‘LoveFood’ Names Tucson the Best Foodie City in Arizona

Roasted Carrots at Tito & Pep (Photo by Jackie Tran)

‘LoveFood’ Names Tucson the Best Foodie City in Arizona

May 2, 20241 min read

LoveFood.com, an online publication based out of the United Kingdom, has chosen 50 of the Best Foodie Cities in Every U.S. State and Tucson has come out on top.

I mean, we all knew this to be true but word continues to spread about the city’s grub.

We’re not talking about Sweet Tomatoes or Raising Cane’s either! Sure, the lines may be wrapped around the building, and cars are piling up in certain drive-thrus, but our local food scene is where Tucson deserves its recognition.

“As one of only two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the United States (the other being San Antonio), Tucson has a food scene that packs a punch,” said Jacqui Agate of LoveFood. “The city’s rich food heritage comes from Native American and Sonoran Mexican influences, and there are endless restaurants where you can experience it for yourself.”

Tito & Pep (Photo by Jackie Tran)

“Try Italian-Sonoran fusion food at Zio Peppe (think elote arancini, and mushroom risotto with smoked poblano peppers), or tuck into contemporary Southwestern plates at Tito & Pep — a favorite here is the posole verde (a traditional Mexican stew). Said to be the nation’s oldest Mexican restaurant, El Charro Cafe is also not to be missed.

Tucson is on the list with other impressive food cities like San Diego, California, Boston, Massachusetts, Chicago, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, and New York City, New York.

For a list of all 50 cities, visit lovefood.com.

Get out there and support local!

Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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