The holiday season is in full swing here in Tucson. The buildings downtown are topped with lights, trees are wrapped in twinkling lights, holiday cocktails are making themselves known, and now restaurants are planning holiday feasts on or around Christmas Day.
They’re looking pretty tasty and good for goodness sake, too.
Some of these are your traditional holiday dinners with elegant dine-in atmospheres, others are not as fancy but just as fun, and then there are your take-home dinners that are often pre-cooked — just open up and serve. Plus, we’ll be updating this list as we get closer to Christmas Day.
Barrio Charro
3699 N. Campbell Ave.
The restaurant is offering two different to-go meals this holiday season.
One Pint Fruit Pico de Gallo and One Pint Winter Calabacitas
Barrio Charro Cookies
(Optional) One Pint Guacamole ($15), Whole Tres Leches Cake ($50), Pint of Vegan Ice Cream ($11)
SiCharro Take-Home Holiday Elegante Menu (feeds 6 people)($195)
Ancho Spiced Short Rib
Poblano Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Winter Squash Calabacitas with Chorizo Crumble
Barrio Charro Herbed Telera Rolls with Salted Agave Butter
Barrio Charro Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
(Optional) Pomegranate Guacamole and Chips ($15)
You can order either of these meal kits at Barrio Charro, which is also where you’ll pick it up. To make your orders sooner rather than later, call (520) 372-1922.
Here’s your not-so-average feast for the holidays. The Blacktop Grill will be setting up shop at Dragoon Brewing Company on Christmas Eve from 5 – 9 p.m. They’re known for their loaded hot dogs, quesadillas, and other bites that have been breaking diets for a few years now.
Sweet Ancho Baby Back Ribs at Cielos at Lodge on the Desert (Credit: Jackie Tran)
Eat, drink and, be merry with a special Christmas Day dinner at Cielos. Executive Chef Aponte presents holiday favorites like prime rib and honey glazed ham with a touch of southwestern flavors. You can check out the full menu online.
Adults can eat for $50 per person, six to 12-year-olds are $25 each, and anyone under six years old eats for free.
Carne Seca Burro at El Charro Café on Court Avenue (Credit: Jackie Tran)
El Charro is currently taking orders for a holiday takeout special. The feast feeds about 6-8 people and costs $129.95 with an option to add the Fiesta Guacamole and Chips for $15.
Holiday Takeout Special
Six Red Chile Beef Tamales and Six Holiday Fiesta Tamales
One Pint Shredded Beef Birria and One Pint Chicken Tinga
Pints of Arroz Sonora and Frijoles (Refritos or Charros)
Flour or Corn Tortillas, Chips, and Salsa Picante
You can order by calling the downtown location at (520) 622-1922, the Ventana location at (520) 514-1922, and the Oro Valley location at (520) 299-1922.
Tableside Avocado Hummus at Charro Vida (Credit: Jackie Tran)
Charro Vida is sticking with a to-go menu this year and it feeds up to eight people for $129.95. Plus, there’s an option to a pint of Guaca-Hummus with Vida Salsa and Chips for $18, and a pint of vegan ice cream for $11.
Charro Vida Holiday Takeout Meal
Six Hola Hemp Original or Six Red Chile Jackfruit Tamales with Red and Green Sauce
12 Hola Hemp Mini Chimis with Vegan Taco Crema
One Pint of Vida Brussels, One Pint of Winter Calabacitas, One Pint of Black Beans
For more information, visit charrovida.com or call (520) 779-1922.
The Coronet
198 W. Cushing St.
Photo courtesy of The Coronet on Facebook
The downtown restaurant is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner as well as a special dish on Christmas Day (both dine-in) from 5 – 9 p.m. on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25.
Christmas Eve Dinner (Bubbie’s Christmas Eve Classics)
Pork Dumpling Soup ($12) – rich chicken broth and Chinese vegetables
Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls ($15) – house sweet chili sauce, ginger soy, daikon salad, and butter lettuce
Peking-Style Duck Leg ($35) – stir-fried rice cakes, bok choy, gai choy, house hoisin sauce, green onion, with a cucumber salad and Chinese pancakes
Christmas Day Special
Pepita and Herb-Rubbed Porchetta ($38) – black garlic duxelle, roasted whole carrots, and turnips with a green apple-radicchio and cranberry chutney
The historic hotel will be open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas, with a few special dishes to go along with the holiday, too. They’re open from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. and then 4 – 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, they’ll be serving from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Christmas Eve Specials
Warm and Spiced Butternut Squash Bisque – with toasted pumpkin seeds, pomegranate arlis, and cilantro ($6 for a cup and $9 for a bowl)
10-ounce Mesquite-Smoked Herb-Crusted Prime Rib – roasted garlic and shallot mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, creamy horseradish, and au jus ($32)
French Seared Diver Scallops – scalloped root vegetables, grilled and shaved white asparagus, microgreens, and a savory romesco sauce ($36)
Christmas Day Specials
Warm and Spiced Butternut Squash Bisque – with toasted pumpkin seeds, pomegranate arlis, and cilantro ($6 for a cup and $9 for a bowl)
House-Cured and Mesquite-Smoked Ham – roasted sweet potatoes and yams, roasted brussel sprout casserole; mango, peach, and brown sugar glaze ($24)
Herb-Crusted Prime Rib – roasted garlic and shallot whipped mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, creamy horseradish, and au jus ($28)
There’s a family feast ready to be picked up at the Desert Diamond Casino, which is more of a pay-for-what-you-need type of dinner instead of a bundled meal.
Family Feasts To-Go
Turkey or Ham Dinner – with all the fixin’s ($14.95)
Prime Rib Dinner – with all the fixin’s ($18.95)
Additions (feeds four people)
House Salad or Caesar Salad ($8.95)
Mac ‘N Cheese ($10.95)
Sweet Potatoes ($10.95)
Green Bean Casserole ($10.95)
12 Beef Tamales ($21.95)
Pumpkin Pie ($9.95)
Apple Pie ($9.95)
Pecan Pie ($10.95)
For more information, call (520) 342-3222 or email your order to mapena@ddcaz.com.
Festa International Buffet
5655 W. Valencia Rd.
(Credit: Casino Del Sol)
The fancy buffet is open on Christmas from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. with a special feast for $55 per person.
Chorizo Mac and Cheese (Photo courtesy of Flora’s Market Run on Facebook)
This year, the market and restaurant combo is offering House-Made Prime Rib dinners for four people with all the fixings, and also sides Wood-Fired Brussels Sprouts and Chorizo Mac and Cheese. You can also add on a charcuterie board and freshly baked pies.
Noel Burger (Photo courtesy of Ghini’s French Caffe)
Ghini’s French Caffe’s chef and owner Coralie Satta loves to pull out all the stops for the holidays. This season she is especially happy that guests can safely gather to enjoy her classically French cuisine along with the following decadent seasonal specials offered throughout the month of December.
Holiday-themed Menu
Homemade Eggnog ($6)
Latte ($7)
The Noel Burger – Juicy Bordeaux Gruyere Burger layered with fine herb aioli, Balsamic cranberry glaze, and herb drizzle on a grilled La Baguette Bakery roll ($16)
Facade at Govinda’s Natural Foods Buffet (Credit: Jackie Tran)
The restaurant is open from noon – 6 p.m. on Christmas Day and they’re cookin’ up a Vegan Christmas Holiday Menu. You’ll find organic millet load, lentil croquettes in tomato broth, whipped yam and cauliflower, and more. Check out their full menu online.
Maynards will be open from 4 – 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will not be serving the regular — a festive menu has taken its place for the evening. The meal is $75 per person and an additional $30 if you’d like wine pairings.
Christmas Eve Dinner Menu
Black Garlic Panasse – memolette
Butternut Squash Velouté – peppercorn and i’itoi onion
Little Gem Salad – pepitas and herbs
Sourdough Agnolotti – rabbit ragu, basil, and ricotta
Warm Potatoes and Octopus – ailoi, calabrian chiles, and black olive
The restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and a special holiday menu will be available to feast your eyes on. You can expect to find a Cob-Smoked Ham Dinner, Pumpkin Ravioli, Osso Bucco, and more.
New Seasonal Kitchen Craft dishes with protein add-ons (Photo courtesy of Pita Jungle)
They’re closed on Christmas Day but open until 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve. To coincide with the holiday season, the restaurant recently launched a new Seasonal Kitchen Crafts Menu. Check it out below and start planning
Seasonal Kitchen Crafts Menu
White Bean Hummus with Garlic-Cilantro-Pesto Shrimp – White beans hummus prepped from scratch, roasted garlic, EVOO, lemon juice, tahini, shrimp in garlic-cilantro-pesto, pita
Chili Verde Beef – Diced premium beef cuts, mixed beans in a homemade chili sauce, fresh tomatillos, charred poblanos, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, onions, turmeric brown rice, with blue corn chips and Jungle tzatziki as a crema (Gluten-free)
Here’s one for meat lovers this holiday season. Tucson Tamale has a Mighty Meaty Box of Tamales and the bundle comes packed with 32 delicious and meaty tamales.? Also, be sure you order before Monday, December 20 if you plan on shipping this to someone for Christmas.
Zio Peppe is pleased to offer “Christmas To-Go” meals featuring their unique convergence of Italian and Sonoran cuisine. Orders can be picked up on Friday, December 24 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the restaurant. Each meal comfortably feeds up to six people is $250 each.
Zip Peppe Christmas To-Go Menu
Mole Verde Porchetta
Tamale Polenta
Roasted Vegetable and Poblano Bisque
Honey and Adobo Roasted Carrots
Salad of Romaine – Beets, Oranges, Apples, Pomegranates, Spicy Candied Pepitas, Pomegranate Lime, and a Ginger Vinaigrette
Rosemary Focaccia
Pumpkin Cheesecake
For more information and to place your order, visit ziopeppeaz.com.
At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan’s Cork
