From in-depth explorations of local restaurants, food trucks, and markets to immersive profiles of local chefs pushing the boundaries of gastronomy, our features can be considered written journeys through Tucson’s ever-evolving food scene.
Keep scrolling to revisit the most-read stories of 2023.
45 Years Later, Sausage Deli is Still Serving Some of the Best Sandwiches in Town
Published April 6, 2023
Opening in 1957, on the corner of First Avenue and Grant Road, stood a small stand owned and operated by a German couple who sold sausages and other delights from their European home turf. It was in 1978 that a young enterprising man by the name of Steven Kleinsmith bought the business, but instead of selling whole sausages he chopped them up and put them between slices of bread. Read more…
Beer & Coffee: Screwbean Brewing Opens on Park Avenue
Published May 8, 2023
The home of Screwbean Brewing Company is a nearly 100-year-old building situated a few blocks south of the University of Arizona campus on Park Avenue. The space was originally a Chinese market in the 1930s, then housed an electrical supply wholesaler, then became the original offices of Tucson Foodie, and most recently was the storefront for Good Eye Living home decor. Read more…
Blue Willow: 45 Years of Deliciousness With a Fresh Twist
Published on June 7, 2023
The food has always been one aspect of Blue Willow, with a big draw being the gift shop. As you step through the front door you are met with a beautiful, if not sometimes bawdy, bundle of games, cards, and books. Back in the ‘80s, the shop was almost exclusively stocked with ceramic art and swirly posters featuring odes to earthy cultures from the Age of Aquarius. Read more…
Cafe Francais: Local French Bakery on Tucson’s East Side
Published August 30, 2023
When one door closes, another door eventually opens. Now, whether it be something you push or pull, that door may very well be something that you’ve somewhat kneaded in life. That’s exactly how the scenario unfolded for husband-and-wife duo Noelle and Daniel Martinez of the locally-owned, from-scratch French bakery Cafe Francais. Read more…
Chef Carlos Anthony: A Tucson Native Making it Big in the Culinary World
Published April 18, 2023
If you tuned into “Cutthroat Kitchen” in February 2015, you would have seen Anthony competing on the show hosted by Alton Brown. He and three other chefs had to endure pretty challenging challenges, such as making gnocchi while wearing a potato masher on their hands. Anthony came out on top, barely in his 20s, and was invited to return for a subsequent episode. Read more…
Desert Pearl Mushrooms: Local Fungi in Tucson’s Urban Farm Scene
Published June 14, 2023
When Kris Savage and John De Lorenzo, along with a couple of other college friends, first began their agroponics business in their backyard, growing mushrooms wasn’t part of the plan. “We were trying to find a better way to get CO2 into the greenhouse,” said De Lorenzo. “So, we built a mushroom chamber off to the side to see if we could do it naturally,” Savage added. Read more…
Nine on the Line: Patrick McColley of Squared Up Pizza
Published March 15, 2023
Patrick McColley is the man behind the amazing logo of a square piece of pizza with his dukes up seen in the Park Place Mall food court. Squared Up Pizza is more than a cool logo, though. McColley’s vision of bringing delicious Sicilian/New York pizza to Tucson coincided with Park Place’s vision of bringing local flare to their dining options. Read more…
Take Time to Sip & Dine at Yellow Brick Coffee’s New Cafe
Published March 20, 2023
“The Modbar is essentially an under-counter espresso machine that creates a very limited obstruction. There’s basically no obstruction between you and the barista, and therefore, you’re involved and immersed in the experience if you want to be,” said David Perreira. “You can watch them pull the shot. You can watch them create their latte art. There’s nothing between you and them.” Read more…
What’s Old Is New at The Cork Tucson
Published July 13, 2023
It was a match made in culinary heaven. Sally Shamrell-Murphy and Glenn Murphy, the new owners of The Cork Tucson, first met at Backstage, a bar and live music venue next door to what was then Jonathan’s Cork. Glenn, a native of Perth, Australia, owned Backstage. Sally, a University of Arizona alum, was covering live music outlets as a reporter for KVOA TV. Read more…
Omni Tucson National Resort Unveils New Dining Concepts & Renovations
Published April 26, 2023
Nestled away in the rolling foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains is the newly-refreshed Omni Tucson National Resort. At the completion of the multi-million dollar renovation, the interior, full-service spa, guest rooms, suites, and most importantly, the onsite culinary options on the property were updated. Read more…
