Zio Peppe Celebrates 3 Years in Tucson With Limited-Time Dishes & Specials

Devon Sanner and Mat Cable are thrilled to announce the third anniversary of their Italian-Sonoran fusion restaurant, Zio Peppe.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 1! Zio Peppe’s festivities will begin at 11 a.m. and will remain open for an “extra hour of revelry,” seating until 10 p.m. at 6502 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

To celebrate, they’re offering food and drink specials that revisit their original menu and give a sneak peek at some exciting new dishes.

Three years ago, just as COVID restrictions were lifting and the dining public was eager to dine out again, Zio Peppe opened its doors. Cable and Sanner weren’t sure what to expect.

“We were a little surprised,” said Sanner. “When we were building out Zio Peppe and forecasting what the public wanted, we anticipated a more gradual return to dining out, and we built our concept for heavy take-out and delivery business. People were clamoring to dine in, though, so we quickly put a little polish on the dining room and opened it up.”

In celebration of the day, Zio Peppe will be bringing back a few dishes (for a very limited time) that were part of the opening menu.

“It’s a chance to celebrate what we’ve accomplished and to thank our loyal guests for getting us where we are,” said Cable.

Rigatoni Chiltepín Arrabbiata and Lasagne Sonorense (with poblano chile con queso, housemade beef chorizo, and chile colorado accented ricotta) will be on the menu. Also, they’ll have some cult favorites from their opening pizza menu like The Prickly Pickle (pickled cholla buds, nopales, pickled red onion, mozzarella, guajillo crema) and the Umami Tsunami (Bacio mozzarella, soy pickled shiitake mushrooms, shallot cream sauce, goat horn peppers, black garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano, and scallions).

The festivities will also include drink specials on Zio Peppe’s classic Limoncello Margarita, the debut of the Barbossa (a hibiscus, lime, and spiced rum punch), and the Amore Amaro (Amaro Nonino, bacanora, guajillo shrub, and mole bitters), and deals on selected bottles of wine.

Coming off consecutive wins in the Tucson Originals’ Pizza Throwdown, Best of Tucson Awards for Best Elote and Best Eastside Restaurant, being an OpenTable Diner’s Choice Award winner, being recognized as a Tucson City of Gastronomy Certified restaurant, and an appearance in the finals of Iron Chef Tucson, Sanner and Cable are in decidedly celebratory spirits.

“This anniversary party is an expression of thanks to the outstanding crew that has helped Zio Peppe’s evolution and the wonderful guests who’ve supported us and spread the gospel of Zio Peppe,” said Sanner.

As a reminder, Zio Peppe’s anniversary is on Saturday, June 1. The festivities start at 11 a.m. and the final seatings will be at 10 p.m.

Zio Peppe is located at 6502 E Tanque Verde. For more information about the restaurant, visit ziopeppeaz.com.