Tucson lunch spot Barrio Charro closing; new concept to open in September

Barrio Charro, the fast-casual restaurant collaboration between El Charro and Barrio Bread, will close on Sunday, July 30, to make way for a new, more expansive concept.

Ray Flores Jr., president of El Charro’s parent company Si Charro, said the new restaurant will lean into the strengths from Si Charro’s Sonoran-style Mexican food profile, bringing together popular items from its other restaurants under one roof.

The new restaurant is expected to open in early September in the Barrio Charro space at 3699 N. Campbell Ave. Flores said more details and the name would be revealed next month.

“We really realized, with the proliferation of restaurants on Campbell Avenue, that we needed to have a broader menu,” Flores said. “We’re still going to have some of the more popular items like the tortas.”

Barrio Charro, which opened in January 2021, is a fast-casual, grab-and-go breakfast and lunch restaurant featuring sandwiches and tortas centered around the breads from Tucson’s award-winning Barrio Bread. But it is the small selection of burritos and tostadas on the menu that drive a bulk of the restaurant’s sales, Flores said.

Flores said many of their customers associate the “Charro” name with the burritos, enchiladas and tacos from the Flores family’s 100-year-old flagship El Charro Café rather than bread and sandwiches.

Barrio Bread will not be affiliated with the new concept, which Flores said will stick with the fast-casual model.

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The new menu will feature favorites from Si Charro restaurants including the gluten-free churros from the plant-plus Charrovida on the northwest side; the street corn from Charro Steak & del Rey downtown; and carne seca from El Charro.

There also will be a few carryovers from Barrio Charro including the popular carne asada and chicken bowls.

Si Charro also owns The Monica downtown, which marked its first anniversary in March.

Flores said he also plans to include enchiladas, street tacos inspired by the El Charro style beef-patty tacos that have been on its menu since 1922, and a salsa bar.

“We know that’s what people want,” he said.

Barrio Charro is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.