Carne Seca Combo Plate at El Minuto Cafe (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)

Don’t Worry, Tucson. El Minuto Cafe is Just Temporarily Closed


May 14, 2024
By Matt Sterner

We never enjoy telling folks that a local restaurant is closing but in this case, the closure is only temporary. Phew!

About two weeks ago, El Minuto Cafe temporarily closed its doors for a roof repair and other renovations throughout the building. The restaurant opened nearly 90 years ago and has survived freeway construction, urban renewal, and downtown revitalization.

El Minuto Cafe (Photo credit: Jackie Tran)

In other words, renovations here and there make sense for El Minuto Cafe. Juan Shaar first opened the restaurant’s doors in 1936, serving Sonoran-style Mexican specialties crafted with family traditions.

Renovations are two weeks in and Zulema Salinas, the restaurant’s co-owner/great-granddaughter of Shaar, was told the work would take about eight weeks. However, progress is truckin’ along faster than they predicted.

“So far it seems to be moving a lot quicker,” said Salinas. “We’re hoping that sometime in June we’ll be back up and open again.”

Stay tuned for the an official reopening date.

El Minuto Cafe is located at 354 S. Main St. For more information, visit elminutotucson.com and follow El Minuto Cafe on Instagram. Read our September 2019 article “Four Generations Serving Sonoran-Style Mexican Specialties.”

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