Our Tucson Food Favorites

While we’re still getting to know Tucson and have more eatery exploring to do, here are some local spots we find ourselves recommending when people visit…

Frequented Faves

Seis Kitchen

Serving fresh, flavorful food based on 6 regional cuisines of Mexico, Seis has become a regular stop for us!

We especially like: tacos (poc chuc, cochinita pibil, and/or barbacoa), burritos with adobo steak, a side of calabacitas, “cochata” (which is their horchata with a shot of cold brew coffee), or watermelon cucumber aguas frescas on a hot day.

Location:

Mercado San Agustin (130 S. Avenida Del Convento) is one of our favorite hang out spots. There’s only outdoor seating (with shade and misters) or take-out.
The new location in Joesler Village shopping center (River Rd/Campbell) has happy hour specials and both indoor and patio seating.
The food truck, which is where the restaurant got its start, is now used for catering.

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 8am – 8pm
Friday – Saturday 8am – 9pm

Serves: breakfast, lunch, dinner

El Guero Canelo

Where we go to indulge in (or introduce others to) local specialty, Sonoran dogs – bacon-wrapped hot dogs topped with pinto beans, cheese, onions, and tomato, and served in a top-split roll. One time, Phillip and I and a couple friends took a day trip to Tucson specifically to eat Sonoran hot dogs at El Guero Canelo.

We especially like the Sonoran dogs, of course. The tacos are good, as well.

Locations:

2480 N Oracle Rd is where we usually go. The large, warehouse-like space is always hopping!
There are also a couple locations in South Tucson, an east location at 22nd St/Craycroft, and one in west Phoenix. (There weren’t any Phoenix locations yet when we took our road trip.)

Hours:
Sunday 12-6pm
Monday – Thursday 10am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday 8am – 12am

Serves: lunch + dinner

Rincon Market

Vintage market (opened in 1926) turned mostly into a restaurant and coffee bar. It would also be a great place to pick up a la carte items for a picnic!

We especially like their lunch selection and lovely dessert case. Recently, I had a delicious grain bowl there. We were big fans of their weekend breakfast buffet, but I think they’ve discontinued it.

Location: Sam Hughes neighborhood. 2513 E 6th St, Tucson

Parking: street or lot behind the building

Hours: daily 7am – 9pm

Serves: breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, beer + wine

One-Time Wonders

These are places that left us wanting more in the best possible way. We’ve been to each of them once and plan to return!

Cafe Poca Cosa

I had heard several people rave about this place, and it did not disappoint. The menu changes twice daily, based on what’s fresh and in season. Your server brings over a chalkboard that lists the current offerings and explains each item to you personally. We chose to share the Poca Cosa, which means the chef puts together a surprise sampler of several dishes for you. It was fabulous.

Location: 110 East Pennington St, Tucson.

Parking: street or Pennington Garage.

Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 9pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

Serves: lunch + dinner

El Molinito

While there is definitely an old school feel to this place, the food was a cut above most restaurants in this Arizona Mexican food genre. On the suggestion of our tuxedoed waiter, I ordered the enchiladas de la casa, which were delicious.

Locations:

We went to one in Oro Valley.
There are also locations in northeast, northwest, and central Tucson.

Serves: lunch + dinner

Maynard’s Kitchen

This is, of course, the Maynard’s where people convene on Monday evenings for the Meet Me at Maynards walk.

We had a superb brunch there, and I wrote all about it with my Agave Heritage Week articles.

Location: 400 N. Toole Ave, Tucson

Parking: If the on-site lot is full, we usually park in the Depot Plaza/MLK Apartments Garage off 5th Ave.

Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 5 – 9pm
Friday – Saturday 5pm – 12am
Sunday 9am – 2pm

Serves: dinner, happy hour, + Sunday brunch

Cup Cafe

Located inside Hotel Congress with a floor paved with pennies, Cup Cafe is a place where you can have an exceptional sit-down dinner or grab a coffee to go on your way out in the morning. We went during Agave Heritage Week, when the menu included dishes with agave ingredients.

Location: 311 E. Congress St, Tucson

Parking: street or Depot Plaza Garage

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 7am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday 7am – 11pm

Serves: breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour

Hub Restaurant and Ice Creamery

We made an unexpected road trip stop here. I loved the back patio and the mac and cheese. Phillip was less into it, but we need to give it another try.

Location: 266 E. Congress St, Tucson

Hours: daily 11am – 12am

Serves: lunch, dinner, + weekend brunch

Ten 55 Brewing Company

We had lunch here during the most recent Arizona International Film Festival. I got chicken salad sliders with white barbecue sauce, which was good for a bite or two, but too much for a whole sandwich. Phillip ordered a bratwurst or something off the sausage menu, and, next time, I’ll do the same.

Location: 110 E Congress St, Tucson

Hours:
Thursday – Saturday 11am – 11pm
Sunday – Wednesday 11am – 9pm

Serves: lunch, dinner, + Sunday brunch

Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails

We had an amazing tasting menu meal here several years ago. It’s been awhile but I haven’t forgotten it.

Location: 135 S. 6th Avenue, Tucson

Serves: dinner + happy hour

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Our meals at Cup Cafe and Maynard’s Kitchen were compliments of Hotel Congress.

July 31, 2019August 13, 2025

Here in Tucson

Phillip and I are big fans of Tucson.

So we moved here.

It was a possibility we had thought about for awhile, but then things happened super fast when Phillip got a new job. He started just over two weeks after being hired, before we even had a place to live.

Thankfully, friends let him crash on their couches his first week.

Moving weekend was kind of a mess. I wasn’t ready. I underestimated – everything. Even though Tucson is just an hour and a half south of Phoenix, this was the biggest move I’ve done. If you don’t count my semester abroad, it’s the first time I’ve had an address outside the county I was born in.

At the end of all that craziness, though, we were in our new apartment.

While we’re definitely still unpacking and settling in, we have our Tucson library cards and Quijote’s new tags are on the way. We’ve done our second Meet Me at Maynards walk – our first as Tucson residents – checked out the night market at Mercado San Agustin, visited the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and are trying out new places to eat, drink, and shop while regularly finding excuses to revisit the ones we were already fans of.

We’re happy to be here and happy to be together.

July 6, 2019August 13, 2025

Independence Days

Sit-in Closet

I’m hanging out with Quijote, who has decided the safest place to be is in our closet.

Initially, he played it cool – like the noise of the 4th of July fireworks wasn’t going to bother him. Then, all of the sudden, it was too much, and he began scampering wild-eyed around the house in a panicked search for the best hiding spot.

Even before Quijote, we didn’t always go to see fireworks. In the middle of the sweltering Arizona summer, it’s a good day for brunch with friends or swimming or barbecue or staying inside and crafting.

San Diego

Of course, we were way out of the house when we had our first Independence Day with Quijote on our San Diego trip a year ago.

It was a similar story, where he started out unfazed, and then suddenly switched to terrified.

We were staying at the Hawthorne Historic Inn, which has a deck that’s great for watching fireworks. Phillip found us a couple chairs and brought up some wine and snacks. It was so sweet and lovely until we realized Quijote was not going to be able to deal with noise after all.

We gathered up our stuff and climbed back down the wooden steps.

Phillip and I propped up pillows and sat drinking wine and watching tv in bed, while Q burrowed under the comforter.

Indiana

On the other hand, Phillip and I began one 4th of July on a red eye to Indianapolis.

We arrived, caught a few hours sleep, stopped by a square where there was a music festival we were too early for, and then drove to Madison County to see my extended family.

We ended the day outside a different hotel, watching fireworks and fireflies and mysterious orange lights that were floating across the sky.

When you’re with ones you love, you can have a good time whether you’re standing in an open field or hunkering down in a closet.

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November 3, 2018December 9, 2025

Downtown Mesa’s Día de los Muertos

A 10-foot tall skeleton in a sombrero leaned over to ask if I knew what time it was.

Which is not that weird when you’re at a Día de los Muertos celebration with skeletons everywhere – on banners, as sculptures, painted on kids’ faces, and for sale on tote bags.

So, of course, there would be a skeleton with stilts, a full beard, and no watch.

When you think about it, the lack of a timepiece may be the least surprising part. Schedules are probably pretty irrelevant in the realm of the dead.

Phillip, Quijote, and I had showed up near the end of Mesa Arts Center’s festival. We started at the custom car show and worked our way toward an oversized Frida Kahlo skull made from tissue paper flowers, stopping to listen to a band on the way.

We visited the community altar, which was decorated with photos, candles, art, and flowers in memory of departed loved ones.

On a second stage, Mariachi Pasion, an all-woman mariachi band, began playing.
Continue reading “Downtown Mesa’s Día de los Muertos”

August 20, 2018August 13, 2025

July 2018: San Diego Shadows

I think the fantastical plants I kept seeing around San Diego are called “dragon trees”.

On the way back from Coronado Beach, I noticed the playful-looking shadows they cast on the sidewalk. So, once again, I stopped in my tracks to take a photo of the ground.

Other photo favorites from July include a sunset in La Jolla (San Diego) and Quijote looking at the ocean.

Have you seen anything interesting on the sidewalk lately?