Appearing alongside cities such as New Orleans and Chicago, Tucson was recently named one of the top 10 cities for food in the U.S. on a list published byΒ Travel and Leisure.
The list, penned by travel writer Lauren Dana Ellman, mentions Tucson's status as the firstΒ UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the nation and its tendency to "wow culinary connoisseurs with its distinct Native American and Mexican offerings."
Local eateries Bata, Blue Front andΒ Boca Tacos y Tequila were highlighted under Tucson's name β which came in sixth place on the listΒ β along with the latter's owner, Maria Mazon.
Here are all of the list's rankings:
- New York City, New York
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Chicago, Illinois
- San Francisco, California
- Houston, Texas
- Tucson, Arizona
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Asheville, North CarolinaΒ
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Greenville, South Carolina
New restaurants and bars that have opened in the Tucson area in 2023
Jewel Cafe
Updated
The Jewel Cafe and Juice Bar, 431 N. Fourth Ave., is working to open this year after months of renovations.
The Jewel Cafe & Juice BarΒ officially opened Jan. 30 serving up aΒ farm-to-table concept with a menu consisting of omelets, pastries, sandwiches, burritos andΒ pressed juices.
Where:Β 431 N. Fourth Ave.
Hours:Β 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through SaturdayΒ
Website:Β The Jewel Cafe on Facebook
Jonathan Russell, left, and Julia Russell, owners of The Jewel Cafe and Juice Bar.
Miss Dessert
Updated
The Yo Yo Yoji at Miss Dessert comes with sticky rice pellets with vanilla or green tea ice cream.
Miss Dessert is a small chain from Phoenix that has made its debut in Tucson. Find Hong Kong-style desserts, like snow with sticky rice, and lots of drinks.
Where:Β 1800 E Fort Lowell Rd #140
Website:Β Miss Dessert
Pasta La Vista
UpdatedPasta La Vista advertises itself as to-go, but they do have a dining room. Their menu rotates around pasta, pizza and subs β all of which are customizable.
Where:Β 2425 N. Tucson Blvd
Website: Pasta La Vista
Just Churros
Updated
After nearly a year, Just Churros opened its brick-and-mortar location on National Churro Day.
Just Churros makes Spanish-style churros using beloved Mexican toppings like cinnamon sugar, chocolate and cajeta.
Where:Β 4280 N. Oracle Road
Website:Β Just Churros
Agave House
Updated
Richard Fifer, co-owner of the Agave House, center, talks with John Oliver, far left, and Jody Ipsen, during a soft opening of the restaurant for friends and family on Monday.
Agave House is a sit-down Mexican restaurant with "a modern flair.β
Where:Β 943 E. University Blvd
Website:Β Agave House
Tucson's newest Mexican restaurant is all about agaveBetter Bevs
Updated
The Xtreme Slush from Better Bevs is a sour blue raspberry slush with sour candies atop.
Better BevsΒ combines techniques of boba tea shops with Mexican flavors and aguas frescas, as seen in their chamoy mango shave ice and cucumber lemonade with spicy chile popping boba.Β
Where:Β 210 N. Fourth Ave.
Website:Β Instagram
Sumaj
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Sumaj commissioned Bolivian artists to design their food truck art and their logo, depicting a Bolivian-style empanada.
SumajΒ is a mother-daughter-run food truck that serves up Bolivian street food.
Where:Β 403 N. Sixth Ave.
Website:Β Sumaj
Sumaj is a new food truck slinging Bolivian street food near downtown Tucson. It's the only place that makes Bolivian food in Tucson, and they make it all from scratch.
Chick-in Waffle
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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 restaurantβs first Arizona location and first location outside its birthplace in Kansas City.
Chick-in Waffle is the first chicken and waffles restaurant in Tucson since Mayβs Counter Chicken & Waffles on East SpeedwayΒ closed in 2018. Several Tucson restaurants, includingΒ The Drunken ChickenΒ on North Fourth Ave., serve chicken and waffles, but none of them focuses on it exclusively.
Where:Β 5524 E. Grant Road
Phone:Β 816-800-4041
Website: Chick-in Waffle
For Star subscribers:Β A Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant has opened its first location outside its homebase in Tucson, with two locations coming soon to Phoenix.Β
BrillΓ© Mead Company
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David Woods of the BrillΓ© Mead Company pours a mix of water and honey from Marana into a fermentation tank inside Dillinger Brewing Co. in Tucson. This batch β a prickly pear mead β will be ready in about three weeks.
Mead is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and in Ethiopia, a version of mead called teβj is a familiar household drink, consumed out of long-necked vessels called bereles. BrillΓ© Mead Company's David Woods is bringing teβj to Tucson.
Where:Β 3895 N Oracle Rd
Phone: (520) 207-2312
Website:Β BrillΓ© Mead Company
BrillΓ© Mead Company is a new place to find mead in Tucson. The mead is inspired by Ethiopian te'j, from owner David Woods' home country.
Doughbird
Updated
Doughbird Pizza, 2960 N. Campbell Ave. is opening Wednesday, May 31.
Rotisserie chicken and pizza is the premise of Sam Fox's six-year-old concept Doughbird, which opened its first Tucson location on May 31.
Where:Β 2960 N. Campbell Ave.
Website:Β Doughbird
For Star subscribers: Doughbird, a rotisserie chicken and pizza restaurant, is opening next door to another new Fox eatery, Flower Child.Β
Mr. Patron
UpdatedWhile there are lots of Mexican sushi food trucks in Tucson, Mr. Patron is the first sit-down restaurant slinging the deep-fried rolls. It even has a patio.
Where:Β 5754 E. 22nd St.
Phone:Β (520) 372 2346
Website:Β Mr. Patron
11 new restaurants have recently opened in Tucson. Find a second location of Indian Twist, a new pupuseria in a food truck park and a Japanese-style sandwich spot at American Eat Co.
Hideout Steakhouse & BBQ
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The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQ is expected to open in February at Tucson Spectrum on Irvington Road near I-19.
This small chain, started in Myton, Utah, has one restaurant in Casa Grande and opened its third location in Tucson on April 3.Β They offer steak cooked on a hot stone right at your table along with other steakhouse classics.
Where:Β 5475 S. Calle Santa Cruz
Phone:Β (520) 702-2227
Website:Β Hideout Steakhouse
For Star subscribers: The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQ will open next year on Tucson's south side, creating about 50 new jobs.
Gyro Shack
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Idaho-based Gyro Shack, serves up Greek staples in a "fast-causal" setting.
Where:Β 5775 E. Broadway Blvd
Phone:Β (208) 853-5840
Website:Β Gyro Shack
The new Greek-inspired joint will host its soft opening on April 14 across from Park Place Mall.
The Backyard Food Truck Park
Updated
420 Taco Truck is one of the five core food trucks at The Backyard food truck park and will be available 20 days out of the month.
The Backyard has a rotating roster of 20 trucks, though a core few will be posted up 20 days of each month and 7-8 are featured at a time. The park is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where:Β 890 W. Grant Road
Phone:Β (520) 668-0074
Website:Β The Backyard
The Backyard, located on Grant Road, is Tucson's newest food truck hub. With a roster of 7-8 food trucks at a time, you'll find Mexican sushi to Persian-inspired coffee.
Zyka Twist
Updated
The garlic naan at Zyka Twist is $4.25.Β
Where:Β 621 N 4th Ave
Phone:Β (602) 544-6766
Website:Β Zyka Twist
Tucson's Indian Twist just opened a second location, this time on 4th Ave. Zyka Twist serves a curated selection of items you love from Indian Twist's midtown location.
Flower Child
Updated
Flower Child, on the corner of North Campbell Avenue and Glenn Street, is located where the former Old Chicago Pizza once stood.
Flower Child features aΒ menuΒ of salads and bowls, many of them vegetarian and vegan.
Where:Β 2960 N Campbell Ave. #110
Phone: (520) 276-4550
Website:Β Flower Child
Kava Den
UpdatedKava Den is a new extension of the Kava Bar, which offers Kava drinks and products.Β
Where:Β 67 E. Pennington St.
Phone:Β 520-323-1832
Website: Kava Den
Uptown Burger
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Justin Fitzsimons prepares a French dip burger at Uptown Burger, 6370 N. Campbell Ave.
Uptown Burger is a counter-service, fast-food restaurant that serves a half-dozen eclectic burgers, salads, fries and gelato.
Where:Β 6370 N. Campbell Ave. suite 160
Phone: (520)Β 638-6182
Website:Β Uptown Burger
For Star subscribers: The scion of Tucson's famous Italian restaurant family has dove into his passion for burgers.Β
Yellow Brick Coffee
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You can purchase Yellow Brick Coffee at their brick-and-mortar store, 3220 S. Dodge Blvd. It was founded in 2012.
Yellow Brick Coffee is at a new location offeringΒ hand- and batch-brewed coffees, espresso-based beverages and pastries made in-house.
Where:Β 800 N. Country Club Road
Phone: (520) 226-4068
Website: Yellow Brick Coffee
For Star subscribers:Β A Tucson-based coffee roaster is opening its flagship location at the iconic Benedictine Monastery in midtown.Β
Comida Park
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A new food truck park opened in February at theΒ Tanque Verde Swap Meet.
Where:Β 4100 S. Palo Verde Road
Phone: (866) 440-2810
Website:Β Comida Park
Blue Front
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Tucson restaurateur Patricia Schwabe drew from childhood memories of eating classic American fare during visits from Mexico for her new restaurant, Blue Front Fine American Food, 110 E. Congress St.
Blue Front, home to American comfort foods, opened in January.
Where:Β 110 E. Congress St.
Phone: (520) 849-7964
Website: Blue Front
Daveβs Hot Chicken
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The chicken on the menu of Dave's Hot Chicken comes in seven degrees of hot, from "No Spice" to "Reaper."
Where: 5615 E. Broadway Blvd.
Phone: (520) 613-2420
Website:Β Daveβs Hot Chicken
Portillo's
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A row of dogs gets loaded up on the line at Portilloβs, 3761 E. Broadway Blvd., in Tucson.
This popular chain that specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs opened in February where Claim Jumper once stood at the El Con Center.
Where: 3761 E Broadway Blvd
Phone: 520-246-2300
Website: Portillo'sΒ
Main Event
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Pictured is the Triple Lava Burger at Main Event, which comes with three patties topped with American cheese ... and then smothered in creamy cheese and caramelized onions.
Main Event is a family-friendly bowling, arcade and entertainment venue that opened its first Tucson location in March.
Where: 4700 S Landing Way
Phone: (520) 503-3301
Website:Β Main EventΒ
Check out some of Tucson's newest restaurants, including upscale American comfort foods and Argentine empanadas.
