The local food truck Fatboy Sandos has been doing big things in Tucson and beyond since its inception in 2022 — they have an out-of-town location in Mesa (1920 W. Broadway Rd #103). In 2023, the team opened a location inside American Eat Co. at 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Their next move: serving out of the Park Place Mall‘s food court at 5870 E. Broadway Blvd.
“We are beyond excited to be spreading our wings and coming to the Park Place Mall food court,” said Rafael De La Cuesta of Fatboy Sandos. “Park Place mall is really coming into its own serving its local community, and we are super proud to be a part of it.”
The Fatboy Sandos crew is aiming to open inside the Park Place Mall’s food court by Friday, August 9.
This date is subject to change but keep up with the latest by following the restaurant on Instagram.
“We have grown and changed so much since we first opened back in our food truck days, and we are also bringing exciting new items to our menu as well,” said De La Cuesta.
In 2022, Fatboy Sandos made its food truck debut, often setting up shop in front of a former Office Max building on Broadway Boulevard. Raphael De La Cuesta, a now-Tucson native after moving here from Los Angeles, was inspired to bring Japanese “sandos” to the Southwest after watching videos on YouTube.
If you’ve yet to eat some of Fatboy Sandos’ creations, a sando is a popular snack that originated in Japan, known for its convenience and flavors.
Its defining characteristic is the bread used to make it. Sandos are typically made with milk bread, a spongy, perfectly square bread that’s usually cut thick. This bread, made with just a few simple ingredients—eggs, flour, sugar, yeast, and milk—gives sandos their unique texture and flavor.
Check out Mark Whittaker’s 2022 article, “Behold the Japanese-Inspired Sandwiches.”
Fatboy Sandos is located at 5870 E. Broadway Blvd., Park Place Mall. For more information, follow Fatboy Sandos on Instagram.
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.
