Though there’s no air conditioning, framed Dia de Los Muertos drawings hang crooked, and the location is questionable, Mother Hubbard’s actually delivers one of the more unique breakfasts in Tucson.

At first glance, Mother Hubbard’s is just another breakfast dive. But, open the menu and you’ll find a refreshing take on a Southwestern style breakfast that features local and regional ingredients from New Mexico and Tucson, such as hatch chilies, chiltepins, and mesquite flour. And, as their menu states:

“…all pre-Colombian Native American cooking was gluten free and it was only when wheat was introduced to the New World did gluten enter our diets. Most of our dishes are prepared in the old way.”

So, they’re gluten-free, for the most part.

We ordered the Texico, which is two versions of Huevos Rancheros on one plate: egg on blue corn tortilla with green chile, and egg on yellow corn tortilla with red chile, both topped with beans, salsa and cheese. We also ordered the Bisbee Breakfast Bowl – a bowl of your choice of hash browns, home fries, or grits, choice of chili, and choice of meat. We chose hash browns, green chili and bacon with Mexican cheese. And, finally we ordered a mesquite waffle with agave jicama creme fraiche.

On this visit, Texico was the star. The red chili sauce was rich and flavorful and shined when combined with the simplicity of a tortilla and an egg. The Bisbee Breakfast Bowl was okay. The home fries were undercooked and the green sauce was barely noticeable. And, although the mesquite waffle with agave jicama creme fraiche sounded amazing, in actuality, the waffle was a little too grainy. The creme fraiche, however was well-balanced between sweet and tart.

To their credit, they were extremely busy and the service was excellent. Also, they get double props for doing something different with a meal that is all too often the same ol’ same ol’. On top of that, they use Cafe Aqui coffee, a Tucson Foodie favorite.

Though this visit wasn’t the most amazing meal I’ve had at Mother Hubbard’s, it’s not a deal breaker. They regularly change their daily feature and they’re heart is in the right place. I recommend you give it a try and see for yourself.

Mother Hubbard’s is located at 14 W. Grant Road. For more information, visit their website at https://motherhubbardscafe.com/.