Best Things the Tucson Foodie Team Tasted in January 2025

Here’s a look back at what the Tucson Foodie team enjoyed during January!

Not only are these reminders of the dishes we ate, but they can also be a guide for your own decisions on what to eat here in Tucson.

Addie Ibarra

The Cork

6320 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

I hadn’t been to The Cork in years and what a mistake that was! I enjoyed everything from our calamari appetizer, which was served as a steak with butter sauce and not rings as in calamari rings, to the beef stroganoff entree and the delightfully light chocolate mousse.

Crooked Tooth Brewing

228 E. Sixth St.

As someone who partook in Dry January (for the most part), it was really refreshing (get it?) to be able to stop into so many of our favorite breweries and enjoy NA options. Crooked Tooth has awesome hot beverages like this Rosemary tea. I’ll be back to get it beyond January.

Rosemary Tea (NA) at Crooked Tooth Brewing (Photo by Addie Ibarra)

Bombolé

100 N. Stone Ave.

I’m a fan of handheld food. Bombolé has awesome Indian fusion empanadas. They’re jam-packed with filling and flavor.

Empanadas at Bombolé (Photo by Addie Ibarra)

Cafe Cariño

831 E. 17th St.

Cafe Cariño just opened up inside Slow Body Co. So you can head there for a breakfast coffee and stay for a lunch beer. It’s truly the best thing to happen to me.

Hammbone’s

2027 S. Craycroft Rd.

The pot roast at HamBones was for one, enough to feed me multiple times — a great value — and secondly, it’s melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Oh, and the mashed potatoes? Unsung heroes.

Pot roast at Hammbone’s (Photo by Addie Ibarra)

HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery

266 E. Congress St.

The new gnocchi dish at HUB is served with a lovely pillow of ricotta and served with a delicious meat sauce. I can’t wait for the restaurant to be open to enjoy this consistently.

Gnocchi at HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery (Photo by Addie Ibarra)

CJ Hamm

Zio Peppe

6502 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

I have been to Zio Peppe a ton of times. How the calamarrones eluded me until my most recent visit, I don’t know, and I will never forgive myself. It is my absolute favorite dish in Tucson at the moment.

Being a place that fuses Italian and Sonoran food, to combine pork rinds and calamari is beyond brilliant. The salty porky goodness of the chicharrónes pairs perfectly with the brininess of the squid. Add the sweet and sour citrus pieces, a macha aioli (genius in its own right), and fresh herbs, and you have a complete grand slam of an appetizer.

Calamarrones (Photo courtesy of Zio Peppe)

Frankie’s South Philly Cheesesteaks

3780 W. Ina Rd. #184

Sure I miss seeing and talking with the man himself, Frankie. However, the current owners in the current location continue to satisfy my craving for the best sandwich ever created, the South Philly Cheesesteak. I can’t get up that far often enough, but if anything brings me within 10 miles of Frankie’s, I am popping in there and eating this bad boy.

South Philly Cheesesteak at Frankie’s (Photo by CJ Hamm)

BruceDog

5975 W. Western Way Cir. #109

This one is both nostalgic and still a delicious masterpiece. I frequented Mr. Bruce himself at his cart on East Speedway hundreds of times. He had retired and moved out of the country at some point, but I still kept in touch with him. I was shocked when he told me he was moving back and opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant. I never made it to the location, and unfortunately, Brucey (as we called him) passed on. However, his legacy and restaurant lives on!

While working my own booth at the SAVOR Festival, my fiancé saw that BruceDog was there and she remembered me speaking fondly of my visits. She immediately grabbed a hot dog and brought it to me.

Enough waxing poetic, let’s talk wiener. Steamed bun, all-beef Vienna hot dog, blazing hot chiltepin chili beans, Israeli salad on top! Divine!

a plate of food with a hot dog — “The Brucedog” (Photo courtesy of Brucedog)

Hannah Hernandez

Haute Coffee

2905 E. Skyline DR.

Lavender latte at Haute Coffee.

Watch my reel.

Le Buzz

2930 N. Swan Rd.

Blue Corn Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes at Le Buzz.

New vegan pancakes at Le Buzz (Photo by Hannah Hernandez)

Zayna Mediterranean Restaurant

1138 N. Belvedere Ave.

Whenever I get Zayna’s to-go, I always add a side of dolmas to eat up in the car before heading to my next stop. I love them so much.

Dolmas at Zayna Mediterranean Restaurant (Photo by Hannah Hernandez)

Jackie Tran

Samurai Sombrero

1439 S. Fourth Ave.

I often find myself craving the deathfreefoodie roll from Samurai Sombrero at least once a month. The kiss of char on the crunchy jalapeño and creamy avocado balance with the sweet-salty-umami sauce.

deathfreefoodie roll from Samurai Sombrero (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Forbes Meat Co.

747 S. Sixth Ave.

The lobster roll at Forbes Meat Co. hops in and out of availability often, so keep an eye out for its next return on social media. The simple preparation highlights the quality and natural sweetness of the lobster.

Lobster roll at Forbes Meat Co. (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Hammbone’s

2027 S. Craycroft Rd.

Hammbone’s porky collards have a tender, soft bite without being mushy. The acidity added is just enough to offset the bitterness of the greens and the richness of the pork.

Hammbone’s porky collards (Photo by Jackie Tran)

Matt Sterner

Transplant Pizza

4603 E. Speedway Blvd.

I used to only order the Detroit-style pies at Transplant Pizza, but now I’m all about the “bar style” pizza — they’re round instead of rectangular and not as thick. When I’m not craving marinara, I go for the chicken bacon pesto. It’s a pretty pizza topped with all that’s listed in its name, plus roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and a house ranch dressing.

Chicken bacon pesto (Photo by Matt Sterner)

Rocco’s Little Chicago

2555 E. Broadway Blvd.

“Boy, these wings burn! Dump a bucket of water on my head!” I’m pretty sure that’s what I said out loud before putting out the flames with a Rocco’s Export Lager (made locally by Button Brew House).