With the permanent closure and rebranding of Café Botanica inside the Tucson Botanical Gardens, owner Kristine Jensen sought out new opportunities to bring her online grocery store and on-the-go meals to fruition.

Her ideas quickly took shape nearly a year ago in the form of the brick-and-mortar Gallery of Food Bodega at 2522 E. Ft. Lowell Rd. Now, after months of careful planning and coordination, Jensen is excited to finally throw a Grand Opening celebration in her bodega’s honor.

Grand Opening Festivities

The store has been open since October 2020, but they’re hosting a special party from noon – 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, which is the day of the Summer Solstice — an ideal time for a new beginning.

The commemoration of the fresh start will include live music, tours of the store and kitchen facility, and conversations with the bodega’s staff to learn about the many local resources of the region. Additionally, you can bet the Gallery of Food will completely stocked, stacked, and ready for your shopping needs.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Gallery of Food Bodega (@gallery.of.food)

Kristine’s background as a chef, caterer & restaurateur

She’s got more than 30 years of culinary experience in Tucson and it’s been a goal of hers to share a supply of fresh local ingredients in the community.

With the help of local purveyors like Pivot Produce, Barrio Bread, Top-Knot Farms, Cheri’s Desert Harvest, Aravaipa Farms, and others, she created the Gallery of Food online Bodega in early 2020.

“We continue to be inspired by the bounty of the Sonoran Desert and the wide variety of indigenous foods available to us and are pleased to carry so many wonderful local delights,” said Jensen. “We hope our guests will appreciate the hard work and dedication of the wonderful farmers, ranchers, and other producers in this region.”

Jensen’s home-delivery included seasonal fruits and vegetables, sustainably raised meats, poultry and seafood, bread, and a variety of house-made dishes prepared by Gallery of Food’s chef Christopher Baldwin, whose culinary background includes dishing out the goods at the former Café Botanica.

“We are delighted to share their products in our little store,” said Jensen.

Hours of Operation

The bodega is currently open from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. from Wednesday – Saturday and has plans to extend the hours this fall. Additionally, Gallery of Food is also offering full-service catering for events of all sizes.

Gallery of Food Bodega is located at 2522 E. Ft. Lowell Rd. For more information, call (520) 884-5033, visit galleryoffood.com, or follow Gallery of Food Bodega on Facebook and Instagram.