A variety of food video creators chase chimichangas, Sonoran hot dogs, and iconic neighborhood staples across Tucson. These 10 picks mix national names and local voices, and showcase Tucson through a hungry lens on YouTube.
Use these videos as a watch list, then plan your own crawl. Tucson Foodie has local guides that pair well with this lineup, including:
- Best Sonoran Hot Dogs in Tucson
- Where to get your fill of Tucson’s iconic chimichanga (& a word on the origin)
- Time Market: Your local one-stop shop for flavors & purveyors
Tucson food scene videos: Big names, big bites
Thailand-based Mark Wiens brought global street-food energy to Tucson. In this particular video, he headed to El Charro Cafe with Tucson Foodie founder Adam Lehrman and spotlights the original chimichanga story. He often posts two videos per week, with travels around the world, but has several videos on Tucson.
Competitive eater BeardMeatsFood took on Old Times Kafe’s 24-egg omelet challenge with a record on the line.
In 2009, Man v. Food dropped into Lindy’s on 4th for the OMG Burger Challenge. The video leans into spectacle, but it also nods to Tucson’s bar-and-grill side.
Arguably the most well-known YouTube pizza reviewer, One Bite Pizza Reviews put Time Market on his One Bite scorecard.
Sonoran hot dogs, on repeat
Alton Brown revisits Tucson’s signature Sonoran dog conversation on camera. He frames it as a comeback tasting after earlier skepticism.
America’s Test Kitchen takes a road-trip approach to the Sonoran hot dog with Tito & Pep owner-chef John Martinez. Bryan Roof narrates the history, then hunts for standout versions in town. America’s Test Kitchen posts frequently across multiple series.
Tim Laielli delivers a fast, punchy Sonoran hot dog short inspired from Tucson. He takes some significant creative liberties, but thankfully, still with a favored result.
Local flavor, local camera work
Jennifer Davis-Paige, president and CEO of Boom Goddess Radio, host this up-and-coming series. She brings years of experience in media, public engagement, and global travel with her interviews with local chefs.
NEXT LEVEL w/ Michael & Shane visit San Xavier Mission for Indian fry bread. Catch them around town at food media events.
Welcome To Tucson Arizona rounds up Tucson’s iconic restaurants for newcomers and regulars. The channel mixes neighborhood guidance with food-forward recommendations. It posts new Tucson lifestyle videos throughout the year.
Self-promotion
While Instagram is Tucson Foodie’s social media forte, check out our YouTube channel too for some exclusive gems.
For an audio-only experience, listen to a podcast from James Beard Award-winning radio host Jennifer English. You can also listen to her recent shows with Shane here:
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
