If you want to dive into Tucson’s food culture but you’ve only got ~24 hours, this guide is for you.
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First, stay at Hotel Congress. Really, you could spend a couple of days solely at the hotel’s restaurants and bars and have a nice time. But you don’t have to venture far to find additional options, since it’s centrally located in the heart of Downtown Tucson.
For example, you’re just steps away from HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery, which would be a great choice for lunch. They have multiple mac and cheese options, really good, housemade pastrami, and I don’t think you can go wrong if you throw a dart at the menu and order whatever it lands on.
From there, head south to Monsoon Chocolate Factory + Gift Shop. For $20, you can take a tour to see their whole small-batch, “bean to bar” process — chocolate tasting included!
Side note: This tour is not recommended for kids under 12. As we learned from Willy Wonka, children and chocolate factories don’t necessarily mix well.
After indulging in some chocolate, take an afternoon coffee break at Exo Roast Co., which embraces the same ethos of thoughtful sourcing, crafting an impeccable product, and caring for their customers and community as Monsoon Chocolate does.
Exo has two locations, but its Sixth Avenue shop will still be open come late afternoon. Enjoy a cuppa there or take it to go and wander the Fourth Avenue Historic District, window shopping along the way.
Once you’re ready for dinner, I’m sending you to Charro Steak + Del Rey. It’s an updated concept from the same family that has been running the venerable El Charro Café for more than 100 years. After they opened a steakhouse and then put their new seafood restaurant right next door, it quickly became apparent that customers didn’t want to choose between them. When they reopened for diners post-pandemic, they had combined their offerings into a single streamlined menu.
Return to Hotel Congress and catch some live jazz in the The Century Room. While you’re there, peruse their extensive library of agave-based spirits.
To have an excellent start to your day, all you need to do is go downstairs. Just off the Hotel Congress lobby is Cup Cafe. They serve up some Tucson favorites like cast iron baked eggs and Barrio Toast (grilled Barrio Bread, smashed avocado, lime juice, grilled tomato, two eggs, cracked black pepper, dressed mixed greens, and toasted almonds).
After breakfast, you’ll head towards Mission Garden, also known as “Tucson’s birthplace” to see heritage crops and learn about the different foods that have grown in this area for the past 4,000 years.
On the way, stop by Decibel Coffee in the Mercado District and grab a cold brew to go, which you can sip on as you explore the Garden’s paths.
When you’re ready for lunch, return to the Mercado District. There are lots of great options there, but my personal favorite is Seis Kitchen. Named for the six regions of Mexican cuisine that inspire its menu, there’s nowhere where the food is exactly like what you’ll find at Seis.
