Tucson Restaurant Suggestions?

1) BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Huevos con Chorizo, Sonoran Hot Dog, Queso Fundido, Horchata, Carne Asada Taco, Caramelo
2) Café Poca Cosa - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Plato Poca Cosa, Chocolate Cheesecake, Margarita, chicken mole, tamale pie
3) El Charro - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Mexican Pizza, Tamales Dulces, Cabo Soft Taco, Chiles Rellenos with Carne Seca, Flautas Famosas, Chile Rellenos, carne seca, "Charro Style" Taco, Sangria, Carne Seca Topopo
4) El Torero - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: shrimp Vera Cruz, tortilla crisp, topopo salad
5) Gus Balon's - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Breakfast Burger, Sweet Roll, toast, pie
6) Lerua's Fine Mexican Food - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Green Corn Tamale, Topopo Salad
7) Mariscos Chihuahua - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: shrimp endiablados
8) Mi Nidito - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: cheese crisp, topopo salad, chimichanga
9) Millie's Pancake Haus - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Swedish Pancakes, German Apple Pancake, potato pancakes, French pancakes, buttermilk pancakes
10) Taqueria La Cha Cha - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: birria taco
11) Teresa's Mosaic Cafe - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Huevos Rancheros, Breakfast Combination Plate, Homemade Tortillas, Homemade Lemonade, Horchata

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Tucson Restaurant Suggestions?

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the guy who posted a list of restaurants had a few good suggestions. i lived in tucson for 4 years and hadn't even heard of some of them though...in any case, here are my suggestions.

new-wave mexican:

i highly recommend cafe poca cosa. if you only eat at one restaurant in tucson this should be it. it's sort of modern or new wave mexican that's out of sight. the menu changes nightly according to the ingredients available and the chef's whim, but you can usually get the sampler platter that includes a taste of each of the menu items.

you could also try cafe terra cotta, especially if you're staying in the catalina foothills. more of a southwest restaurant than mexican, but still an old tucson classic. has been around for years and was on the cutting edge of southwestern cuisine. last time i went it seemed like the were content to rest on their laurels.

street mexican:

you should go to el guerro canello for sonoran hot dogs: hots dogs wrapped in bacon, served on a bollilo (a little mexican bun) and topped with pintos, cheese, salsa, mayo, etc.

let's go tortas makes REALLY good tortas and tacos near the u of a campus. you can read about it in an old taco blog me and my friends started here.

there is a place in south tucson called pico de gallo that serves good stuff. you could also hit up the ubiquitous nico's or losbeto's or even the taco trucks that appear on grant rd at night.

traditional mexican:

el charro is an old tucson institution that claims to have invented the chimichanga. they have really good carne seca (dried beef) and that is their speciality.

mi nidito is good but expect to wait 2 hours, the parking is bad, and it's in south tucson.

any list that doesn't include guadalajara grill is a joke. my FAVORITE mexican restaurant in tucson. you can't go wrong. they make fresh salsa at your table, have a great bar, and excellent food.

fine dining:

janos is an excellent fine-dining restaurant that specializes in southwestern food.

hacienda del sol is a really nice fancy restaurant that specializes in southwest food and has the best views of any restaurant in tucson.

if you're just in the mood for a sandwich:

beyond bread is an excellent bakery and has great sandwiches, pastries, and deserts.

and if you get a chance take a ride up to sabino canyon in the catalina foothills. it's a great national park and has lots of hiking and bicycling trails. 15 minutes from the visitor's center on the trail and your in the desert wilderness. a great experience.

These are all highly recommended:

Vivace Restaurant
Cafe Poca Cosa
Guadalajara Grill
Bison Witches
Ventana Room
Opa!
La Placita Cafe
Vila Thai Cuisine
Jonathan's Tucson Cork
Millie's West Pancake Haus

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that guy just cut and pasted from some website.

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Uh, no...

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uh, yes. you cut and pasted from this website.

1) BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Huevos con Chorizo, Sonoran Hot Dog, Queso Fundido, Horchata, Carne Asada Taco, Caramelo
2) Café Poca Cosa - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Plato Poca Cosa, Chocolate Cheesecake, Margarita, chicken mole, tamale pie
3) El Charro - Tucson, AZ
Must Eats: Mexican Pizza, Tamales Dulces, Cabo Soft Taco, Chiles Rellenos with Carne Seca, Flautas Famosas, Chile Rellenos, carne seca, "Charro Style" Taco, Sangria, Carne Seca Topopo

etc...