Sure, bars and restaurants near universities tend to highlight student budgets and tastes, but the University of Arizona area also caters to professors and visiting parents, from a bakery featuring French macrons to a new upscale Mexican dining room. In this guide, we’re concentrating on the area roughly from Broadway Boulevard and Euclid Avenue to Speedway Boulevard and Campbell Avenue.
That said, also near the University of Arizona is Fourth Avenue — chock-a-block with places to chow down and imbibe, but with its own distinctive vibe; check out our Essential Guide to Fourth Avenue Restaurants and Bars.
Agave House showcases a sleek, modern interior with high ceilings, dramatic lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The bar area features turquoise accents and a clean white counter, while the spacious dining room offers leather booths and a two-level layout. Outside, the vibrant patio with bright orange seating and a striking mural provides a lively spot for guests.
Popular dishes include the short rib tacos and queso fundido served with warm tortillas. With agave in the name, don’t miss out on the signature margaritas and mezcal cocktails.
Bacio Italiano offers a spacious, airy dining room filled with natural light from large industrial-style windows. The interior features warm wood accents, high ceilings, and a modern bar at the center with views of the busy Main Gate Square.
The restaurant is known for its pastas and Neapolitan-New York style pizza. Favorites include the creamy fettuccine alfredo with shrimp and the margherita pizza.
Berry Greens Juice Bar features a bright and airy interior. Light wood and white walls create a clean, minimalist aesthetic. They are best known for their wide variety of healthy acai bowls and fresh juices.
The Classic Acai Berry Bowl combines organic acai, banana, and mixed berries with almond milk. The Pitaya Dragonfruit Bowl features dragonfruit, strawberry, mango, and banana blended with coconut water.
Bourbon Bent earns its reputation as a modern country‑style dive bar in Main Gate Square. Its exposed brick, warm wood, neon accents and flat‑screen TVs create a welcoming, energetic atmosphere. A DJ booth and contemporary sound system livens things up on busy nights.
Local favorites include the chicken and waffle sliders, Steak Sandy, and baked mac and cheese.
Caffe Luce on University Boulevard offers a cozy and artistic atmosphere. Local artwork adorns the walls, creating a welcoming community feel. Both indoor and outdoor seating options are available for guests.
Their coffee leans towards medium and darker roast. The Aztec Mocha is a favorite among regulars. Reviewers often recommend their fresh pastries, including a moist and chocolatey vegan banana bread.
Cheba Hut features a distinct cannabis-themed atmosphere. Playful murals and counter-culture decor create a relaxed, casual vibe. The space offers a comfortable and quirky setting for a quick meal. This restaurant is well-known for its “toasted” subs and late-night munchies.
Favorites include the White Widow sub, featuring chicken, bacon, ranch, mushrooms, and provolone.
China Pasta House offers a humble and unassuming interior with some of the most affordable food in Tucson. This restaurant is best known for its authentic Northern Chinese “pasta,” specifically dumplings and hand-pulled noodles.
Highlights include the Cabbage & Pork Dumplings and the “Pork Steamed Buns,” which are actually soup dumplings. Regulars also enjoy the Scallion Pie and various noodle dishes like the Braised Beef Noodles.
Espresso Art Cafe’s front room provides an environment for casual coffee drinking and hookah. Behind a pair of double doors, a dimly lit speakeasy bar displays first‑edition books, antique sculptures, and 1920s carpentry. Art‑covered walls, cozy nooks and an inclusive events calendar (e.g. jazz nights, karaoke, trivia, and drag shows) provide a community feel.
Frog & Firkin serves as an energetic space at Main Gate Square to watch sports games. The festive design includes darts, pool tables and open‑air deck seating.
They offer pub‑style British fare and extensive collection of beer from around the world. The experience here is best enjoyed socially, so share some pesto and brie Green Fries and some Garlic Knots.
Gentle Ben’s features an industrial vibe with an open layout that flows to a shaded rooftop deck with city views and casual patio seating. The venue buzzes with energy from local college crowds and live sports on big screens, transforming into a club vibe on busy nights.
The Lizzy Salad with chicken, bacon, gorgonzola and honey‑basil vinaigrette is the longtime local favorite. Pork also has its following with the house Carnitas Tacos and Pulled Pork Sandwich with beer‑battered fries.
Jimmy’s Pita & Poke uses colorful desert-themed murals and playful artwork to energize its bright, casual dining space.
The fast-casual restaurant specializes in customizable pita sandwiches, poke bowls, rice bowls, and salads. For a lighter appetite, they also offer mini poke bowls.
Miss Saigon on Campbell Avenue features a modern, airy dining room with jade-hued walls, marble-like accents, and light wood flooring. Dark wood chairs and tables create a warm contrast, while potted plants and framed artwork add subtle decoration.
Regulars rave about the pho for its aromatic broth and tender cuts of beef. Other favorites include the shrimp spring rolls and vermicelli noodle bowls.
No Anchovies features an industrial-chic design with exposed brick, wood accents, and steel staircases connecting its two levels. Booth seating lines the walls under colorful lighting, while flat-screen TVs make it a lively hangout spot. The outdoor patio offers long communal tables with bright yellow chairs and heaters for year-round people-watching.
The restaurant is known for its pizza by the slice and late-night energy.
Noodies at presents a bright, casual interior with patterned tile floors, vibrant red booths, and green‑tiled accents. It exudes an inviting, relaxed ambiance ideal for pasta lovers.
The restaurant specializes in house‑made pasta, sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks, and rotating soft‑serve gelato flavors. Guests particularly praise the rigatoni with Bolognese sauce and fusilli in vodka or tomato‑basil sauce. Diners also recommend the meatball sub, cacio e pepe, and gelato milkshakes.
New York Pizza Department exhibits a casual, college‑town vibe inside a space within a residential neighborhood near the University of Arizona. Customers order at a counter before seating.
They offer New York–style pizza and jumbo slices large enough to fold in half. The Batman Bread features a combo of mozzarella, bacon, garlic, and jalapeño.
Hidden and tucked away upstairs at Main Gate Square, Oriental Express Restaurant has a no-frills casual interior.
They serve Chinese-American classics prepared quickly and in generous portions. Regulars also recommend the orange chicken, sesame chicken, beef and broccoli, and lo mein.
Scented Leaf Tea House on University Boulevard features a modern, botanical-inspired interior with lush greenery and hanging pendant lights. Wooden shelves showcase colorful tea products, while a textured mural wall and open seating create a welcoming environment. The space blends natural elements with industrial accents for a relaxed and creative vibe.
The tea house is known for its loose-leaf teas, teas on tap, and customizable drinks. Popular options include the lavender chai latte and iced green peach tea.
Screwbean Brewing offers a rustic, industrial vibe with exposed wooden beams and high ceilings. Edison bulbs hang above a spacious taproom furnished with wooden tables and chairs. The green-tiled bar area stands as a focal point.
They offer a rotating selection of small-batch beers, coffee, and tea.
Many hearts were broken back in December 2022 when 4 Seasons Restaurant permanently closed at 1423 W. Miracle Mile. Now, with a fresh name and new location, 4 Seasons is back in action as Seasons Eats at 1710 E. Speedway Blvd.
Many of the fan favorites have landed back on the menu, much like the Top of Siam: curry chicken and shrimp mixed with carrots, onions, pineapple, basil, and bell peppers.
Sunshine Wine offers a cozy adobe bungalow environment with soft lighting, inviting guests to linger. A central bar anchors the space, surrounded by shelves stocked with unique bottles, making it easy to sip and shop. In the adjoining dining room, artwork and windows lend light to quiet tables tucked away for conversation. Outside, a lush patio with yellow umbrellas, herb gardens, and a firepit welcomes sunset sips and neighborhood hangs.
Inside or outside, enjoy curated wines, draft cocktails, and local-centric small plates. Desserts like roasted wheat ice cream or sugar-preserved mulberry sherbet end the evening on a sweet note.
Time Market offers a warm, rustic ambiance with exposed wood beams, polished floors, and ample natural light. The space combines a café, bakery, and grocery store, creating a bustling yet cozy environment.
Known for its artisanal bread, wood-fired pizzas, and curated wine selection, Time Market has been a neighborhood staple since 1920. For an elegant sandwich showing off their artisanal bread, try the Tonno Capero on a baguette with yellowfin tuna, marinated fennel, Gaeta olives, and preserved lemon. Pair it with their timeless Kale Salad.
Trident Pizza Pub features exposed brick walls and wooden tables that create a warm pub vibe. Staff serve guests under mounted TVs and wood‑fired oven views. Outdoor patio seating opens toward Campbell Avenue just southeast of the University of Arizona.
Share a Buffalo Chicken pizza, Sausage Bianco pizza, and garlic knots.
Turkish Kebab House features a courtyard patio with umbrella‑shaded tables under trees and string lights. They also stay open until 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
Also, if Turkish Kebab House sounds familiar it’s because it used to be named Turkish Grill House, a restaurant that used to share the same building as Old Times Kafe. Try the Ali Nazik Kebab with roasted beef, eggplant, yogurt, butter, garlic, tomato, and jalapeño.
Woops features black and white furniture with Paris‑inspired flair for the interior.
Their French macarons star with flavors such as pistachio, dark chocolate, rose, and Nutella. However, also check out their almond croissant and spinach crème croissant sandwich.
Zing Zing’s specializes in the fiery cuisine of Hunan — Sichuan and unAmericanized Cantonese cuisine are also available. While you can be adventurous on the menu with Cold Chicken Gizzards and Pickled Chitterlings, the combo plate is a deal difficult to pass up.
Go with the Fast Food Combo with One Meat and One Vegetable and choose from the Panda Express-like heat lamp trays. Instead of super-sugary Orange Chicken and generic vegetables, Zing Zing’s offers options such as braised pork belly and stir-fried eggplant and peppers.
