Flores Concepts, the culinary group that’s been serving up delicious bites El Charro Café and multiple other restaurants, is ready to add another one to the impressive list in downtown Tucson.
The family of restaurants has opened its new innovative kitchen and patio, The Monica, at 40 E. Congress St., which is in the Hexagon building.
Chef Carlotta Flores calls the new concept a “collection of family recipes from around our table and the tables in our community curated and co-developed by our amazing team of chefs and food-loving professionals.”
That’s exactly what it is, too, being that they’ve gathered recipes from several chefs involved in the El Charro family, as well as a host of others that are known for their scratch cooking and family recipes. However, The Monica isn’t solely a Mexican-centric kitchen.
One of the collaborators in this new venture is Don Guerra of Barrio Bread, who’s also co-owner of Barrio Charro with Carlotta Flores. Whether it’s picking up one of Guerra’s artisan loaves or ordering a Barrio Bread Baguette Pizza, you’re in for a treat.
Roma-Style Pizzas and Hand-Pulled Pizzettas are also available — made with heritage Barrio grains and flour, local ingredients, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh toppings of your preference.
All together, you’ve got the option to order from one of the Pantry Recipes menus, which include Barrio Breakfast Toasts and Tartines, Pesto & Papas, and Tamale Bowls, or the Plated Recipes menus that feature the likes of Albondigas Béchamel, Short Rib Rustico, Salmon Citron, and the Chicken Pesto Baguette.
Inside the restaurant, there’s a private dining room area, a local craft retail shop offering downtown lifestyle necessities, open floor indoor seating, a spacious patio, and a full-service bar.
When it comes to the full-service bar, there’s a lot to choose from. It caters to those looking for a coffee or tea and then also to the folks that are looking for something a bit stronger — cocktails, local craft beer, and wine.
Plus, there’s a Happy Hour from 3 – 6 p.m. on Monday – Friday.
The name behind The Monica is a tribute to Monica Flin, the founder of Tucson’s oldest restaurant family. It’ll be Tucson’s first buffet and pantry-style kitchen that’s aiming to bring back a style of comfort, classic, and customized eating.
The hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sunday. The Patio Bar is open until 10 p.m. on Sunday – Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.
The Monica is located at 40 E. Congress St. For more information, visit themonicatucson.com.
View this post on Instagram
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt 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.
