While Tucson is a place where you have to try the South-Western and Mexican food on offer, it also has some top contemporary chefs and fun dining US-style. Not for nothing did UNESCO make Tucson a World City of Gastronomy.
El Charro
Everyone visiting Tucson should try some of its Mexican restaurants, which are as good as any you’ll find anywhere in the USA. The food is spicy but full of flavor, and the best-known Mexican restaurant in the city is El Charro. It now has several locations in and around Tucson, and they all maintain the high standards of the original. This is in the old historic part of central Tucson, the Presidio District, and one of its special dishes is Carne Seca – Angus beef which is dried and marinated then grilled with spices.
The Arizona Inn
El Charro is one face of Tucson cuisine, and the Arizona Inn is another. This is formal American dining at its best, but with dishes that have a South-Western feel and a stylish presentation. The restaurant is open to non-residents – indeed, it is one of Tucson’s most popular dining spots for Sunday lunch or to celebrate a birthday or anniversary.
The Grill, Hacienda del Sol
A favorite place for Sunday brunch is The Grill at the Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort resort, well worth driving to the foothills for, just to taste their Eggs Benedict. It’s another place which the locals know about and flock to, and has been voted the most romantic restaurant in Tucson. Its wine list has also won numerous awards, and it is the only wine cellar in Arizona to have earned the Award of Ultimate Distinction by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Noble Hops
See our review of the Noble Hops Gastropub in Oro Valley.
Zona 78
Not far from the Hacienda and run by the same owners is Zona 78, a more casual Italian kitchen. It has also won all kinds of accolades, including Tucson’s Best Casual Dining Restaurant and Tucson’s Best Family Restaurant – quite a distinction.
Tanque Verde Ranch
There are several types of dining at the Tanque Verde Ranch. One is the regular cowboy-style cook-outs they do, with musicians playing and hearty dinners round the camp fire. A second is in their gourmet restaurant (also open to non-residents) where the menu features dishes such as Jamon Serrano-Wrapped Seared Scallops, Citrus-Roasted Half Chicken, or Mexican flavors in its Stuffed Chicken Tinga Poblano. They also serve Arizona wines – and yes, there are good wines made in Arizona. Finally you can dine more casually on the bar menu in The Doghouse Saloon.
OUR PICK OF THE GUIDES
From that blues bar you haven’t visited yet to the desert hike you keep meaning to plan, experience something new right here at home with Moon 52 Things to Do in Phoenix & Tucson.
- Cool things to do in and around the cities: Kick back at a Spring Training game or squeeze into the grandstands of El Gran Mercado for some lucha libre. Bike the famed Loop in Tucson, kayak Tempe Town Lake, and lace up your boots for an urban hike in the Phoenix Mountains. Support local BIPOC writers at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore and taste what’s on tap at a women-owned brewery. Savor Sonoran-style food like tamales and carne asada or try authentic Tohono O’odham fry bread.
