If you really want to live, why not try and Meet Yourself? There's no better time to do it than this weekend, when a herd of local chefs, cultural clubs and arts organizations will take over downtown Tucson for an epic celebration.ย
Now in its 46th year, Tucson Meet Yourself is back with an international menu that'll impress even your cultured friend who just came back from Queens. New vendors this year include Puerto Rican street food, Syrian sweets, the dumplings and rice dishes of Kyrgyzstan, and ... Burmese tea leaf salad!!!
I put three exclamation points on that one because the thought of it literally made me tear up at my desk. This dish is very hard to find in the United States outside of the Bay Area, where local chains like Burma Superstar have popularized the showy spread of nuts, veggies and fermented tea leaves (often mixed at the table). At Tucson Meet Yourself, you can find it at the booth called Fat Mama's Gangster Sandwich, run by a group of ladies from Myanmar.ย
Here's a full list of all the delicious vendors this year. You can find a map at the Tucson Meet Yourself website. The festival runs Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Jรกcome Plaza and in the surrounding streets.ย ย
Asian and Pacific
Japanese takoyaki octopus balls are one of the most popular vendors at Tucson Meet Yourself every year.ย
โข ย NEWย โย Cosmoโs Star:ย Central Asian from Kyrgyzstan at booth F24
โข ย NEWย โย Fat Mama's Gangster Sandwich:ย Burmese sandwiches at F23
โขย Takoyaki Balls:ย Japanese octopus dumplings at booth F39
โข Filipino American Sampaguita: at booth F54
โข Filipino American Students Association: at booth F25
โข New Delhi Palace: Indian food at booth F53
โข Thri Ratana Tucson Buddhist Temple: Thai food at booth F14
โข Saffron Indian Bistro: at booth F10
โข Vietnamese Students Association: at boothย F49
โข Wat Buddhametta: Thai food at booth F3
โขย Laos Academic Organization: at booth F37
European and Eurasian
Elif Demirbas grills up Gรถzleme, a Turkish flatbread filled with cheese, spinach or beef.
โขย Sema Foundation:ย Turkish food at booth F15
โข Kalina Russian Cuisine: at booth F41
โข Arslanโs Grill: Bosnian food at booth F21
โข Cafรฉ Francais: at booth F16
โข Daughters of Penelope:ย Greek food at booth F40
โข Lajkonik Polish Food: at booth F6
Middle Eastern and African food
Beef kabob, salad, mirza and kookoo from the Iranian Students' Cultural Association in Tucson booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
โข ย NEWย โย ELFA refugee services:ย Syrian food at booth F51
โขย Iranian Students Cultural Association: at booth F43
โข Masri:ย Egyptian food at booth F22
African American and soul food
An order of chicken and waffles at Mama Careyโs Kitchen inside Metro Wildcat Convenience store. Mama Carey's catering business will also be at Tucson Meet Yourself.ย
โขย Mama Careyโs Catering:ย at booth F26
โขย Gethsemane Cogic Women: at boothย F56
Native American food
Cafe Santa Rosa's fry bread.ย
โขย Cafรฉ Santa Rosa: at booth F46
โขย The O'odham Ladies: at booth F27
โขย San Ignacio Yaqui Council: at booth F38
โขย San Xavier Farm Coop: at booth F36
โขย Yoeme Barrio Libre: at booth F11
Regional American food
We got the combo plate with Kalua pulled pork (top), katsu chicken (left) and kalbi beef short ribs, $11.50, during a visit to Solid Grindz in Craycroft Road in 2016.ย
โขย Solid Grindz:ย Hawaiian food at booth F9
โขย Tucson Invitational Games:ย Ballpark Foods at booth F34
Latin American
Arepa Pabellรณn sandwich, of shredded beef, plantains and black beans on a deep fried masa cake from Ricuras de Venezuela food truck in 2016.
โข Club Colombia: at booth F6
โข Club Costa Rica: at booth F4
โข La Fondita Chilena: Chilean food at booth F19
โข Inca's Peruvian: at booth F17
โข Ricuras de Venezuela: at booth F42
Caribbean food
Jerk chicken from the CeeDee Jamaican Kitchen booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
โข ย NEWย โย La Jaltera:ย Puerto Rican food at booth F48
โขย CeeDeeโs Jamaican Kitchen: at booth F35
โขย D's Island Grill: at booth (Jamaican) F12
โขย Patricia's Cuban Kitchen: at booth F8
โขย Safe Mission: Jamaican foodย at boothย F52
Mexican food
Carne asada and chicken tacos from the Los Chiquilines booth is available at the annual Tucson Meet Yourself event. Friday October 7, 2016.
โขย Los Chiquilines:ย aguas frescas at booth F50
โข BK Tacos: at booth F33
โข Holy Toledo:ย Oaxacan food at booth F55
โข Mariscos Chihuahua: Mexican seafood at boothย F31
โข Matilde's Sonoran Kitchen: at booth F28
โข Santa Cruz Catholic Church/Little Mexico: at booth F5
โข El Taco Rustico: at booth F13
World Street Snacks
Pineapple Strawberry sno-cone from Sonoran Sno-cones in 2016.ย
โขย Sonoran Sno Cones: at booth F47
โข The Corn Roasters: at booth F44
โข Frost Gelato Shoppe: at booth F571
โข Fruitshack Smoothies: at booth F45
โข Hawaiian Shave Ice: at booth F29
โข J's Kettle Corn: at booth F32
โข Just Churros: at booth F30
โข King Corn: at booth F2
โข Lil' Orbits:ย donuts at booth F18
Tucson Meet Yourself: Come for the food, stay for the cultureย
Tucson Meet Yourselfย comes to downtown Tucson for its 46th year on Oct 11, 12, and 13. For three days, more than 200 folk artists, performers, andย food vendorsย bring you a taste of their culture and tradition.ย The festival is freeย and open to the public.ย
Where:ย The festival occupiesย four city blocks and Jacomรฉ Plaza, in front of the Joel D. Valdez Main Library.
When:ย Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Cost:ย Free, bring money for food!
Find more informationย here.
