Nestled in the Bear Canyon area on Tucson’s east side, Tandem American Eatery has established itself as a neighborhood favorite. Co-owners Patrick and Ayana Malarchik blend house-made comfort food with a commitment to community.
While the restaurant features a bicycle logo in a nod
“It wasn’t really initially about the bicycle,” Patrick said. “It just kind of evolved into that when we came up with a logo and stuff like that. But we like the concept of front of house and back of house working together. Food, pairing with beer, wine, and it takes two sides to make the machine work.”
Before opening Tandem in Tucson, the couple spent six years building a reputation in Sierra Vista. Their first concept, The Outside In, eventually evolved into Tandem before the building was sold to developers. Tucson was always the goal.
“My wife was born and raised here,” Patrick said. “I spent most of my career here, so we’re always kind of wanting to move back. We love Tucson.”
The restaurant’s location helped kickstart their Tucson chapter. The space was previously outfitted, minimizing build-out costs.
“We thought it was a really cute location fit our concept,” said Patrick. “The place was ready to go and matched our concept perfectly. There’s a bar side and a formal dining side — it fits the ‘tandem’ idea.”
A central bar features dark wood base and polished countertop, surrounded by black barstools. Overhead pendant lights cast a soft, inviting glow over the dinging tables. Navy blue wainscoting lines the walls with minimalist décor.
“One of us is always in the building,” he said. “I get here every day when we’re open at 8 a.m. making fries and chips, preparing sauce from scratch, braising meats, smoking bacon. Kind of just making sure it’s true food, true cooking from the ground up.”
Popular dishes include:
While Tandem leans into comfort classics, they accommodate dietary needs. Many of their dishes ingredients start vegan, so guests can just communicate and Tandem will accommodate accordingly.
One item holds a special place on the menu — the BLT.
“In 2015, we were working at Union Public House, and we competed in the first Arizona Bacon Fest,” Patrick said, “That’s when I first decided to make my own bacon from scratch. We actually took home the first prize. Bacon, lettuce, tomato, but just made really, really well. Homemade bacon, homemade aioli, fresh sliced tomato, a little bit of avocado on there”
Tandem’s ethos? Support local.
“Even if you don’t support us, go somewhere that the money stays in town,” he said. “You don’t have to go to a chain. You can get great food from Tucsonans who are going to live here and raise their families in the community.”
Plans for growth are simmering.
“We’re working on adding a patio,” said Patrick. “We want to find something that’ll fit the concept on the other side of town.”
Tandem American Eatery is located at 8864 E Tanque Verde Rd. Keep up with Tandem American Eatery on Instagram. For more information, visit tandemaz.com.
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