Consolidated "Tucson Restaurants" thread
Jul 12, 2003, 2:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York City
Programs: BA Gold Guest List; HH Diamond; Hyatt Diamond; SPG Gold
Posts: 2,832
Consolidated "Tucson Restaurants" thread
Any recommendations for good restaurants appreciated! Diverse tastes, so anything is good; local flavour would also be nice!
Jul 13, 2003, 9:20 am
#2
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,501
have a friend in Tucson that sadly I have never visited 
, he always comes up to Phoenix or the Grand Canyon when I am in the state.
He recommends the following:
The Dish, Feast!, Café Poca Cosa, El Charro, Vivace, Mi Nidito.
El Charro claims to have invented the chimichanga.
Lunch (as w/most places in the world) is ˝ the price of dinners. Café Poca Cosa would be a good example of where to head for lunch.
Stay away from Casa Molina, overated. The seafood in Tuscon leaves much to be desired as one can imagine. So stick w/what would make sense: SW cuisine, Mexican, Beef.
For a to-do, check out the Sonora Desert Museum’s Summer Saturday Nights. Supposed to be neat.
, he always comes up to Phoenix or the Grand Canyon when I am in the state.He recommends the following:
The Dish, Feast!, Café Poca Cosa, El Charro, Vivace, Mi Nidito.
El Charro claims to have invented the chimichanga.
Lunch (as w/most places in the world) is ˝ the price of dinners. Café Poca Cosa would be a good example of where to head for lunch.
Stay away from Casa Molina, overated. The seafood in Tuscon leaves much to be desired as one can imagine. So stick w/what would make sense: SW cuisine, Mexican, Beef.
For a to-do, check out the Sonora Desert Museum’s Summer Saturday Nights. Supposed to be neat.
Feb 9, 2005, 5:59 am
#3
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,501
Tucson dining suggestions
Looking for some, please advise if you have any.
Feb 11, 2005, 2:06 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CP-ASEL,AMEL,G-IA in Tucson, Arizona, United States
Posts: 1,124
Well, seeing as Tucson is the best place in the U.S. to find Mexican food, I have a few suggestions: El Charros, El Minuto, Macayos, Papagayos, Casa Molina...
Anything in particular you're looking for?
Anything in particular you're looking for?
Feb 12, 2005, 6:14 pm
#5
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,501
Originally Posted by tlglenn
Anything in particular you're looking for?
Feb 15, 2005, 8:59 pm
#7
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
I'll second Cafe Terra Cotta. Wildflower is pretty good too. But probably the best little restaurant in Tucson is The Dish Bistro, which has only a handful of tables and is tucked behind the RumRunner Wine and Cheese Shop downtown. You need reservations because there are so few tables.
Mar 26, 2005, 8:45 am
#11
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,501
Originally Posted by tovaz
and for a traditional Sonoran hot dog, I'd suggest El Guero Canelo on 12th.
Nov 17, 2007, 7:58 pm
#12
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,501
I'll second Cafe Terra Cotta. Wildflower is pretty good too. But probably the best little restaurant in Tucson is The Dish Bistro, which has only a handful of tables and is tucked behind the RumRunner Wine and Cheese Shop downtown. You need reservations because there are so few tables.
Of course I read about this after we were there but Gourmet magazine listed the restaurant Pico de Gallo as a great breakfast spot taqueria where fillings for homemade tortillas range from barbacoa to skate. Located at 2618 S 6th Ave in South Tucson, phone 520.623.8775
Nov 20, 2007, 3:39 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA
Programs: AA PLT, Marriott Gold, National EE
Posts: 165
Other recommendations:
Cafe Poca Cosa is fantastic and unique
Janos also has unique food, but I think it suffers from the "one ingredient too many" syndrome. J Bar has slightly lower prices.
Brunch at Tohono Chul park
Beyond Bread for great sandwiches
Blue Willow is fun but the service is uniformly terrible
Terra Cotta (they dropped the "Cafe") is good but not spectacular
Everyone is raving about Blanco at La Encatada
Casa Feliz (multiple locations) has great chicken
Nov 20, 2007, 4:56 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: OOL Australia
Programs: QFF (Gold), Skywards, Rapid Rewards,United, Velocity, Hilton Silver
Posts: 2,440
The Sonoran hot dog, found in Tucson, Metro Phoenix, and in neighboring Sonora, Mexico, is a hot dog grilled over an open flame or on a griddle, wrapped in Mesquite-smoked bacon, topped with freshly-chopped tomatoes, onions, shredded yellow or cotijo cheese, tomatillo salsa or red chile sauce, pinto beans, mayonnaise, ketchup and/or mustard, and served on a bolillo roll. Often served with a fresh-roasted chile.