For the second consecutive year, the Salsa, Tequila & Taco Challenge is returning to El Conquistador in Oro Valley — featuring more than 30 participating restaurants from Tucson and the Southwest region.
The big event, hosted by the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA), is happening on Saturday, August 24 at 10000 N. Oracle Rd., which is one of the most stunning resorts here in Tucson.
“El Conquistador has been in the Tucson community for quite some time now,” said Jonathan Kupper of El Conquistador. “We are proud to say that we have been a AAA four-diamond resort for 40 consecutive years. We are extremely excited to host the Salsa, Tequila, and Taco Challenge for the second year in a row!”
This event combines culinary artistry, live music, captivating entertainment like live lucha libre wrestling, live artist painting, and rich local culture, making it one of Southern Arizona’s most colorful summer food festivals.
This year, SAACA is introducing a new judging category: “Ready to Drink Cocktails.” The category highlights “innovation and creativity in the cocktail scene.” Additionally, due to a record number of entries for mezcal compared to tequila, they are renaming the “Grand Reserve Category” to “Best Agave Spirit.”
General Admission tickets are $100 per person (VIP tickets are already sold out), which includes salsa, tequila, and taco samplings from participating restaurants and purveyors.
“Chef David Martinez of Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails at El Conquistador will be featuring a Smoked Lamb Barbacoa Taco and Grilled Peach Habanero & Hibiscus Salsa,” said Kupper.
“I’ve always loved the flavor of lamb and have a great affection for smoking foods, so I figured, why not both,” said Chef Martinez. “We’ll be using lamb legs for this dish which is seared, smoked, and braised to get the consistency we want. The flavors consist of various chiles and spices that you’ll absolutely fall in love with!”
“We’ll be pairing the barbacoa with pickled jicama and tangy pineapple pico,” Chef Martinez added. “This year’s salsa is a grilled peach habanero and hibiscus salsa that’ll be just as memorable as the tacos. All flavors should be an incredible experience we strive to capture here at El Conquistador!”
“And finally, our pastry team led by Chef Dawn Garcia-Webb, will be creating another sweet taco this year called the Chipotle Chocolate Taco,” Kupper added. “The bakeshop took home two trophies last year for their Dulce de Leche Taco, and hope for a repeat win this year as well! We are all excited to participate again and have Chef David add his creativity to the menu.”
And, the rest of the menus have been revealed for the ultimate culinary trifecta — the Salsa, Tequila & Taco Challenge. Keep scrolling to check them out!
Participants 2024 Menus
Tucson Tamale
- Colette’s Tomatillo Salsa
- Birria Taco
Desert Forager
- Prickly Pear Tepache, Limeade & Sorbet
[POPPED] Artisan Popcorn
- Various flavors of Artisan Popcorn
Dante’s Fire
- Carrot Habanero Salsa
- Peach & Nopales Margarita
- Nashville Hot Chicken Taco
Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar
- Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa Verde
- Chile de Arbol Salsa Roja
- Redbird Margarita
- Quesabirria Taco
Scratching the Plate
- Charred Tomatillo, Corn & Nopales Salsa
- Mesquite Smoked Rabbit Machaca Taco
Dirty T Tamarindo
- Locally Made Spicy Candies and 3 Flavors of Rim Dips
Isa Bey LLC
- Isa Bey Mediterranean Salsa
VMC
- Ready to Drink Margarita
- Ready to Drink Paloma
- Ready to Drink Jamaica
Canción Tequila
- Reposado Tequila
The Garden Bistro at Tohono Chul Park
- Fermented Fresno Chile-Fresh and Charred Tomato Salsa
- Smoked Chile Infused Tequila Milk Punch
- House-made Blue Corn Carne Seca Taco
Hacienda at the Canyon
- Pasillas Salsa
- Tropic Thunder Tamarind and Watermelon Tequila Cocktail
- Monsoon Heat Fried Beef Taco
Borderland Spirits
- Mazot Bacanora Blanco
- Batuq Bacanora Blanco
- Batuq Bacanora Reserva – Puro Capon Viejo
- Mazot Bacanora Uvalama
- Mazot Bacanora Anisado
- Mazot Palmilla
- Sierra Sonora Prickly Pear Distillate
Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen
- Amelia’s Molcajete Salsa
- Mesquite Smoke Tomatillo Salsa
- Yecora Night Cocktail
- Santa Rosa Cocktail
- Amelia’s Governor Shrimp Taco
El Cisne Restaurant
- Salsa Tatemada en Molcajete
- Chipotle Aioli
- Flor del Cisne Cocktail
- Hush Pepper Shrimp Taco
Barnyard Crafthouse and Eatery
- Salsa Chiltepin
- Salsa Ranchera
- South of the Barn Mai Tai
- Baja Fish Taco
Casa Asada Taquería y Cervecería
- Salsa Negra
- Margarita
- Carne Asada Taco
Pabst Brewing Co.
- Ready to Drink El Jimador
Fork & Fire Smokehouse + Taproom
- Blue Agave Bonfire Cocktail
Cayman Jack Margarita
- Ready to Drink Margarita
White Claw Tequila Smash
- Ready to Drink Cocktail
Ranch House Grill and Brewery
- Fire Roasted Serrano Peach Salsa
- Purple Viper Tequila Cooler
- Casa Rancho Brisket Taco
Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit Tea
- Locally Crafted Ready to Drink Cocktail
La Botana Tacos
- Cinco De Chile Salsa
- The Five Oh One Salsa (500 chiles to 1 tomato…a spicy experience!)
Heineken USA
- Dos XX Chelada Ready to Drink Cocktail
- Dos XX Chelada Pineapple Ready to Drink Cocktail
St. Joseph’s Hospital
- Cruzitas Salsa
- Lady in Red Cocktail
- Taco Caribe
El Conquistador Tucson
- Habanero Peach Salsa
- El Pajaro de Oro House-infused Honeycomb Tequila Cocktail
- Smoked Lamb Barbacoa Taco
- Chocolate Chipotle Taco
Ray’s Liquor Republic / Dos Pasiones Mezcal
- Tepeztate
- Espadin
- Tobala
- Margarita
- Mojito
Whiskey Del Bac
- Whiskey Tastings
Saint Charles Tavern
- Tequila Cocktail
More about El Conquistador
If you’re visiting El Conquistador any other day of the year, they have multiple dining options on-site.
Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails is their main restaurant for dinner service and the Sundance Café serves breakfast and lunch. Both have patios that back up to the Catalina Mountains — extraordinary views galore. Also, there’s a restaurant and poolside bar named Desert Springs, and then The Colibri Lounge is another welcoming spot to grab a cocktail or local craft beer.
For grab-and-go, there’s an actual spot named Grab & Go. It’s open daily for all of your coffee needs made from local coffee roaster Decibel Coffee Works.
Salsa, Tequila, & Taco Challenge is taking place at El Conquistador, 10000 N. Oracle Rd. For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit saaca.org.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
