‘The Monica’ officially opens its downtown kitchen, bar & patio

Flores Concepts, the culinary group that’s been serving up delicious bites El Charro Café and multiple other restaurants, is ready to add another one to the impressive list in downtown Tucson.

The family of restaurants has opened its new innovative kitchen and patio, The Monica, at 40 E. Congress St., which is in the Hexagon building.

Chef Carlotta Flores calls the new concept a “collection of family recipes from around our table and the tables in our community curated and co-developed by our amazing team of chefs and food-loving professionals.”

That’s exactly what it is, too, being that they’ve gathered recipes from several chefs involved in the El Charro family, as well as a host of others that are known for their scratch cooking and family recipes. However, The Monica isn’t solely a Mexican-centric kitchen.

One of the collaborators in this new venture is Don Guerra of Barrio Bread, who’s also co-owner of Barrio Charro with Carlotta Flores. Whether it’s picking up one of Guerra’s artisan loaves or ordering a Barrio Bread Baguette Pizza, you’re in for a treat.

Roma-Style Pizzas and Hand-Pulled Pizzettas are also available — made with heritage Barrio grains and flour, local ingredients, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh toppings of your preference.

All together, you’ve got the option to order from one of the Pantry Recipes menus, which include Barrio Breakfast Toasts and Tartines, Pesto & Papas, and Tamale Bowls, or the Plated Recipes menus that feature the likes of Albondigas Béchamel, Short Rib Rustico, Salmon Citron, and the Chicken Pesto Baguette.

Inside the restaurant, there’s a private dining room area, a local craft retail shop offering downtown lifestyle necessities, open floor indoor seating, a spacious patio, and a full-service bar.

When it comes to the full-service bar, there’s a lot to choose from. It caters to those looking for a coffee or tea and then also to the folks that are looking for something a bit stronger — cocktails, local craft beer, and wine.

Plus, there’s a Happy Hour from 3 – 6 p.m. on Monday – Friday.

The name behind The Monica is a tribute to Monica Flin, the founder of Tucson’s oldest restaurant family. It’ll be Tucson’s first buffet and pantry-style kitchen that’s aiming to bring back a style of comfort, classic, and customized eating.

The hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sunday. The Patio Bar is open until 10 p.m. on Sunday – Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

The Monica is located at 40 E. Congress St. For more information, visit themonicatucson.com.