Grant & Alvernon area construction ends soon: here are four Tucson restaurants to revisit

Go Dim Sum, founded by Tucson restaurateur Jo Jo Chan, makes all-day dim sum accessible in a fast-casual setting on East Grant Road, filling a gap she noticed after years of running Jun Dynasty and Noodleholics. The counter-service format replaces the traditional steaming cart experience, letting diners choose dishes from a menu and have them brought to their table.

The siu mai, pork and shrimp dumplings, and the pork soup dumplings rank among the restaurant’s most popular items, followed closely by the Portuguese egg tarts and the barbecue pork pastry.

“Everything is glued together with the cheese. Everything is hot and fresh. It’s one of the most beautiful things ever. These caramelos are a work of art!” -Mark Wiens, Travel for Food

A dependable late evening option midtown, food truck Karamelo King now offers indoor seating in the former piñata store.

For a small upcharge, get your Sonoran hot dog bun toasted with melted cheese inside. But save room for the carne asada tacos or namesake Karamelo, a quesadilla with chopped carne asada.

Noodleholics offers authentic Chinese noodle dishes in a casual, contemporary space on East Grant Road. The dining room features simple modern design with counter ordering and comfortable seating for small groups. Natural light from street-facing windows brightens the clean interior and highlights house-made noodle bowls. The menu centers on house-made wheat noodles and regional Guilin rice noodles. Signature bowls include the Sizzling Garlic Noodles and the Guilin Spicy & Sour with choice of meats and tangy broth. Garlic cucumbers and salt and pepper fried wings complete popular orders. If you enjoy pork, order the Chaoshou Dumplings in a vinegary chili oil with garlic and scallions. View footage of our visit here.

Walk into Rancheros Carnicería and they immediately greet you like a regular. The cashier offers samples of their house-made chicharrones, carnitas, and shrimp ceviche. From the entrance, you can see the entire layout: an open kitchen, Mexican pantry staples and snacks, produce and salsas, a meat freezer, a meat dry-aging case, a hot bar stocked with tamales, and seating for dining in.

The menu features burros, breakfast burritos, tacos, birria, and soups. They will also cook any meat you choose from the butcher counter upon request, such as carne asada.