Foodie 15: Souper-dee-duper soups that’ll keep you warm this winter

With shorter days and cooler evenings, it’s no wonder that the winter season is a popular time to enjoy a nice, warm bowl of soup.

Aside from being potentially jam-packed with nutrients (depending on the soup), which tends to be really helpful this time of year after immune systems have been run ragged throughout the year, they’re a great way to hydrate, stay full, and meal prep.

If you’re like Jerry Seinfeld and you believe soup is a full meal then keep on reading.

This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list and there’s simply an abundance of soups in Tucson which would deem that impossible. Some soups like pho and ramen, in fact, were so prevalent in our search for soup that we plan to create another Foodie 15 guide just for them so stay tuned.

The Coronet & Meyer Avenue Cafe

198 W. Cushing St.

Meyer Avenue Cafe and The Coronet currently have a Curried Carrot Soup ($10) with pistachio, olive oil, and coriander. If you’re looking for a non-vegan delight, order their Thai Mussels and Grilled Shrimp ($30) which is served in a sensational lemongrass coconut milk fumet, Thai chili, edamame, and green chickpeas broth.

For more information, visit coronettucson.com. 

Tran’s Fats Truck

Located in Hotel McCoy,720 W. Silverlake Rd.

No spoon required! The deliciousness of the pho-spiced filling in a Hong Kong wrapper is contained inside a dumpling wrapper. These are currently available as a Vegan Shroom and in a Brisket (both $15) version. Supplies are limited so make sure you place your order online early or head down to the Hotel McCoy and maybe check out their bar while you wait.

For more information, visit transfatstucson.com.

Goodness

2502 N. Campbell Ave.

There are classic combos like peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, and burger and fries, but nothing beats a Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup combo on a cold day. Goodness offers up its grilled cheese with white cheddar, provolone, basil, pesto, and balsamic on sourdough bread ($13).

For more information, visit goodnessfresh.com. 

Alafia West African Cuisine

1070 N. Swan Rd.

Don’t let 2022 end without having tried Alafia. This quaint restaurant packs a punch. They serve two different kinds of soup: Egusi and Goat Soup. Egusi consists of cooked greens with sesame, red palm oil, goat, and fish, served with rice or fufu (available vegetarian). The Goat Soup is served in a flavorful broth with fresh tomatoes and spices.

Alafia is BYOB, too!

For more information, follow Alafia West African Cuisine on Facebook. 

Polish Cottage

4520 E. Broadway Blvd.

The Polish Cottage has an eclectic array of traditional Polish soups. Try a bowl of Beet Soup (starting at $4.40), Pickle Soup (starting at $5.40), or Zurek (starting at $5.40), a Polish sour rye soup that is supposed to be really helpful for hangovers. *wink wink*

Pictured here is the Hunters Stew ($17.80), a hearty stew with sauerkraut and cabbage along with beef, pork, and chicken.

For more information, visit polishcottageaz.com. 

Red Light Lounge at The Downtown Clifton Hotel

485 S. Stone Ave.

We love a revolving soup menu, especially one that features chicken soup with green chili dumplings which are perfect for cold, rainy days.

For more information, visit downtowntucsonhotel.com. 

Istanbul Mediterranean Cuisine & Bar

2945 E. Speedway Blvd.

Istanbul has a medley of Mediterranean soups! Try their Lemon Chicken, Lentils, Turkish Red Lentil, and Vegetable Soup – all served with Pita Bread. All options are $6.95.

For more information, visit istanbultucson.com. 

Cafe Desta

758 S. Stone Ave.

If you’re at Cafe Desta, start with their Shorba ($8.50), a vegan soup made from red lentils, carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and orzo. You can make it un-vegan by adding lamb or beef ($11). The soup is served with Ambasha, their own homemade bread.

For more information, visit destacafe.com. 

The Tasteful Kitchen

Order Online

The Tasteful Kitchen has moved out of their brick and mortar location and has evolved into a weekly meal service featuring modern vegetarian cuisine. Every week on their menu, they offer a Soup of the Week.

For more information, visit thetastefulkitchen.com. 

Birrieria Guadalajara

304 E. 22nd St.

What’s not to love about Birrieria Guadalajara? Their namesake, Birria ($9.50), is a mouthwatering delight. Their menu also features Posole ($8.25), Menudo ($9.50), Caldo de Queso ($8.25), and Jugo de Birria ($3.95), which is just the Birria juice in all its brothy glory.

For more information, visit orderbirrieriaguadalajara.com.

Beyond Bread

Multiple Locations

True to its name, the menu extends way beyond bread. In fact, they’ve got some tasty soups to boot.
Pair your sandwich with a side of Tomato Basil (starting at $3.75), Chicken Tortilla (starting at $3.75), and in the spring and fall, they even offer a Gazpacho (starting at $3.75).

For more information, visit beyondbread.com. 

Mariscos Chihuahua

Multiple Locations

Mariscos Chihuahua has got you covered in the seafood soup department. With options like the Caldo de Camaron ($12.45), Caldo de 7 Mares ($12.95), and Albondigas de Camaron ($12.95), they provide a variety of seafood in soup broth options, a healing blend after a night out.

For more information, visit mariscoschihuahua.com.

Wild Garlic Grill

2870 E. Skyline Dr.

Wild Garlic Grill has a San Francisco Pier Stew ($MP) on the menu with white fish, shrimp, mussels, roasted peppers in a garlic tomato basil, and chardonnay broth. It’s the perfect kind of pick-me-up!

For more information, visit wildgarlicgrill.com. 

Del Cielo Tamal

3073 N. Campbell Ave.

Del Cielo Tamal offers many deliciously vegan alternatives including soups. They serve traditional Chicken Tortilla Soup ($10) with fried Juliana corn tortillas, avocado, and sour cream and also serve a vegan option ($9.50). They also serve both beef ($12) and vegan ($10.50) Birria soup options.

For more information, visit delcielotamales.com. 

Penca

50 E. Broadway Blvd.

Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Penca serves their Pozole Blanco con Guajolote ($10) all year-round. This pozole is made with braised turkey, hominy, radish, lime, salsa de chipotle, and flour tortilla.

For more information, visit pencarestaurante.com.