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Every day, Tucson Foodie gets tons of readers and by the end of the year, we’ve run out of fingers to keep track. Luckily, we’ve got online tools to help us in that department.
2024 was a big year for local restaurants, bars, and businesses. We saw a lot of grand openings, said goodbye to some local businesses, and hosted food-themed events and fancy dinners. Keep scrolling to revisit the most-read articles of the year.
This isn’t the first time the TV show “Bar Rescue” has come to Tucson to transform businesses in need. The Original Hideout got a makeover in 2018, the Billy Bar made its debut in 2021 (it used to be The County Line Lounge and Grille and Elbow Room)(all have since closed), and RJ’s Replays transformed into The Frozen Cactus.
The 20,870-square-foot store is smaller than most chain grocery stores we’re used to. For example, many supermarkets have up to 40,000 items and ALDI stores carry less than 2,000. Instead of dozens of aisles, ALDI usually only has five.
The new concept, found in the Mercado District at the ground level of the Monier Apartments, definitely has that nostalgic feeling of a pizza joint in New York City. There’s even a beautiful art installation hung up by Nick Georgiou — a New York-native artist who’s now working in Tucson. The piece was made specifically for Whole Slvce Pizza, too.
“Perhaps most famously, Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, giving credence to the region’s remarkable cuisine and dedication to Indigenous, Hispanic, and immigrant food heritage. The city also certifies restaurants that meet specific criteria, and many people visit Tucson just to experience the delicious food.”
“With over 28,000 votes, it was a close race, but Mango came out on top,” the fast-food sandwich shop shared on social media. “Thanks to everyone who voted. Mango now is an everyday flavor!”
“For an immersive experience in Arizona wine country, look no further than Los Milics Vineyards. Their Elgin tasting room is flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vines, and when it’s not too hot, their patio is a great place to sit and stay awhile with the whole family welcome, even dogs. They offer a second tasting room location in Scottsdale.”
The restaurant joins other local favorites like Beaut Burger, Decibel Coffee Works, Kukai, MiniBar, and Westbound in the outdoor shipping container complex. Back in 2022, Rollies would park its food truck at the Annex but now they’re moving into one of the on-site buildings/shipping containers.
Casa Madre is located just east of The Baffert inside the historic building at 119 E.18th St. The interior of the building has been undergoing some major renovations with the addition of a Himalayan rock salt wall. Not only does the Himalayan rock salt wall look beautiful aesthetically but it also brings a soothing, relaxing atmosphere to the dining room — it’s a Tucson first!
The space at the Ventana Village Shopping Center in the Foothills coincidentally used to house a Tuesday Morning — a national store that sold similar items. The space is right next to Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine, Blue Ice Gelato, the recently opened Banhdicted, and Tuk Tuk Thai.
The drive-thru lobster joint is an ode to Tony’s mother (Angie) who moved from Greece to Boston, Massachusetts and loved fried clams, broiled scrod, and lobster, of course. She even owned her own restaurants at some point in New England before passing away in March 2020.
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