Photos: Historic, family-owned El Charro Café in Tucson
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Rick Wiley
Photo editor
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Tucson's iconic El Charro Café turned 100 in 2022. It was founded Monica Flin in 1922, who guided the business through several locations in Tucson until being forced out by the city in 1968.
The business moved to the Flin family home and was taken over by Ray and Carlotta Flores, who nurtured the food and reputation of the family business since the early 1970s. It's now nationally-recognized for quality and innovation.
One of the original locations for El Charro Café. which fronted Broadway Road, west of Church Ave, shown ca. 1960s. Founder Monica Flin is at right.
The famous El Charro Café today, at the iconic former Flin family home at 311 N. Court Avenue in Tucson.
Carlotta Flores at age 4, left, with El Charro Café founder Monica Flin in 1950.
Ray Flores and Carlotta Flores with Father Tom Calalane and Father Arsenio Carillo during blessing of the wine and cheese cellar at El Charro Café, Tucson, on Sept. 16, 1973.
Carlotta Flores smiles while chatting with patrons on the open-air patio (front porch) of El Charro Café, 311 N. Court Ave., in January, 1981.
Carlotta Flores in 2006, outside the legacy El Charro Café at the Flin family home in downtown Tucson.
El Charro Café owner Carlotta Flores in 2021.
Ray Flores Sr. and Chef Carlotta Flores, seated, of Flores Concepts and Si Charro restaurants with children and grandchildren at El Charro Café in downtown Tucson.
Raymon Flores Jr., president of Flores Concepts, center, during a meeting at The Monica in Tucson. Flores leads the family venture established by his great aunt Monica Flin and mother, Carlotta Flores.
El Charro Café, 311 N. Court Ave.
DeAnna Ali, Gloria Tovar and Yvonne Abeyta, friends, place their orders with waiter Samuel Bolanos at El Charro Café in Tucson. Abeyta's grandmother, Eugenia Morales, worked at El Charro Café as a waitress.
A large group of employees order their food while having a meeting in the basement at El Charro Café in Tucson, surrounded by rock from "A" Mountain in the walls of the family home built by Jules Flin.
Will Dean, center, and his girlfriend Elise Cade get in a late lunch in the covered porch at the front of El Charro.
El Charro Café conmemorará el 100 aniversario con un plato que incluye, de izquierda a derecha, un taco de carne +del menú original, una enchilada de carne seca y un tamal de elote del menú original.
Juan Chacon, cook, places seasoned chicken on a grill at El Charro Café.
There are many colorful murals, paintings and artworks throughout the El Charro Cafe.
Sen. John McCain, left, with Cindy McCain, at El Charro Café in Tucson for dinner on Nov. 22, 1999. Pima County Supervisor Ann Day and Congressman Jim Kolbe are lower right.
El Charro Café employees in 1940.
Monica Flin, left, and Grace Montano with the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales on Broadway Road in Tucson, 1945.
Undated photo of Monica Flin (back row, center) with waitresses at El Charro Café in Tucson.
Staff of the El Charro Café, mid-World War II, 1943-44.
El Charro Café owner Monica Flin, center, flanked by waitresses, ca. 1950.
Newspaper ad for El Charro Café in 1939.
An early El Charro Café menu.
An early El Charro Café menu.
An early El Charro Café menu.
An early El Charro Café menu.
La Placita Park, shown in the mid-1960s, on West Broadway Boulevard near South Church Avenue. It was surrounded by several businesses including El Charro Café and the Ronquillo's Bakery.
In this Tucson Citizen graphic illustration from the mid-1960s, the realignment of Broadway Road in Tucson for urban redevelopment can be seen. All the buildings shown in the photo were demolished, except where noted, including: 1) Tucson Army Surplus, 2) Plaza Theatre, 3) Ronquillo's Bakery, 4) La Placita Park (preserved with La Placita Village), 5) Greyhound Bus station 6) El Charro (preserved within La Placita Village), 7) Belmont Hotel, 8) Myerson Building.
Monica Flin, owner of El Charro Café, 140 W. Broadway Road, Tucson, on July 1, 1968, after closing for business. The restaurant was forced to vacate to make way for the Tucson Convention Center and other redevelopment projects.
El Charro Restaurant, 140 W. Broadway Road, Tucson, on July 1, 1968, after closing the business. The restaurant was forced to vacate to make way for the Tucson Convention Center and other redevelopment projects.
El Charro Restaurant, 140 W. Broadway Road, Tucson, on July 1, 1968, after closing the business. The restaurant was forced to vacate to make way for the Tucson Convention Center and other redevelopment projects.
A 1969 Arizona Daily Star story on reopening of El Charro Café after owner Monica Flin was forced to vacate the original building to make way for urban redevelopment. The restaurant reopened in the Flin family home.
The remains of El Charro restaurant, and the stables on the far right, as it appeared on May 27, 1972 in downtown Tucson. Parts of the structure go as far back the 1860s. It became part of the $6 million La Placita Village office complex. Workers poured concrete around the foundation of the old building to stabilize it during construction of the 2.6 acre complex.
Obituary for El Charro founder Monica Flin, who died in 1975 at age 90.
Mercy Tapia, shown in 1974, made tamales at El Charro Café for 51 years.
Piedad Teralta and John Cocoa prepare an enchilada filled with non-fat yogurt and spinach at El Charro Café, in July, 1994.
Ricardo Flores, kitchen manager, places beef inside a drying cage on the roof of El Charro Café .
The old carne seca drying cage, suspended above the interior patio for all to see at El Charro Café.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
As featured on
Tucson's El Charro marks 100 years, but nearly closed the doors at 50For Star subscribers: From feeding construction workers in downtown Tucson to a restaurant empire, the family behind El Charro has persevered and pushed boundaries.
