From a humble food truck to a beloved culinary destination at American Eat Co., Samurai Sombrero blends Sonoran-style sushi with heartfelt hospitality. Chef and co-owner Gabriela “Gabby” Delgadillo runs the show with a philosophy rooted in family, flavor, and fierce local pride.
A Name Born From Family
What started as a family brainstorm turned into a brand that now draws curious diners daily.
“Samurai Sombrero — it was my daughter Abigail who came up with it,” Delgadillo said. “People love the name.”
From Truck to Tucson Staple
Samurai Sombrero’s journey began with a sushi food truck in Tucson, where the couple behind the concept — Delgadillo and her husband Jesus “Chuy” Oleta — built a reputation on sushi with a Sonoran twist.
“We still have the truck,” Delgadillo said. “We use it for caterings — we did 180 rolls this past Sunday.”
Their continued catering success keeps them connected to their roots even as they grow. Now, they operate a space within the food hall American Eat Co.
A glowing red neon sign bearing the restaurant’s name anchors the ordering counter, which is stocked with sauces, utensils, and neatly organized prep tools. Hanging paper lanterns add playful flair.
Signature Rolls and Fusion Flavors
Samurai Sombrero’s reputation comes from its creations with flavors outside of standard sushi.
“We also spend more money on ingredients to make sure we get the best quality,” Delgadillo said. “For example, we only use Tamanishiki rice.”
Top favorites include:
- Lobster Popcorn Roll – California Roll topped with popcorn lobster, spicy mayo, eel sauce
- Abigail Roll – spicy tuna and cucumber, topped with seared salmon and chef sauce
- Mexican Roll – salmon, spicy crab, avocado, cream cheese, pickled jalapeño, panko
“My personal favorite is the lobster popcorn,” Delgadillo said. “It’s so good.”
Now, the restaurant has a whiteboard with the specials handwritten on.
“We are also expanding to more of the raw stuff because a lot of people have been requesting it,” Delgadillo said.
Personal Visits
My first visit was just over a year ago on April 4, 2024. My previous experiences with Mexican-influenced sushi sometimes included an amount of cream cheese or mayo so gratuitous that I had to scrape off the excess. But at Samurai Sombrero, I noticed a wide selection of rolls that didn’t include those ingredients.
I spoke with Delgadillo about my preferences, and she guided me towards the Abigail Roll. The light torching of the salmon rendered the fat to melt easier on my tongue, accented by the spicy filling and savory sauce. The rice held together but wasn’t too dense. Everything felt in harmony. I was hooked.
By my second visit, Delgadillo already recognized my baggy chili print chef pants and addressed me by name. Before long, we were on a hugging basis of familiarity.
When I was running my food truck, Samurai Sombrero was a convenient nearby stop for a meal on a regularly basis — sushi is light and easy on my stomach, so I’m not sluggish or lethargic at work after my meal. As a result, I’ve visited Samurai Sombrero over 10 times over the past year and have eaten about 80% of their menu at this point.
Now, with most of the menu under my belt, my personal favorites have become the Abigail Roll along with:
- Death Free Foodie Roll – vegan but still rich with avocado, topped with crunchy tempura jalapeño, lightly torched and sauced
- Sombrero Roll – shrimp tempura, cream cheese, jalapeño, cilantro, chef’s special sesame sauce
- Yuzu Salmon Nigiri (on special) – lightly torched and topped with chef’s sauce, yuzu kosho
After I closed my truck, I still made my way over to satisfy my intense cravings for their food. While the ingredient quality is apparent, their flavor combinations don’t match what I find anywhere else. Even the fried rolls or rolls with mayo or cream cheese didn’t bog me down.
On my most recent visit yesterday, I brought my camera to take nicer pics, and they treated me to a few of their specials: the Hermosillo Roll, Pink Lady Roll, and Yuzu Salmon Nigiri.
The Pink Lady Roll was a variation of a California Roll with salmon and a pink wrapper. The Hermosillo Roll was more my speed with spicy tuna, crab, tempura shrimp, avocado, and cream cheese. The Yuzu Salmon Nigiri was so simple but exactly what my body craved; I’m probably going to ask for it every time I visit now.
Deep Community Roots
“I honestly believe what’s kept us successful is all of our customers,” said Delgadillo. “They’ve been super supportive since day one.”
She emphasized the emotional connection between their food and patrons.
“This is more like a family environment,” she said. “People support local — they could go anywhere else, but they come here.”
Looking Ahead: All Under One Roof
After briefly opening a ramen restaurant in American Eat Co., the duo decided to close it to focus solely on Samurai Sombrero.
Still, they continue to look ahead, planning for sustainable growth, expanding the sushi bar, and adding miso soup as an offering.
Samurai Sombrero is located inside American Eat Co. at 1439 S. Fourth Ave. For more information, follow Samurai Sombrero 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.
