Sonoran House Sam Hughes will celebrate its grand opening on Monday, July 28 at 2513 E. Sixth St. in Tucson’s historic Sam Hughes neighborhood. The new establishment combines a specialty coffee shop, local goods retail section, craft cocktail bar, and scratch kitchen under one roof. This marks the second location for the locally owned Sonoran House, which originally opened in August 2024 in midtown Tucson.
True to its roots, Sonoran House Sam Hughes serves sustainably sourced, house-roasted coffee and an extensive lineup of teas. The cafe quietly began pouring drinks in late June during a soft opening phase, giving residents a sneak peek of its brews and locally baked pastries.
The lounge area doubles as a shopping experience featuring works from more than 100 local artisans. Comfortable seating invites guests to relax, browse the retail offerings, and soak in the community vibe.
Now, Sonoran House is finishing up touches expanding beyond morning coffee into evening cocktails.
“Our bar is built around a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu that embodies Tucson,” Bedient said.
Bourbons and whiskey take center stage, complemented by a curated wine list and local beers on tap. The bar opens daily at 11 a.m. The shop now stays open until 9 p.m. to serve drinks into the evening.
In addition to the drinks, the Sam Hughes location features a market section with grab-and-go treats. Bedient noted that the market’s extensive beer, wine, and non-alcoholic selection often steals the scene from the snacks. Guests can expect a wide variety of beverages to choose from, even if they’re not drinking alcohol.
Sonoran House’s culinary offerings include house-baked breads, tapas and boards for sharing, greens and grain bowls, sandwiches, and seasonal meat and seafood plates.
While doing a test run of the kitchen, Sonoran House hosted the Tucson Foodie team for photos and a taste.
The menu includes a selection of tinned fish with house accoutrement and grilled sourdough. Additionally, they offer luxury with Royal Ossetra with either house-made kettle chips or Japanese milk bread toast points.
Agave nectar is bruleed atop the Bone Marrow, served with charred sourdough and prickly pear Guajillo jam.
In the Sonoran Shrimp Cocktail, blackened grilled tiger shrimp circle a glass filled with a lime broth with chiltepín, cucumber, avocado, pickled shallot, cherry tomato, fire-roasted corn, pasilla pepper, and cilantro. Use the house tostadas for a ceviche-like experience.
Boards are available in both small and large.
Executive chef Gabriella “Gabby” Alba helms the kitchen; the hire followed a statewide search that drew more than 200 applicants. Alba previously served as the chef de cuisine at the La Paloma Country Club. Sonoran House chose her for her exceptional baking skills, strong dessert background, deep knowledge of proteins, and eye for beautiful plating.
“She is all about local, which is the essence of Sonoran House,” Bedient said.
The grand opening of Sonoran House is part of a larger collaboration at the historic Sixth Street building. The space was formerly home to Flora’s Market Run from 2021 to 2025, while Rincon Market held the space from 1926 to 2020. Now it houses Sonoran House and the upcoming Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar as part of The Village at Sam Hughes. Redbird offers its own menu of comfort classics and craft cocktails.
Sonoran House Sam Hughes is located at 2513 E. Sixth St. and is open daily from 7 a.m.–9 p.m., while the bar and kitchen open at 11 a.m. Keep up with Sonoran House Sam Hughes on Instagram.
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