[Editor’s note: Ghini’s French Caffe hosted the Tucson Foodie team to try a few of these dishes. The Sonoran Spiced Dulce de Leche Banana French Toast my favorite; I was too eager to eat it and forgot to photograph it. Stay tuned to the Tucson Foodie Instagram page for a Reel with it.]
Ghini’s French Caffe, located at 1803 E. Prince Rd., launched a new French-Mexican menu that blends Provençal cooking with Sonoran flavors.
“This menu is a love letter to our French roots and to the Sonoran home that has embraced us for over 30 years,” owner Coralie “Ghini” Satta said.
Together, the dishes reinterpret French brunch classics while honoring the café’s culinary identity. As a result, the menu highlights both French tradition and Sonoran ingredients.
A French-Mexican menu rooted in Tucson
Satta describes the new menu as thoughtful and personal rather than trend-driven. The dishes combine French cooking traditions with bold Southwestern ingredients.
The restaurant plans to feature the French-Mexican menu alongside seasonal offerings throughout the year.
Highlights from the Ghini’s French-Mexican menu in Tucson
The new brunch menu blends French comfort dishes with Sonoran staples. Several dishes incorporate house sauces, farm eggs, and ingredients sourced from local bakeries.
Menu highlights include:
- Papas Provençal Breakfast Bowl (vegan option available) – oven-roasted Provençal potatoes, cumin black beans, and roasted red peppers. The bowl features scrambled farm egg and queso añejo, garlic crema, and red Frenchilada sauce.
- Huevos Francheros (vegan option available) – crispy French baguette topped with cumin black beans and roasted tomato confit. The dish includes farm eggs, queso añejo, garlic crema, and house chorizo drizzle.
- Croque Señor or Croque Señora (farm egg +$1) – a French-Mex twist on Croque Monsieur and Madame. Choose chorizo and egg, ham, or chicken layered with creamy béchamel, queso añejo, and chile rojo on La Baguette Bakery bread.
- Vegan Croque Señor – a vegan version filled with vegan chorizo, baby spinach, vegan queso, and chile rojo. The sandwich includes creamy vegan béchamel and a house chorizo drizzle on La Baguette Bakery bread.
Guests can add chorizo, bacon, or vegan chorizo for a brunch upgrade.
March specials at Ghini’s French Caffe
Meanwhile, Ghini’s also rolls out seasonal March specials that highlight Irish-inspired flavors and classic comfort dishes.
The specials run throughout the month alongside the new French-Mex menu.
- Irish Stout Onion Cheddar Burger with toasted caraway aioli (vegan option available) -Angus burger topped with slow-roasted onions and cheddar stout gravy. The sandwich includes toasted caraway aioli on a grilled La Baguette Bakery roll.
- Sonoran Spiced Dulce de Leche Banana Crêpes or French Toast – French crêpes or pain perdu filled with cinnamon butter–braised bananas. The dish features Sonoran-spiced dulce de leche, walnuts, whipped cream, and cinnamon.
- Cheddar Corned Beef Biscuit and Gravy Casserole – buttery biscuits tossed with corned beef, roasted onions, red peppers, and farm egg. The dish finishes with bacon-sausage gravy and roasted onion stout gravy.
- Green Eggs & Ham (vegan option available) – cured back bacon with scrambled farm egg, spinach, and cheddar. The dish includes basil infusion and comes with toast and a choice of side.
Lent specials available through early April
Ghini’s also offers a limited Lent menu through Saturday, April 4. The restaurant will close on Easter Sunday, April 5.
Lent specials include:
- Tuna Melt au Fromage – creamy tuna salad with three melted cheeses, tomato, and sriracha mayo on grilled French bread. Served with baby greens.
- Tuna Avocado Salad (vegan option available) – signature tuna salad with avocado, farm egg, roasted red pepper, and tomato with dill vinaigrette.
- Le Thon – yellowfin tuna salad with celery, onion, carrots, lettuce, and mayo on a French baguette with baby greens.
Seasonal drinks for March
The café also features festive drinks inspired by St. Patrick’s Day and Irish flavors.
- Irish Cream Coffees, iced or hot (Vegan Option, mocktail available) – Irish cream liqueur with Arbuckle’s Special Roast and cream, topped with whipped cream.
- Irish Mimosa (Vegan), $1 off March 17 through March 22 – Champagne with Irish whiskey and fresh-squeezed orange juice.
- Lucky Charms Iced Matcha (vegan option available) – ceremonial Japanese matcha with Irish cream syrup and milk, topped with whipped cream and Lucky Charms marshmallows.
- Irish Crème Espresso Martini (vegan option available, mocktail available) – Tucson Coffee Roasters espresso with Irish crème liqueur, shaken with cream and topped with Ceylon cinnamon.
Keep up with Ghini’s French Caffe on Instagram.
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.
