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The joy of going to a new restaurant seems to have amplified in the last year or so. Seeing beloved eating spots and bars close their doors due to the pandemic, or for other reasons unknown, has been heartbreaking, to say the least, and the positive news is what locals tend to gobble up the most.
With that being said, let’s celebrate the restaurants and bars that have either opened in 2021 reopened for business after temporary closures. Now, this isn’t everything that’s sprung to life in the last year, but it’s a nice handful of newness.
How many places have you visited recently?
Arte Bella has branded itself as “Tucson’s original puff and paint” joint, hosting several events that are 420-friendly down the hall and near the back of the building. The location has gone through several changes over the years, including a restaurant that sold poutine fries, another that was a Jewish deli-inspired eating spot, a music venue, and more.
The new Arte Bella restaurant has a regular menu, a Taco Tuesday selection, and even a brunch menu on Sunday.
For more information, read the full article.
3699 N. Campbell Ave.
Local baker and owner of Barrio Bread, Don Guerra, and chef Carlotta Flores of the Si Charro restaurants are the two responsible for the delicious new restaurant.
Barrio Charro’s menu is packed with select alcoholic and craft beverages that’ll pair nicely with Barrio Bread’s creations, and also some all-natural protein options found on such Si Charro menus, like the Carne Asada from Charro Steak or the Mesquite Grilled Salmon from CharroVida. Additionally, the new restaurant serves dishes like avocado toast, bruschettas, and their own versions of open-faced tortas.
For more information, read the full article.
It’s been a long journey for Bella’s Gelato Shoppe’s owner, Elizabeth Sebring, who purchased the gelato truck back in 2015 from the original owners, Ken Dungey and Lisa Erickson. The shop, which used to be a Baskin-Robbins, was slated to open sometime between September and October 2020, but, like many things, the grand opening was interrupted by the pandemic.
For more information, read the full article.
Back in the Fall of 2020, longtime Pizza Luna employee, Kyle Leuer, along with his partner Becca Groff, approached Marc and Tracy Frankel — owners of Pizza Luna — about the bagel concept and have since helped them move forward with their plans. The idea of opening the shop really took off after making bagels from leftover pizza dough.
“The soft opening was better than we could have ever expected,” said Becca Groff, operating partner of Bubbe’s Fine Bagels. “Words cannot describe how grateful we are to have the support of the Tucson community.”
For more information, read the full article.
Back in August of 2021, the luchador-themed restaurant, Buena Vida, opened up and began serving up its tortas, Sonoran hot dogs, burritos, Frida Salads, and more for dine-in, curbside pickup, and delivery.
It’s been said that the Lucha Fries, which come equipped with seasoned crinkle-cut fries, shredded cheese, your choice of meat, pico de gallo, queso fresco, and Vida Sauce, pair well with aerial maneuvers and speedy, acrobatic combos.
For more information, read the full article.
If you’re looking for a breakfast or lunch that makes you feel warm on the inside — a combination of the flavors and atmosphere — then Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe should be on your list.
The location used to house Asian Sofrito, which closed at the end of August 2021, and is operated by the folks that used to run Mestizos on Grande Avenue. The new menu has plenty to choose from if you’re craving a homestyle meal, and they’ll even bring you little cookies with your coffee.
For more information, follow Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe on Facebook.
This one isn’t exactly new. However, the location is.
Over the summer, word spread that Cheba Hut was makin’ moves out of its Sixth Street location. The sandwiches, Rice Krispy treats, salads, and other munchies have all been moved into the larger building at 446 N. Campbell Ave. — which is just a few spots down from where it’s currently located.
For more information, read the full article.
Back in 1988, the Davison family began ranching Angus beef cattle. Today, Reb, Vicki, and their son Tyler Davison own a cattle ranch in Southeast Arizona, which led to the family purchasing George’s Meat Processing shop in 2015 over in Elfrida, Arizona.
In 2019, Reb, Tyler, and Tyler’s fiancé, Billie Stephenson, wanted to offer more customers another option for quality meat at an affordable price. Therefore, the idea of Davison Meats was wrangled into a reality.
For more information, read the full article.
This spot opened up the first day of 2022, but it still makes the list for 2021 since it had taken most of the year to finish the renovations. If you’re familiar with The Parish (its sister restaurant), you’ll be excited to know that The Delta is rockin’ out similar southern-style dishes inspired by Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
For instance, The Big D bone-in short rib sandwich comes on toasted soft french bread, Andouille mayonnaise, habanero pickles. The short rib is smoked and braised in Dr. Pepper and is also topped with umami crispies — crispy mushrooms and crispy beef tendons.
For more info, read the full article.
The historic spot was originally built as a bakery called the Royal Bakery in the early part of the 1900s. The Coronado Hotel was built around it, and most recently housed The Coronet for five years.
“We’re going to have 12 of our beers on tap,” said Aaron Long, co-owner of Dillinger Brewing Company, “Plus, ciders, wine, Kombucha, and cold brew. The new spot will work as a taproom with an expanded barrel-aging program in the basement.”
For more information, read the full article.
The name of the café was inspired by Edna Johnson, who was a housekeeper, friend, nanny, and gardener to the Gardens’ founders.
Edna actually planted many of the citrus trees on the west end of the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and “she loved to tend a large herb garden.” Over the course of many years of harvesting and gardening, Edna lived on the property until her death in 1973.
For more information, read the full article.
This concept of bringing her business to her customers was not lost when Thelma decided to rent out a space for a brick and mortar location. Rather than opening a stand-alone restaurant, Fiesta Filipina took over a food court space in Park Place Mall. This way, mall goers already shopping will find Fiesta Filipina during their trip, similar to her food truck setup at events.
On the Fiesta Filipina menu you will find a compiled selection of Thelma’s most popular dishes. These include Lumpia, Adobo, Beef Caldereta, Empanadas, Halo Halo, and more.
For beginners to Southeast Asian cuisine, she suggests trying Lumpia or Adobo.
For more information, read the full article.
There’s an interesting story behind the name of the restaurant. Sure, the “flaps” are referring to the chicken wings on the menu, and the “racks” are the finger-licking ribs that’ll have you going through more napkins you can keep track of.
However, there’s more to it. Flaps and Racks also refers to parts of an airplane and is a tribute to the restaurant owner and Puerto Rico native’s connection to the Tucson International Airport. Jeffrey Flores, who moved to Tucson back in 2003, got a job at the airport and began exploring the city’s food scene the moment he touched down.
For more information, read the full article.
The new spot offers counter-service and table-service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a menu that’s got the likes of sandwiches, salads, wood-fired pizza, chicken, and salmon.
We got to try a few of their dishes like the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sando — which comes with an apple and Brussel slaw, hot honey mustard, pickles, and a milk bun — along with a few other eye-catching culinary achievements.
For more information, read the full article.
The new breakfast and lunch spot opened its doors in December 2021, and has been servin’ up his menu daily from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. Browse the menu and you’ll find something to spend time with, much like the Huevos Rancheros, Hummingbird Omelette, or the classic BLT.
For more information, visit fridascafe.net.
The restaurant originally opened up in April 2021 at 340 N. Fourth Ave., but after a few months, they moved out and began offering to-go bites at the Prep & Pastry on Campbell. Now, they’re dishing out the goods on Main Gate Square.
Fullylove’s recently announced the opening of its new location at 994 E. University Blvd., which formerly housed the Mediterranean spot, Pelio Grill.
For more info, read the full article.
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.
The store had been open since October 2020, but they hosted a special party on Sunday, June 20, which was the day of the Summer Solstice — an ideal time for a new beginning.
For more information, read the full article.
Under new ownership, the popular drinking spot, Good Oak Bar, which is right next door to the Rialto Theatre, is making its comeback after being closed for more than a year. Loveblock Partners is the group that’s taking over and is familiar with the area being that it’s behind other restaurants and bars like HUB Restaurant & Creamery and Playground Bar & Lounge.
“We are deeply grateful that they created the very special space, community, and integral part of Downtown Tucson’s landscape known as Good Oak,” Loveblock Partners shared on Facebook.
For more information, read the full article.
Earlier this year, La Indita shared that they’re currently talking with landlords at two possible locations — one located on Fourth Avenue and the other near Menlo Park.
It’s not always cheap when moving from one location to another, and it wasn’t for the La Indita family since they were in the same building for so long. However, with the help from the Tucson community, the family-owned restaurant received loving support in the form of GoFundMe donations.
For more information, read the full article.
The neon signs, pin-up wallpaper, cocktails, and bar dishes made their debut in early December 2021 — just in time to open up before the end of the year.
The retro-style lounge has lots to choose from on the menu, like the Devils On Horseback, which are bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with herbed goat cheese.
For more information, follow the Jackrabbit Lounge on Facebook.
Back in March 2020, Jo Schneider and her two sons Eli and Ben temporarily shut the doors to TallBoys, but then created the new concept dubbed as LaCo — meaning “Love and Community” — in November 2020.
“We had a beautiful soft opening and are so excited to welcome the community back into LaCo and TallBoys,” said Ben Schneider.
For more information, read the full article.
The Landing moved into the location that previously housed Chuy’s Mesquite Broiler. The owners, Doug Finical and Scott Mencke, had been working on the new spot since last spring, which is when they began construction on the interior.
Finical and Mencke, who have been friends since their University of Arizona days, opened Fini’s Landing in Tucson back in 2012. If you’ve been to the original location at 5689 N. Swan Rd. chances are you’ve gobbled up some of their fish tacos, burgers, spicy chicken wings, or bowls — expect the same goodness here.
For more information, read the full article.
Little Love Burger is a new restaurant concept from Loveblock Partners, and they put some intention behind the origins of the name. They wanted to replicate the feeling that comes with sitting around a table, enjoying good company, and eating a great burger.
“We’re being asked why did we do a hamburger spot in the first place,” said Nick Fox of Loveblock Partners. “We all remember being a kid around a table or a bench in a park with family or friends and, you know, in that experience. You know you’re just experiencing that burger and laughing and having a great time. So, we wanted to really harness and create that special place where everyone can come together, grab a burger prior to shows at the Rialto, grab a quick breakfast sandwich or burrito before work, or, you know, possibly visit with the family and grab some milkshakes and explore downtown.”
For more information, read the full article.
After nearly 18 months of being closed, downtown Tucson’s Maynards officially reopened on Friday, August 27. With the grand reopening comes some new changes, too.
Executive chef Brian Smith is pumped to share the reimagined menu, along with some changes to the space and concept of the restaurant — alterations that old fans and newcomers should equally enjoy. Speaking of which, over the last few months, Smith and his team have been exploring the intersection of “local produce with global techniques” — a modern American take on regional fare.
For more information, read the full article.
The building previously housed Cody’s Beef ‘n Beans for more than 30 years and launched a new beginning with Maria Bonita Mexican Kitchen, which hosted its grand opening on Sunday, June 20. The 2009 recession arrived and the restaurant, which opened 20 years ago over at 5851 N. Oracle Rd., closed its doors back in 2011.
Ten years later, it’s ready to serve up its classic dishes again.
For more information, read the full article.
The spot previously housed Ragazzi Northern Italian Cuisine and has been under renovation for the past few months.
Noodleholics co-owner Claire Wang was born in Guangzhou, China and moved to the US in 1998. While her background is in education and linguistics, she yearned for a place that offered the food of her childhood. Tucson’s Chinese food scene is predominantly Sichuan, so she decided to open a restaurant with the Guangzhou and Guilin cuisine of her past.
For more information, read the full article.
In 2020, Bruno and his wife Krissy Girardi moved to Tucson from the state of Washington and are quickly turning the Perche’ No — meaning why not? — into a family-run restaurant. Once they moved to the Old Pueblo, other members of the family soon followed.
As far as dishes go, they’ve got a lot to be proud of and they’re excited to share all of them.
“We have a good blend of both traditional and contemporary Italian dishes and we’re always updating our specials with new and exciting choices,” said Krissy Girardi. “The yumminess doesn’t stop at dinner either. Bruno makes our tiramisu, chocolate mousse, and creme caramel in-house and we will also have Italian sorbet served in the fruit itself.”
For more information, read the full article.
With the new opportunity, Peter Yucupicio, owner of Pops Hot Chicken, has some big plans for his first standalone brick-and-mortar restaurant.
“We’re expanding our menu, too,” said Yucupicio. “We’re going to be offering more breakfast and brunch items at the new location, which will still have our southwest take on southern-style flavors.”
For more information, read the full article.
The new spot, which is a 100-year-old building, used to be a gas station named Jerry’s back in the 1920s, and converting it into an additional Presta location has been a three-year project for owner Curtis Zimmerman.
“Inside, the building has history on the walls and kind of still has the same structure,” said Zimmerman. “I’ve always wanted to have like a ‘gas station coffee shop’ but still keep it in the theme of vintage.”
For more information, read the full article.
Reilly North quietly opened its doors right next to Tap & Bottle North on Sunday, August 1, giving visitors the option to grab a drink while they wait for their pizza to go.
“We’ve had a really warm welcome from Tap & Bottle next door,” said Courtney Fenton, General Manager of Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink. “We’re doing a lot of takeout for them which is wonderful and things are just ramping up. The menu is identical to the downtown location except for the beer and wine list. Then we’re also offering soft-serve ice cream at the North location, which we don’t have downtown.”
For more information, read the full article.
If ordering in your car isn’t your cup of coffee then you can stop by the original location from 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. daily at 9665 N. Thornydale Rd., Suite 110. The shop opened up on the northwest side of town back in 2004, serving hand-crafted espresso and coffee drinks, smoothies, Italian sodas, sandwiches, and pastries.
The new drive-thru’s hours on Wetmore are 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Monday – Friday and 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
For more information, read the full article.
On the menu, you’ll find appetizers such as Tzatziki, Fried Calamari, and Skordalia, while a few of the traditional Greek dishes include Braised Lamb, Roasted Chicken, and Soutzoukakia, which is a Greek meatball dish served with rice, fries, or pasta.
The opening comes just a couple of months after Fronimo’s Greek Café closed its doors 25 years after opening up on Speedway. The owners are currently on the hunt for a new location to settle into.
For more information, read the full article.
Owners Erika and Jake Muñoz signed the lease to the location last year, which is located at 9740 N. Oracle Rd., and had officially broken ground back in April 2021.
The new spot comes equipped with a full bar to complement its familiar and regional Mexican cuisine — available for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks made for any time of the day. Everything on the menu is prepared in-house and made to order with fresh, locally sourced ingredients such as handmade tortillas and fire-roasted salsas.
For more information, read the full article.
The cafe, which is a play on words for Snakes and Ladders, opened its first U.S. location in Tempe back in 2018 and has since opened up another in Chicago. Tucson is the newest location and it should easily fit in on Main Gate Square.
The menu offers variants of coffee, cocktails, draft beer, and wine. Additionally, there’s an abundance of dining options, like burgers, wraps, mac and cheese, flatbread pizza, salads, and desserts.
For more information, read the full article.
It’s been a productive year for Chef Maria Mazon of BOCA Tacos y Tequila on Fourth Avenue, and while she wasn’t busy competing on Top Chef or being a part of pop-up dinners, she’s put together a bodega and tortilla shop just behind her restaurant.
The market portion of SONA Tortillas De Maiz Y Bodega is hosting its Grand Opening at 527 N. Fourth Ave. on Friday, December 10. The tortilla shop within the space is planning to open sometime in the next couple of months.
For more information, read the full article.
Chef Riley Chandler is not your traditional chef.
While he’s plenty knowledgable and skilled with traditional techniques and methods, Chandler has charted his own unique path that has allowed him the freedom to explore all things culinary his own way. It’s this path that has led to Stancato’s Italiano Sonoran, a delivery-focused restaurant operating out of a “ghost-kitchen.”
If you’re not familiar with the term ghost-kitchen, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a cooking space that you’ll never visit but can still order food from for delivery.
For more information, read the full article.
When it comes to tacos, you’ve got your choice of Carne Asada, Chicken, Pastor, Tripa, Shrimp, Fish, and Bean on homemade soft corn or flour tortillas. Each of the tacos are ordered a la carte comin’ hot at $3.50 each. Additionally, they’ve got specialties like the Chicken Tinga and Rancho Seasoned Asada at $4 a taco.
If you’re craving more than just a few tacos during your visit, consider grabbing an order of the Chile en Rajas, which is roasted poblano chiles, cut into strips and cooked with corn, cream, and cheese.
For more information, read the full article.
Around Tucson, he’s known simply as “Lindy” and made a name for himself with his first burger-focused restaurant, Lindy’s on 4th. Although he hasn’t been involved with the restaurant for years now. He’s going for something different, though, with Thunder Bacon Burger Co. He looked to both new and old sources for inspiration like the former Tucson burger stand Shari’s Drive-In and Los Angeles’s Tripp Burger.
“It’ll be diner-style burgers,” said Reilly. “And it will be a small and simple menu.”
For more information, read the full article.
Toast 101 is a concept brought to life by co-owners Amanda Kim and Kalvin Jarvis. Jarvis recently competed on the reality television show The Voice, but now the pair is excited to have their French toast, bubble waffles, coffee, and other brunch items take center stage.
Other items you’ll find on the menu include their Biscuits and Gravy, which come with housemade pepper gravy and four sausage patties, S’mores French Toast, mimosas, bloody mary, nitro cold brew coffee, strawberry cream soda, and kombucha.
For more information, read the full article.
“I’ve been in the business for 23 years,” said Shah. “I’ve seen tea transform people’s lives. I’ve seen people’s health improve because it’s so good for you. If you come to the window for five minutes, I’ll give you something and it’s healthy.”
Within the menu, you’ll find that the tea is available as still, sparkling, or snow — snow cones, that is.
“The snow cones are ridiculous. We invested in a new water filtration system, so our ice is beautiful and small. I mean, it may be the next level.”
For more information, read the full article.
Once the Cricket Wireless store packed its bags and left, Travis and William Miller wasted no time knocking down the wall of Craft, A Modern Drinkery — which they also own — to make the changes. Now, it’s a perfect union of craft beer and wine accompanied by rectangular deep dish pizza, pasta, salads, and other tasty bites.
Transplant Pizza has doubled Craft’s real estate by adding 2,300 square feet, with new astronomical murals and a wrap-around outdoor patio with enough space for small games outdoors.
For more information, read the full article.
For nearly 30 years, Bud Sayso has owned and operated two Khao San locations in Portland, Oregon, and now he’s been treating the same concept to Tucsonans since its opening on Campell Ave. Tuk Tuk Thai’s first Tucson location is over at 2990 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 130.
The midtown spot has been up and running since September 2020.
For more information, read the full article.
After its grand opening of to-go and delivery only, the eastside restaurant Zio Peppe is opening up its dining room and patio on Tuesday, June 1.
Those who have ordered food to-go during the restaurant’s first month have been able to admire the facade, but local chefs and owners, Devon Sanner and Mat Cable, are pumped for guests to get a good look at the interior of their “culinary bromance” concept.
For more information, read the full article.
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...
