La Chingada Cocina dominated the 2026 World Margarita Championship, claiming top honors in both the judges’ dish and margarita categories. Art State Arizona and Tucson Originals Restaurants hosted the sold-out event Saturday, June 6, at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa. More than 800 guests attended, joining 37 restaurants, chefs, mixologists, and beverage partners for one of Southern Arizona’s largest annual culinary competitions.
La Chingada Claims Judges’ Top Honors
La Chingada Cocina earned first place in the Judges’ Choice Best Dish category with its Taco de Lomo Asado, built on an heirloom blue corn tortilla with an asadero cheese costra, finely chopped Vera Earl tenderloin, grilled bone marrow, and wild Sonoran chiltepin chimichurri. The downtown Tucson restaurant has built a reputation for bold, ingredient-forward Mexican cooking, and Saturday’s showing reinforced that track record.
The Westin La Paloma’s Casa 71 Tequila Lounge, led by Chef Devin Pinto, Teddy Pettit, and Luis Del Toro, placed second with Queso Birria. Tohono Chul Park Garden Bistro, with Chef Jon Sikora and David Marks, took third with a Prickly Pear BBQ Pork Sandwich.
Two Restaurants Share the Judges’ Best Margarita Crown
The Judges’ Choice Best Margarita category ended in a first-place tie. La Chingada Cocina won for La Perla, a blueberry mint margarita featuring bright citrus, cooling mint, and a smooth blueberry finish. Casa 71 Tequila Lounge also claimed first with Flor De Mezaica, crafted with Pura Vida Mezcal, Luxardo Maraschino, and hibiscus.
Barnyard Crafthouse & Eatery mixologist AJ Mortazavi placed second with the Elote Margarita.
Meanwhile, Sawmill Run Restaurant mixologist Alek and Chef Nickolas “Nick” Avram finished third with Soft Landing, combining blanco tequila, honey, lemon, and Amaro Nonino.
Humo Cocina Mexicana Wins People’s Choice Margarita
Humo Cocina Mexicana took first place in the People’s Choice Best Margarita category with La Niña. Second place tied between Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen, with Chef Jose Contreras’ Desert Mezquite Margarita, and Seis Kitchen, whose La Desert Rose Sandía featured fresh watermelon agua fresca, rose agave syrup, orange liqueur, dehydrated rose petals, hibiscus powder, and Tajín.
Tohono Chul Park Garden Bistro rounded out the category in third with Margarita Salad, a creative cocktail featuring cucumber, tomato foam, and local microgreens.
People’s Choice Best Bite: La Chingada Again
La Chingada Cocina’s Taco de Lomo Asado also won the People’s Choice Best Bite category, making the restaurant the evening’s standout performer across all four categories. Humo Cocina Mexicana placed second with its Enchilada Verde, and The Westin La Paloma’s Queso Birria claimed third.
The restaurant’s consistency across competitions reflects a broader pattern: La Chingada has placed in multiple Art State Arizona and Tucson Originals competitions in recent years.
A Community Event With Regional Impact
For more than two decades, the World Margarita Championship has served as both a culinary showcase and a fundraiser. Proceeds from the event support Art State Arizona and Tucson Originals Restaurants, funding year-round arts, culture, culinary, and community programs for youth, artists, and local businesses across Arizona.
“The World Margarita Championship is more than a competition,” said Kate Marquez, CEO of Art State Arizona. “It is a celebration of the extraordinary culinary talent that exists in Southern Arizona and a reminder of the power of food, culture, and the arts to bring people together. We are incredibly grateful to every chef, mixologist, volunteer, sponsor, and attendee who helped make this year’s event such a tremendous success.”
Jennifer English, reflecting on the region’s relationship with the drink, put it plainly. “Tucson might not have invented the margarita, but our mixologists and culinary artists have elevated and perfected it,” she said.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa hosted the event and received special recognition from organizers for creating the guest experience.
Full 2026 World Margarita Championship Results
Judges’ Choice, Best Dish:
- 1st Place: La Chingada Cocina, Taco de Lomo Asado
- 2nd Place: The Westin La Paloma, Casa 71 Tequila Lounge (Chef Devin Pinto, Teddy Pettit & Luis Del Toro), Queso Birria
- 3rd Place: Tohono Chul Park Garden Bistro (Chef Jon Sikora & David Marks), Prickly Pear BBQ Pork Sandwich
Judges’ Choice, Best Margarita:
- 1st Place (Tie): La Chingada Cocina, La Perla
- 1st Place (Tie): The Westin La Paloma, Casa 71 Tequila Lounge, Flor De Mezaica
- 2nd Place: Barnyard Crafthouse & Eatery (Mixologist AJ Mortazavi), Elote Margarita
- 3rd Place: Sawmill Run Restaurant (Mixologist Nickolas Avram), Soft Landing
People’s Choice, Best Bite:
- 1st Place: La Chingada Cocina, Taco de Lomo Asado
- 2nd Place: Humo Cocina Mexicana, Enchilada Verde
- 3rd Place: The Westin La Paloma, Queso Birria
People’s Choice, Best Margarita:
- 1st Place: Humo Cocina Mexicana, La Niña
- 2nd Place (Tie): Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen (Chef Jose Contreras), Desert Mezquite Margarita
- 2nd Place (Tie): Seis Kitchen, La Desert Rose Sandía
- 3rd Place: Tohono Chul Park Garden Bistro, Margarita Salad
For more information about Art State Arizona and upcoming events, visit artstateaz.org.
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.
