Grab a bite
A rotating list of where, and what, to eat in Tucson
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.04.2007
Breakfast, coffeehouses
Cafe Jasper — 6370 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 160. It serves only breakfast and lunch, but those meals are so filling that you'll skip dinner anyway. Tucson casual. Open: 6:30 a.m. daily. 577-0326. $$ FH
Jethro's Little Café — 917 W. Prince Road. If ever a restaurant looked and felt like its name, it's Jethro's Little Café. Open: 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. Tucson casual. 888-1091. $ NW
The Cereal Boxx, a Cereal Cafe — 943 E. University Blvd. This University of Arizona-area cafe is a kick with more than 30 cereals, 40 toppings and eight kinds of milk. Free Wi-Fi. Open: 7 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 9 a.m. Sundays. Tucson casual. 622-2699 ¢ C
The French Twist Cafe — 10110 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley. For the most part, French Twist is a breakfast and lunch spot; they serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights only. Casual. Open: 6:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays. 797-1127. $ NW
Sunny Daze Cafe — 4980 S. Campbell Ave. The breakfast and lunch cafe doesn't stray far from the norm when it comes to its breakfast selections of hotcakes, country ham and eggs, French toast and various omelets. Open: 5:30 a.m. weekdays; 6 a.m. weekends. Tucson casual. 295-0300. $$ S
Le Buzz — 9121 E. Tanque Verde Road, at Catalina Highway. A coffeehouse that's quite popular with the cycling set. At night, it morphs into a bistro with a smallish but thoughtful menu. Only five entrees grace it, but there's an equal number of creative salads that would make for a lovely light summer dinner. For dessert, it has plenty to satisfy a sweet tooth. Open: 6 a.m. Tucson casual. 749-3903. $$-$$$ E
Son's Bakery Café — 5683 E. Speedway. The small bakery and cafe, which serves up breakfast and lunch, is very homespun with everything made fresh — even the fat, sky-high bread used for sandwiches. Casual. 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays; 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays. 885-0806. $ C
The Dagwood Café — 736 E. Fort Lowell Road. The shop's sandwiches are a tribute to the comic strip character Dagwood, who used to prepare towering sandwiches. Summer Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Casual. 903-9663. $ C
Special settings
Cuvée World Bistro — 3352 E. Speedway. An eclectic menu with a hip ambience and some of the tastiest food around. Tucson casual to high casual. 881-7577. $$-$$$ C
Red Sky Café — 2910 N. Swan Road, Suite 100. Steve Schultz dishes up oversize servings that expertly combine French, California and Southwestern cuisines. High casual. Reservations recommended. 326-5454. $$-$$$ C
Pastiche Modern Eatery — 3025 N. Campbell Ave. Chic bistro serves a range of good stuff, from elegant dishes to comfort food. Tucson casual. 325-3333. $$-$$$$ C
58 Degrees and Holding Co. — 4280 N. Campbell Ave. This restaurant and wine bar in St. Philip's Plaza recently opened for lunch, serving a menu of salads, paninis and large plates. 299-5804. $$ FH
The Bistro at Las Candelas — 427 E. Limberlost Drive. The restaurant is wildly eclectic. Italian-influenced dishes. A touch of French, Indian and Mediterranean. But the menu is small and well-chosen — it isn't trying to be all things to all people. Tucson casual. 696-9100. $ NW
Luxor Café — 3699 N. Campbell Ave. A Mediterranean-style restaurant. Try the appetizer sampler. But there is so much more to try — cucumber salad, vegetable sambosa, Za'atar Mana'ish (personal pita pizza) and shawerma beef wrap. Tucson casual. 325-3771. $$ C
American and grills
Café Ramey — 1661 N. Swan Road. The servings are hefty here, and the ingredients are bursting with freshness. Tucson casual. 319-2600. $$-$$$ C
Claim Jumper — 3761 E. Broadway. Huge portions of American-style favorites. And don't forget the amazing desserts. Tucson casual. 795-2900. $$ C
Dakota Café — 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road, in Trail Dust Town. The fish is swimmingly fresh and perfectly prepared, but it's the sour-cream chocolate cake that has captured our hearts. High casual. 298-7188. $$-$$$ FH
Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club — 4001 N. Country Club Road. Eat in or take out — even if you're not a member. There are salads, build-your-own-entree plates and healthful side orders. Tucson casual. 795-6960. $ C
Risky Business — 10515 N. Oracle Road, 531-0202; 6866 E. Sunrise Drive, 577-0021; 250 S. Craycroft Road, 584-1610. Family-friendly restaurants with burgers, salads and sandwiches. Tucson casual. $ NW, FH, C
Ziggi's — 3225 N. Swan Road, 322-7042; 2500 N. Silverbell Road, 624-0020. A fast casual restaurant with homemade food and daily specials. A glance at the menu will make you wonder how this place will be able to sustain such an extensive selection. Tucson casual. $$ C, C
Border crossings
Chago's Mexican Food — 9190 N. Coachline Blvd., off Silverbell Road. A menu of Sonoran-style Mexican food. The restaurant also serves breakfast burritos and a few vegetarian options. Tucson casual. 572-8031. $-$$ NW
El Charro Café — 311 N. Court Ave., 622-1922; 6310 E. Broadway, at El Mercado, 745-1922; 100 W. Orange Grove Road, 615-1922; 4699 E. Speedway, 325-1922. Carne seca is the thing here at Tucson's oldest family-owned Mexican restaurant. Tucson casual. $$ D, C, NW
Teresa's Mosaic Café — 2455 N. Silverbell Road. Specializes in Oaxacan specialties such as lomo adobado (a succulent, spicy marinated pork loin) and pollo en mole, along with the standard Mexican fare. Tucson casual. 624-4512. $-$$ SW
Zivaz Mexican Bistro — 4590 E. Broadway. The bistro puts a twist on the usual staples, such as enchiladas with pumpkin-seed sauce. Fresh seafood, too. Tucson casual. 325-1234. $-$$ C
The Original Hideout — 3000 S. Mission Road. Sunday brunch includes Mexican dishes, omelets and menudo. Except for drinks, brunch is serve-yourself, all-you-can-eat. Tucson casual. 791-0515. $ SW
Blanco Tacos + Tequila — 2905 E. Skyline Drive, in La Encantada. The menu, which covers everything from guacamole to cheese crisps to tacos and enchiladas, is basically Mexican, but — there's always a "but" with a Fox restaurant — with a contemporary twist. The dessert menu is short and sweet. Tucson casual. 232-1007. $ FH
El Taco — 2825 N. Country Club Road. This Mexican eatery serves enduring comfort food. Tucson casual. 326-0580. $ C
Casa Don Carlos — 1103 W. Prince Road. The heat in many Mexican restaurants comes from the chiles. Here it comes from the flaming desserts — as in cherries jubilee and bananas flambé. Tucson casual. 207-0008. $ NW
International
Lani's Luau — 2532 S. Harrison Road. The next time the trade winds blow you through the Southeast Side, relive the tastes and flavors of that Hawaiian vacation you took with a trip to Lani's. Tucson casual. 886-5828. $ SE
Rio Cafe — 2526 E. Grant Road. Flavorful, but its food is more fusion than Brazilian. The name conjured up dreams of those smoky skewers of beef, churrasco or a crispy risole stuffed with sweet corn. Tucson casual. 323-5003. $$ C
Zemam's — 2731 E. Broadway. Exotic spot serves Ethiopian cuisine to eat the Ethiopian way (no forks, folks). No alcohol; BYOB. Tucson casual. 323-9928. $$ C
Vegetarian-friendly
Feast Tasteful Takeout — 4122 E. Speedway. Feast has an ever-changing menu, but there always seems to be something for the veggie lover. Check online to see the latest: www.eatatfeast.com. Tucson casual. 326-9363. $- $$ C
Gandhi Cuisine of India — 150 W. Fort Lowell Road. Check out the navarattan, a mixture of vegetables and paneer in a sublime curry sauce. Heck, try most any veggie meal and be happy. Tucson casual. 292-1738. $$ C
The Garland Bistro — 119 E. Speedway. This has long been a veggie hangout — we mean the food, not the people. From vegetarian curry to a wide variety of salads. Vegan options are available. Tucson casual. 882-3999. $-$$ C
Gentle Ben's Brewing Co. — 865 E. University Blvd. A variety of options. The Peggy-O is pretty amazing vegetarian fare — a grilled veggie burger topped with guacamole, Jack cheese and a creamy horseradish. Tucson casual. 624-4177. $-$$ C
0 Comments on this story
