Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2022 and updated in 2024.

As a food writer, the question I get asked above any other is: where should we eat?

I can never give a straightforward answer. My response is always: It depends. What do you feel like eating? I’m not about to send someone craving a fried chicken sandwich to get my favorite Sichuan beef dish at Noodleholics. While I do have my fail-safe options, I like customizing my suggestions to what will make my friends most happy on a given day.

Don't forget to scroll all the way to the bottom for the icons section! ⭐

Disclaimer: This list is a living document. While we’re confident that all of these places are good, if we’re missing your favorite place, please send us an email with your favorite thing to eat there and why: thisistucson@tucson.com.

Indian | Chinese | Vietnamese | Japanese | Korean | Thai | Burgers | Pizza | Italian | Mediterranean | Tacos | Burritos | Quesadillas | Enchiladas | Tamales | Antojitos | Sonoran Dogs | Seafood/Mariscos | Baked Goods and Sweets | Date Night | Vegan | Brunch | Munchies | Fried chicken | Mac and Cheese | Ethiopian | Caribbean | BBQ | Coffee and Tea | Markets | Icons

Indian

Indian Twist

Location: 4660 E. Camp Lowell Dr.

As someone who orders vegetarian at Indian restaurants, I’ve never been as impressed by veg options as I am at Indian Twist (it might have to do with their vegetarian chefs).

The first time I ate there, their navratan korma left the strongest impression on me of almost any meal I’ve had in Tucson. Each vegetable was cooked in its own time to the ideal texture, held together by a miraculously creamy, nuanced cashew sauce. The spice level, which I ordered medium-plus or 7/10, hit the nail on the head. The garlic naan was fresh and singed with char in all the right places, still crispy on the outside and soft on the inside despite some travel time. Each bite brought its own pleasure.

Spice Garden 

Location: 5815 N. Arizona Pavilions Dr.

Spice Garden is the only place in town to get South Indian food. The dosa, idli and biryani come highly recommended. 

Honorable mentions: Reader Karen Kahn loves the chicken tikka masala at Sher-e-Punjab. Saffron Indian Bistro and its sister restaurant Kebabeque Indian Grill are also great. 

Chinese

Noodleholics

Locations: 3502 E. Grant Road; 7850 N. Oracle Road

When in doubt, go to Noodleholics. Its housemade noodles are a consistent crowd-pleaser. While everything on their menu is good, when you find the thing that you like best, it’s hard to branch out. Their Guilin regional specialties shine, like the rice noodle dishes at the center of their menu. But my favorite, personally, is the Sichuan beef noodle, which offers tender meat in a heady, numbing broth. The Oro Valley location has vegan options!

Chef Wang

Location: 356 E. Grant Road

Chef Wang has a big menu. It’s a Chinese restaurant in the style of the cold Dongbei region, which favors hearty tapas to be shared by the table. Dongbei specialties include jiaozi (饺子), a delicate boiled dumpling. The cabbage and pork jiaozi at Chef Wang are not-to-be-missed — I always regret not ordering them.

A hallmark ingredient of the region is sauerkraut, which is especially worth trying in their rich stews. If you want a more familiar gateway item, the guo bao pork (锅包肉), fried sweet and sour pork, is another signature dish of the region.

While you can order from the “Popular Dishes in America” or Sichuan portions of the menu, you’re missing the best stuff.

81 Hong Kong Cafe

Location: 625 E. Wetmore Road

I was told to order 81 Hong Kong Cafe’s chicken bites and basil eggplant by Isabella Joffroy (@yelptucson), and that was one of my favorite meals of 2022. The basil eggplant has a beautiful, custardy texture and generous flavor. The fried chicken bites are the best popcorn chicken in Tucson. I reheated the leftovers for lunch for days and didn’t get tired of them once.

Honorable mentions: Sushi Lounge and Go Dim Sum for dim sum. 

Vietnamese

Phở Cần Thơ by 1

Location: 2746 N. Campbell Ave.

There’s a loose superstition that all the best Vietnamese restaurants have numbers in their name. For instance, downtown’s Eleven Cafē has some of the best Vietnamese coffee in Tucson.

Phở Cần Thơ by 1 is similarly case in point. Their bánh mìs are my predecessor Andi Berlin’s favorite in Tucson, and I reckon mine as well.

Vegans rejoice, you can find plant-based pho here! While other honorable mentions offer stellar meat options, the quality of Phở Cần Thơ’s vegetarian and vegan selections separate it from the pack.

Honorable mentions: Pho Ngan, Banhdicted, Miss Saigon.

Japanese

Sushi: Yamato Japanese Restaurant

Location: 857 E. Grant Road

Yamato is on the short list of my favorite restaurants in Tucson. The sushi chef Noboru Nakajima is old-school, taught in Japan. The restaurant’s been around since 1988. Once you try sushi here, you’re going to be holding the rest of Tucson to its standard.

Ramen: Raijin Ramen

Location: 2955 E. Speedway

Raijin’s rich broth makes their ramen addictive. In case you opt for to-go, their takeout travels better than most, because they separate the stuff they don’t want to get soggy.

Honorable mentions: Toss Fried Chicken and Ramen, Maru Plus. 

Korean

HeeMee Coffee + Bakery

Location: 20 E. Congress St.

HeeMee is my editor Gloria’s favorite restaurant in Tucson (she can't help but order their spicy beef bulgogi). Their chicken katsu sandwich is practically a carnal pleasure. They also have specialty coffee drinks you can’t find anywhere else, like the Viennese einspänner (made with whipped cream) and a sweet dalgona honeycomb latte.

Honorable mentions: Korea House.

Pro tip: You can get fresh tteokbokki at Kimpo Market to cook on your own!

Thai

Tuk Tuk Thai

Locations: 2990 N. Campbell Ave.; 12125 N. Oracle Road; 6878 E. Sunrise Dr.

Portland, Oregon’s loss is our gain. This stylish restaurant, Tuk Tuk Thai, shines with regional cuisine like the Khao Soi chicken curry.

Bai Thong

Location: 4853 E. Speedway

No-frills restaurant Bai Thong serves delicious pad zee ew and curries.

Honorable mentions: Karuna's Thai Plate, Sa-Ing Thai Cuisine. 

Burgers

CowPig’s CowMelt

Chase us down! It’s the merited catchphrase of food truck CowPig, especially for their CowMelt, juicy and packed with both roasted green chiles and grilled onion.

Graze Burgers + Truland Burgers & Greens

Locations: Graze and Truland are local sibling chains with locations across town.

Not only are their burgers great, their house-made condiments keep me coming back. Their curry ketchup is a dead ringer for what gets dressed on Berlin’s iconic currywurst. Their fry sauce is guzzle-able. I always take more than I should.

Honorable mentions: Divine Bovine.

Pizza

Neapolitan-style: Lumbre Pizza A La Leña 

From the founder behind the delicious Family Joint Pizza in Green Valley, this mesquite-fired Neapolitan pizza oven on wheels is a showstopper. While Lumbre's margherita pizza is still great, you’re doing it right if you order their carne asada pie.

NY-style: Empire Pizza & Pub

Location: 137 E. Congress St.

Empire is my favorite late-night eatery. Their slice of cheese is true to New York style: equal parts utilitarian and delicious, with a generous portion of cheese. 

Tucson-style: Los Olivos

Location: 937 W. Congress St.

Los Olivos does not imitate any other style of pie. It’s unique to here. Each of the medley of roasted vegetables on its vegetarian pie is cooked and roasted to its own perfection. The sauce pulls the diverse flavors together seamlessly.

Honorable mentions: Anello, Rocco's Little Chicago.

Italian

Roma Imports

Location: 627 S. Vine Ave.

Don’t go to Roma without a list you plan to stick to: it’s easy to blow your food budget for the week here. This place is a cult classic for a reason. Their Italian sandwiches are made with the freshest ingredients and special imports hard to find elsewhere. I swear by their premade meals (their gorgonzola sauce is dangerous). Budget shoppers: buy your olive oil in bulk here for a fraction of the cost at grocery stores.

Honorable mentions: Locale Neighborhood Italian Restaurant, Zio Peppe, Ceres, Noodies.

Mediterranean

Homemade Freshly Mediterranean

Mediterranean is my favorite kind of food, and I hadn’t found a place in Tucson that blew me away until I came across the Homemade Freshly Mediterranean food truck.

Homemade Freshly Mediterranean’s Lebanese sandwiches are some of the most densely flavored you can find in Tucson. Garlic girls will love their garlic chicken sandwich — each must be made with at least a few cloves.

Honorable mentions: Zayna’s, Aspasia, Nur Import Market.

Tacos

Tacos El Cuate de Obregon

Location: 4817 S. 12th Ave.

Tacos El Cuate de Obregon is an experience as much as it’s a delicious meal. Their informal patio, packed with families in a weekend-good mood after church on a Sunday, is practically hallowed ground. Their ribeye taco is just another blessing.

Taqueria Pico de Gallo

Location: 2618 S. Sixth Ave.

While Sonora is known for its flour tortillas, Taqueria Pico de Gallo’s menu is Baja Californian. They’re best known for their fluffy, fresh-made corn tortillas and mouthwatering fried fish and shrimp. And their pico de gallo, of course — not the salsa, but fruit cups cut fresh every day.

While there are countless honorable mentions, here are a few: El Taco Rustico, Seis Kitchen, Amelia's Mexican Kitchen. Don't fret if your favorite isn't mentioned; they might be mentioned in the categories below or in the "icons" section at the end.

Burritos

Anita's Street Market

Location: 849 N. Anita Ave.

Anita's Street Market’s flour tortillas are translucently thin, flavorful and stretchy — the platonic ideal of the iconic Sonoran food. In a burrito, their huge tortillas do not outshine their homemade fillings, but instead amplify their deliciousness. It’s a great place to try the traditional Sonoran red chile beef, but their breakfast burritos are just as compelling.

Barista del Barrio

Location: 1002 N. Grande Ave.

Barista del Barrio is a meeting place for all of Tucson (and many in-the-know visitors). While waiting in the infamously long line outside their Grande Avenue storefront, you'll see UA students shoulder-to-shoulder with abuelas and preteens from Barrio Hollywood, hipsters sitting next to snowbirds who just hiked Tumamoc and, more often than not, a food writer waiting patiently for her weekly little treat.

Their chorizo breakfast burritos are a top 3 favorite food of mine, especially when I have the presence of mind to ask for green chile and extra salsa. 

Honorable mentions: I also really love the hand burritos at Tortilleria Don Juan.

Quesadillas

The Quesadillas

Location: 2418 N. Craycroft Road

While people don’t typically think of the area near Tucson Medical Center as a hotspot for Mexican food (try La Doce for that), The Quesadillas makes a compelling argument with their succulent carne asada.

Enchiladas

St. Mary’s Mexican Food

Location: 1030 W. St. Mary’s Road

St. Mary’s is the first place I take friends visiting from out of town to introduce them to Tucson. Standing in line in their lobby, waiting patiently to order anything that uses their standout tortillas and, always, a horchata, is a rite of passage.

Rollies Mexican Patio

Location: 4573 S. 12th Ave.

Everything at Rollies is delicious (including its eponymous rolled tacos, dipped in queso… yum), but their flat enchiladas, doused in their award-winning birria, are life-changing. Their quesabirria tacos, called birria rojo cheesies, are also not to be missed.

Tamales

Buendia Breakfast and Lunch

Location: 2530 N. First Ave.

The best tamales I’ve had in a restaurant in Tucson are stuffed in a poblano at Buendia. The owners source the tamales from a local artisan and are the closest to Matilde Santa Cruz’s you can get over the counter.

Honorable mentions: The iconic Lerua’s tamales are still made at El Torero.

Antojitos

Oasis Fruit Raspados

Location: 4126 S. 12th Ave.

Oasis is the oldest raspaderia in Tucson and a true icon.

Mangos Refresqueria y Cafe

Location: 4990 S. Campbell Ave.

Mangos is heaven for munchies. Blow your diet with their nachos, then keep digging with their raspados.

Sonoran Dogs

Aqui con El Nene

Locations: 4415 N. Flowing Wells Road, 65 W. Valencia Road

Everyone who steps foot in Tucson has to try a Sonoran dog. While BK and El Guero Canelo brought the dogo to America, Aqui con El Nene is my favorite, bar none. Their hot dog chipilon, which adds melted cheese to the toasted bun, stands out amid a crowded field.

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Honorable mentions: Other Tucsonans swear by El Sinaloense and Ruiz.

Seafood/Mariscos

Kingfisher

Location: 2564 E. Grant Road

This could also be found in top billing under the “date night” tab. But Kingfisher is more than its stellar atmosphere: their clams are a cult classic for a reason; their cocktail menu is equal parts devilish and satisfying.

Cocteleria La Palma

Location: 1137 S. Sixth Ave.

This is my friend Jackie Tran's favorite restaurant in Tucson, and for good reason: their aguachile will immediately transport you to the beach, regardless how hot it is in Tucson. More info here!

Baked Goods and Sweets

Doughnuts: La Estrella Bakery

Locations: 5266 S. 12th Ave., 901 N. Grande Ave., 120 S. Avenida del Convento, 141 S. Stone Ave.

La Estrella’s doughnuts are one-of-a-kind, the perfect balance between cake and yeast doughnuts. I swear by their glazed, combined with a Cochata from Seis Kitchen at the Mercado San Agustin to cure any bad mood.

Cookies: Decibel Coffee Works

Location: MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento

Not only does Decibel serve delicious coffee and ice cream, they also have the most succulent, buttery chocolate chip cookies. It's my current favorite little treat to get me through a tough day.

Patisserie: Le Buzz

Locations: 9121 E. Tanque Verde Road, 2930 N. Swan Road

I have a running list of my favorite pastries in Tucson. While I love Ren Coffeehouse’s almond croissants and Exo Roast Co.’s thumbprint membrillo shortbread cookies, I love everything at Le Buzz, even and especially the things that I don’t expect to, like Nutella tarts.

Cakes: Village Bake House

Location: 7882 N. Oracle Road

Village Bake House got its cake recipes from the legendary Ilsa Bechert, whose konditorei graced Tucson for decades. They’re carrying the torch of her legacy with their popular Oro Valley cafe and bakery, well-loved for its brunch and patio.

Tortillerías: Everyone has their favorite.

When you’re flying out of Tucson airport, you’ll see people with flour tortillas in their carry-ons. TSA officers will ask you where you got them from, and a lively debate might spring up between neighbors in line.

For the longest time, St. Mary’s tortillas were the ones I’d bring when visiting family who have moved away from Tucson. Recently, though, my mind changed. Tortillas Bryan brought a lot of the flavor and stretchiness I loved from St. Mary’s, but accomplished it in a much thinner form. Here’s a list of tortillerías so you can find your own.

Bagels: Bubbe’s Fine Bagels

Locations: 1101 N. Wilmot Road, 1865 E. River Road

Bubbe’s answered Tucson’s prayers for east-coast-caliber bagels. They might be the only game in town, but they’re a great game.

Chocolate: Monsoon Chocolate

Locations: their factory is at 234 E. 22nd St. and their cafe is at 3630 E. Fort Lowell Road

Monsoon Chocolate is more than just the gorgeous bonbons you can get for your loved ones, nestled like jewels in a box. Their factory offers tours showing their process of making single-origin chocolate and their cafe has branched out to offer baked goods, ice cream (including flavors like blue corn atole), frozen chocolate and more. It's a paradise for chocolate lovers of all ages.

Gelato: Frost

Locations: 7301 E. Tanque Verde Road, 2905 E. Skyline Dr., 7131 N. Oracle Road

While Tucsonans will endlessly debate whether Hub Ice Cream or The Screamery makes superior ice cream, I’ve elected to sidestep the fray and go with Frost as my favorite creamy frozen treat. Their coconut flavor is one of my all-time favorite desserts, and I always wish I ordered it when I deviate from the program. While they have franchises from here to the United Arab Emirates, they got their start here and remain a locally-owned Tucson company.

Honorable mentions: Licks Catalina.

Date Night

Saguaro Corners

Location: 3750 S. Old Spanish Trail

I’m not saying that a great location means food will be bad. But when views are as scenic as they are at Saguaro Corners, you don’t need the food to be good to survive. Its lush desert setting, on the far-east side, and a porch with 270 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows are such a draw that I was originally hesitant. Why invest in a great menu when the space alone makes the place special? But for reasons unknown, they did.

The menu might read as a hodgepodge of comfort food — deep-fried cheese curds and tacos? Cowboy potstickers next to pan-seared salmon fit for a fine dining restaurant? The through line is a commitment to freshness, and doing what you have well. The vegetable sides rotate with whatever is in season — in winter, when I last visited, it was asparagus. I don’t think you can order incorrectly here.

Tito & Pep

Location: 4122 E. Speedway

Tito & Pep, a James-Beard-Award-nominated spot, is a love letter to midtown Tucson and the Sonoran flavors that make this place home.

The Parish

Location: 6453 N. Oracle Road

You’ll love The Parish for the same reasons you love New Orleans, the city that inspires the restaurant: atmosphere, food and drink. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

The Owls Club

Location: 236 S. Scott Ave.

While I mostly kept bars off this list, I guarantee you, on any given night, there is a Bumble date happening at The Owls Club. Likely multiple. Their seasonal cocktail list and spacious patio (with fire pits) makes it a showy, yet low-stakes, place to see if the chemistry is there.

Honorable mentions: Renee’s, Bata, The Coronet. 

Vegan

Houlden’s Rise Above

Locations: Cafes across Tucson and a brick-and-mortar at 5031 E. Fifth St.

Hannah Houlden’s “little vegan spite bakery” started as a cottage operation out of her home. She now delivers her vegan baked goods — flaky chocolate croissants, pop-tarts with flair, turnovers with flavors from olive, dill and lemon to red pepper za’atar — to several local cafes, and has a brick-and-mortar in midtown.

Taco Stop

Location: 10290 E. Speedway

Their jackfruit birria is so good, vegans and carnivores alike will make the trek to food truck Taco Stop to satisfy their craving.

Honorable mentions: Nopalinda, Midtown Vegan Deli, El Torero’s vegan menu, and the vegan options at Renee’s.

For more inspo, follow local vegan foodies @deathfreefoodie and @tucson_vegan on Instagram!

Brunch

Baja Cafe

Locations: 7002 E. Broadway; 2970 N. Campbell Ave.

When we asked readers for their brunch recommendations, nearly everyone who suggested Baja Cafe mentioned something different on their menu. Everything is good, but they'll give you a free, signature Snickerdoodle pancake if it's your first time.

Cafe a la C’art

Location: 150 N. Main Ave.

Patio, patio, patio. It’s a confection of mosaic, attached to a building whose historical atmosphere and proximity to the Tucson Museum of Art make even a cappuccino feel like a special occasion. More info here!

Tohono Chul Bistro

Location: 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte

I don’t know what I love more, the bistro’s setting in a verdant botanical garden or their prickly pear margaritas.

Munchies

The Jackrabbit Lounge

Location: 2000 N. Oracle Road

While you might come to The Jackrabbit Lounge for their ‘grammable neon, you’ll be happily surprised by their outstanding bar food menu.

Arizona Beer House

Location: 150 S. Kolb Road

While Arizona Beer House itself doesn’t offer food, their lineup of food trucks is consistently great.

Fried chicken

Oh My Chicken

Location: Park Place Mall, 5870 E. Broadway

This Korean-style fried chicken spot might be in the mall, but it's more than a mall vendor: the #ThisIsTucson team drives to Park Place just to eat this perfectly crunchy chicken. The dips elevate the great crunch to a full experience (I like their sweet chili, made with gochujang, but they're all good).

Coop

Location: 429 N. Fourth Ave.

From the owners behind the popular CowPig food truck, Coop serves chicken tendies (both spicy and not), crispy fries and sandwiches — all of which can be dipped into their glorious CowPig sauce. Our team of chicken tender fanatics visits Coop often.

Mac and Cheese

Beyond Bread

Locations: 3026 N. Campbell Ave.; 6260 E. Speedway; 421 W. Ina Road

Beyond Bread is like the cafeteria of Tucson. It's casual and reliable. There's plenty of seating, and it's always busy. Its branding is so professional that it doesn't seem local, but they feature lots of local brews on their beer tap and have coffee by Decibel Coffee Works. I didn't fully appreciate Beyond Bread, though, until I tried their mac and cheese. Creamy with toasted cheese crunchy edges, their mac is so rich that I usually am satisfied with the kid's size.

Ethiopian

Zemam’s

Location: 2731 E. Broadway

Guy Fieri came to Zemam’s for "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" because their doro wat chicken is an all-star dish for the city of Tucson. I agree! The richly-spiced curry is singular in town (though Cafe Desta has truly charming atmosphere).

Honorable mentions: Cafe Desta.

Caribbean

DC Jumbie

This food truck offers the best Cubano in town, along with other Caribbean classics that are hard to find in Tucson. Tostones? They got 'em (and serve them with an addictive lime crema). Imported soft drinks like Tropi-Cola champagne cola, Jupina pineapple soda and Coco Rico coconut soda? Find 'em here. 

BBQ

Smokey Mo

Location: 2650 N. First Ave.

Francisco Sanchez (@tucson.munchies) predicted that Smokey Mo is going to have their spotlight moment soon. “It deserves some shine,” he said. I agree!

Honorable mentions: Ken’s Hardwood Barbecue, Bashful Bandit BBQ, The Original Mr. K's BBQ.

Coffee and Tea

Espressoul Cafe

Coffee truck Espressoul has a way of turning matcha haters into fans. Everything is good here, from the lattes with blueberry lavender or pumpkin spice. The traveling cafe also has weekly specials, like peanut butter caramel, often with adorable edible images placed on top. 

Honorable mentions: Presta Coffee Roasters, Black Crown Coffee, Cuppa Gogo, Scented Leaf.

Markets

General: Time Market

Location: 444 E. University Blvd.

Time Market feels both homegrown and aspirational. As a teen, I thought: I want to be a regular here when I grow up. They offer a bunch of upscale stuff that is so fun to ogle, a prodigious selection of red wine, an espresso bar, and some of the best bread and pizza in town. You’ll see teens hanging out after Tucson High lets out, big city expats on dates and parents with kids. It’s a little luxury, for everyone.

Liquor store: The RumRunner

Location: 3131 E. First St.

The RumRunner has everything you want and will order you cases of what they don’t have. The owners and staff will answer any questions with grace, making this place super comfortable for everyone from beginners to experts.

Carnicería: Super Carnicería y Pescadería El Ranchito

Location: 6070 S. Sixth Ave.

If you want tamales, go to El Aguajito (early, before they sell out). If you want hand burritos, pick them up at Tortilleria Don Juan. If you want marinated meats, cooked fresh for you on a grill, you can find them at fabulous carnicerías across town, most often on weekends.

But if you want an unforgettable experience, go to El Ranchito down on the far south side and order their pescado frito, a whole tilapia fried to order. You can’t get fresher, more tender meat than this anywhere.

Honorable mentions: Five Points Market & Restaurant.

Icons

Tacos Apson

Location: 3501 S. 12th Ave.

Tacos Apson is Tucson’s taco. Their mesquite-grilled carne asada, on flour tortillas, is a love letter to Sonora. But you don’t have to stop there: I love the taco Lorenza, which glues the carne together with cheese. Their Taco Chino — just beans — is proof that the best food can be incredibly simple.

Barrio Bread

Location: 18 S. Eastbourne Ave.

Tucson has a few James Beard Award winners: Janos Wilder, El Güero Canelo, and Don Guerra.

Guerra's outstanding artisan bread and commitment to Sonoran heritage grains make Barrio Bread a true bucket list item for longtime residents and visitors alike.

El Charro

Locations: 311 N. Court Ave.; 7725 N. Oracle Road; 6910 E. Sunrise Dr.

Monica Flin founded El Charro in 1922, and it rose to fame in the part of downtown razed for redevelopment in the 1960s. Her legacy lives on to this day, and in a variety of restaurants from the Si Charro family.

Hotel Congress

Location: 311 E. Congress St.

Hotel Congress is the anchor of our downtown. It’s living wild west history, where John Dillinger was caught and Dillinger Days are celebrated to this day. Hotel Congress is a venue, a brunch destination and a nightclub. Oh, and a hotel.

Mi Nidito

Location: 1813 S. Fourth Ave.

If you see a line out the door at Mi Nidito, don't be surprised. The menu features classic Mexican dishes and might be most famous for the President's Plate: a bean tostada, a birria taco, a chile relleño, a chicken enchilada and a beer tamale. It's what Bill Clinton ordered when he visited in 1999.