Local restaurant and breakfast staple, Gus Balon’s at 6027 E. 22nd St., will be hosting a visit from America’s Best Restaurants (ABR). The national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently-owned restaurants, is bringing its ABR Roadshow to the restaurant on Monday, February 5.
Popular dishes will be highlighted, along with an extensive on-camera interview with owners Kelli and Will Phillips about the restaurant’s special place in the community. Then, the episode will be aired on social media channels and online at a later date (TBD).
Here’s a little history about the restaurant: Balon, who passed away in 2007, opened his namesake restaurant with his wife Kay in 1965 after moving from the Midwest. Kelli, who grew up working in the family business, is his granddaughter.
The restaurant was nominated for inclusion on the ABR Roadshow by customer Penny Magiary, who noted that all the baked goods are homemade, the staff is friendly and the service is fast.
“With strong community ties and clientele that have been patronizing the restaurant for decades, Gus Balon’s offers a casual, diner-style setting, with hearty breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers, hot entrees, and 14 kinds of homemade pie listed on the menu,” America’s Best Restaurants shared — they’ve been doing their research before the big visit. “The enormous homemade cinnamon roll is a house specialty, as is Kelli’s Breakfast Sandwich (ham, cheese, egg, green chili, and jalapeño on grilled homemade bread) and the hand-breaded chicken fried steak.”
Gus Balon’s has had other national recognition recently, too. The restaurant was recognized earlier this year as the “Best Place for a Blue Plate Special” in Arizona by lovefood.com, and then in 2022 by Food & Wine in their list of “Best Diners in Every State.”
Gus Balon’s is located at 6027 E. 22nd St. For more information, follow Gus Balon’s on Facebook or call (520) 747-7788.
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.
