8 Best Restaurants in Tucson, Arizona

Café à la C'Art

$ | Downtown Fodor's choice

Tucked inside the Stevens Home, part of the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, this gem of a café serves breakfast frittatas, burritos, and pancakes as well as delightful salads, soups, and sandwiches daily from 8 to 4, and is open for happy hour and dinner Wednesday through Saturday until 9.

Beyond Bread

$ | Central

Twenty-seven varieties of bread are made at this bustling bakery with Central, Eastside, and Northwest locations, and highlights from the menu of generous sandwiches include Annie's Addiction (hummus, tomato, sprouts, red onion, and cucumber) and Brad's Beef (roast beef, provolone, onion, green chiles, and Russian dressing); soups, salads, and desserts are equally scrumptious. Eat inside or on the patio, or order takeout, but either way, splurge on one of the incredible desserts. The other locations—larger and just as busy—are at 6260 East Speedway Boulevard and 421 West Ina Road.

Café à la C'Art

$ | Downtown

Tucked inside the Stevens Home, part of the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, this gem of a café serves breakfast frittatas, burritos, and pancakes as well as delightful salads, soups, and sandwiches daily from 8 to 4, and is open for happy hour and dinner Wednesday through Saturday until 9.

Recommended Fodor's Video

Cup Café

$$ | Downtown

This charming spot off the lobby of Hotel Congress is at the epicenter of Tucson's hippest scene, but it also serves up excellent food from breakfast through late night. Try the cast-iron baked eggs or huevos rancheros for breakfast, and the ahi poke bowl or "Queer Steer" (veggie burger) later in the day. It's open late—until 10 pm weeknights and 11 pm on weekends—and becomes crowded in the evening with patrons from Club Congress, the hotel's nightclub.

The Grill at Hacienda del Sol

$$$$ | Foothills

Tucked into the foothills and surrounded by spectacular flowers and cactus gardens, this special-occasion restaurant, a favorite among locals hosting out-of-town visitors, provides an alternative to the chili-laden dishes of most nouvelle Southwestern cuisine. Wild-mushroom bisque, grilled buffalo in dark-chocolate mole, and pan-seared sea bass are among the menu choices at this luxurious guest ranch resort. Lower-priced tapas such as tequila-steamed mussels and carne asada tacos can be enjoyed on the more casual outdoor bar patio, accompanied by live guitar music on weekends. The lavish Sunday brunch buffet is worth a splurge.

Tohono Chul Garden Bistro

$$ | Northwest

The food at Tohono Chul Garden Bistro is fine, but what many come for is the location inside a wildlife sanctuary, surrounded by flowering desert gardens. The Southwestern interior has Mexican tile, light wood, and a cobblestone courtyard, but the back patio, where you can watch hummingbirds and butterflies, is the place to be. House favorites include prickly pear chicken salad on a croissant, vegan quiche (a tofu-and-garbanzo custard with veggies), omelets, and assorted salads.

7366 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson, Arizona, 85704, USA
520-742–6455
Known For
  • beautiful patio dining
  • popular weekend brunch
  • prickly pear chicken salad
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No dinner; Closed Mon.–Wed., Credit cards accepted

Tubac Deli & Coffee Co.

$

With freshly roasted coffee, breakfast pastries, and generous sandwiches, salads, and soups, this pleasant little eatery smack in the middle of Tubac village is a very convenient and friendly place to "set awhile" with the locals.

6 Plaza Rd., Tubac, Arizona, 85646, USA
520-398–3330
Known For
  • homemade breads and pastries
  • inexpensive lunch break while shopping
  • hearty breakfasts
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

Tucson Tamale Company

$ | Central

A good homemade tamale is special, and a restaurant that prepares and serves them fresh every day with all sorts of creative fillings is a find indeed. Carnivores can indulge in beef, pork, or chicken tamales while vegetarians can opt for traditional, cheese-filled green-corn tamales, or "Blue" tamales, made of blue corn and filled with squash, onion, tomato, and cheese; there are also vegan choices like the Austin, with a spinach and mushroom filling. Breakfast tamales and eggs are served on weekend mornings. Salad, rice, and black beans are side options; most items are gluten-free and made without animal fat. Eat here in the no-frills dining area, or take your tamales to go.