, in Metal Arts Village. Soon Ciao Down will have their own brick and mortar there. For more information, check out their website.
- Puro Ice, 314 E. Sixth St.
This November, Tanna’s Botannas will be expanding their popular snack business into the arena of Mexican Italian ice, or nieve de garrafa. They also received the recipes from Sullivan’s ice cream shop to carry on their legacy downtown. For more information, check out our recent coverage.
