The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA), in collaboration with Local First Arizona and the Tucson Botanical Gardens, just announced the return of the SAVOR Southern Arizona Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, January 25.
This year’s event is happening from noon – 3 p.m. at 2150 N. Alvernon Way (Tucson Botanical Gardens), giving eaters the opportunity to explore Southern Arizona’s culinary heritage.
Bring a big appetite and perhaps some stretchy pants because SAVOR brings together more than 60 chefs, wineries, breweries, and food artisans!
From heritage foods like tepary beans and mesquite flour to contemporary culinary creations, the festival highlights Tucson’s evolving food scene while honoring its centuries-old traditions.
SAVOR 2025 Menus
- 1989 Bake House
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Agustin Kitchen
- Menu TBD
- A.Toraño Family Vineyard
- Sauvignon Blanc (“Kick Ranch”; Sonoma County, California)
- Rose of Pinot Noir and Grenache (Los Dos Marias; Sonoma County, California)
- Syrah (El Duende; Sonoma County, California)
- Alfonso Gourmet Olive Oil & Balsamic
- Non-alcoholic balsamic shrub
- Rosemary Focaccia
- Olive Oil & Balsamic Tastings
- Amelias Mexican Restaurant
- Birria street taco & salsa
- Red salsa roasted tomatoes & dry chiles
- Green tomatillo salsa
- Prickly pear Margarita
- Chips & salsa
- Ate Kei’s Filipino Treats
- Maja Blanca
- Adobong Mani
- Ube Cookie
- Mystery Cookie
- Barnyard Crafthouse and Eatery
- T-Town Birria Ribs (birria-style ribs steamed and grilled with a chipotle-pomegranate BBQ sauce)
- Chiltepin Mac and Cheese (bacon, cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions, sweet corn kernels, and a chiltepin cheese sauce)
- Tucson Charro Beans (chorizo, sausage, chilies, and much more)
- Prickly Pear Margarita
- Barrio Brewing Co.
- Barrio Blonde Ale
- Hipsterville Hazy IPA
- Mexican Lager
- Nolan’s Porter
- Bawker Bawker Cider House
- Honey Prickly Pear Cider
- Blueberry Pomegranate Cider
- Beyond Bread
- Muffaletta on Focaccia
- Mardi Gras King Cake
- BlackJack Citrus Infusions
- “Mexican Candy” – Tamarindo, Jalapeno lemonade with rim dip
- “Tucson Sunset” – prickly pear, jalapeno, mango lemonade
- BOCA By Chef Maria Mazon
- Chilaquiles
- Borderland Spirits
- Batuq Bacanora Blanco
- Batuq Bacanora Reserva
- Mazot Bacanora Blanco
- Mazot Bacanora Uvalama
- Mazot Palmilla/Sotol
- Breakthru Beverage
- Wine pairing stations throughout the event
- Brick Box Brewery
- AZ Grain Pale Ale (made with 100% AZ grown and malted grain, medium-bodied American pale ale)
- AZ Grain Lager (a light and refreshing lager made with Pilsen malt and golden corn for a traditional North American style lager)
- Bruce Dogs
- Signature Chicago-style dog bits
- Button Brew House
- Chiltepin Red (Sonoran Style Spicy Red Ale)
- All Souls Stout (American Dry Stout)
- Cactus Jack Pickled Veggies
- Select pickled veggies
- Canción Tequila
- Select tequilas
- Cielos at Lodge on the Desert
- Champurrado
- Mushroom and Leak Bread Pudding
- Col Mustard’s Hot Dogs/Mr. Ice Guy Italian Ice
- Gourmet Italian Ice (Cherry, Mango, Strawberry, Pina Colada)
- CookinWitCort
- Baked Macaroni & Cheese
- Copper Horse Vineyard
- Cathedral Peak 2021 (GSM Blend)
- Barbera 2022
- Culinary Dropout
- Mini Turkey Pastrami Sandwich (pretzel roll, Swiss, coleslaw)
- House Potato Chips (famous onion dip)
- Dante’s Fire
- Menu TBD
- Desert Forager
- Prickly Pear Limeade
- Prickly Pear Chia Lemonade
- Prickly Pear Tepache
- Prickly Pear Shrub Syrup
- Prickly Pear Lime Sorbet
- Desert Fun Foods
- Classic Margarita
- Mangonada Margarita
- Dirty T Tamarindo
- Assorted Mexican candies
- Doughbird
- Aviator Pizza
- Brookie
- Dragoon Brewing Co.
- Florecita Juicy IPA
- Dragoon Amber
- Edna’s Eatery by Charly’s Grill
- Smoked Pulled Pork Slider w/ creamy coleslaw on sweet roll-piloncillo BBQ sauce, chiltepin BBQ sauce
- Coconut Horchata Shooter, whipped cream, toasted coconut flakes
- El Corral
- Prime Rib (El Corral’s famous prime rib, slow-cooked and served with uncut horseradish and au jus)
- Salad with House Dressing (fresh shaved greens dressed with house honey Italian dressing)
- Tamale Pie (El Corral’s most popular side dish made with corn and green chilies)
- Prickly Pear Margarita (classic margarita made with premium tequila and locally harvested prickly pears)
- El Torero
- Mini Chimichangas
- Tucson Famous Chicken Wings
- Flying Leap Wines
- Select local wines
- Forty Niner Country Club
- Grilled Barrio Crostini (smoked salmon rillettes, escabeche)
- Tofu Chocolate Mousse (plum jam, granola)
- GAP Ministries
- Nachos (jalapeno bacon Alfredo with mesquite smoked chicken and GAP rosemary salt)
- Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort
- Mesquite Grilled Tenderloin Crostini (ancho pepper aioli and Sonoran mulberry demi)
- Guajillo Chicken & Hominy Pozole
- Hacienda del Sol, Katherine Hepburn Brownies
- Hammbone’s
- Buttermilk Biscuit topped with creamed collard greens, smoked pork tenderloin, pickled green tomato relish, and hot sauce gastrique
- HighWire
- Menu TBD
- I’d Smoke That BBQ
- Smoked Blueberry/Blueberry Jalapeno Nuts
- Smoked All-Purpose BBQ Seasoning
- Smoked Honey Sriracha Sauce
- Smoked Chile Lime Powder
- Cold Smoked Sugar (various flavors)
- Isa Bey LLC
- Signature Salsa
- Hummus
- Kingfisher Bar & Grill
- Smoked Fish Spread
- La Cumbre Brewing Company
- Select brews
- Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm
- Hot Earl Gray Lavender Tea
- Los Milics Vineyards/Winery
- Select wines
- Maynards Market and Kitchen
- Duck Fat Donuts (foie gras + cider caramel, apple + nutmeg dust)
- Creamy Dill Pickle Dip (house-made potato chips)
- Cacio e Pepe Chicharrones
- Monsoon Chocolate
- Chocolate truffles
- Mother Road Brewing Company
- Select brews
- Mujer Bonita Catering
- Menu TBD
- Olive Oil Ring of Tucson
- Imported Italian Infused Olive Oils
- Imported Italian Balsamic and Glazes
- Imported Italian Packaged Pasta
- Imported Italian Pantry Items
- Philters Zero Proof Spirits
- Lady Collins (A Tom Collins with lavender & Jynn)
- The New Look (an Old Fashioned with a Wiski twist)
- Spicy Marg (Mezcal paired with cucumber & jalapeno)
- Apple Swig (spiced Ruhm with apple cider & lemon)
- [POPPED] Artisan Popcorn
- Various Flavors of Artisan Popcorn
- Postino
- Sparkling Wine – Ebbio
- White Wine – CVNE
- Red Wine – Pinto
- Pueblo Vida Brewing Company
- Wildcat Sonoran Cerveza
- Cereus Hazy IPA
- Oaxacan Sour Shortcut Ale
- Purple Tree Truck
- Basic açaí
- Citrus boost smoothie
- Very berry smoothie
- Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit Tea
- Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit Tea
- Prickly Pear Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit Tea
- Sahuarita High School Culinary
- Creamy Lobster Salad with Snake River Royal White Sturgeon Caviar on a spoon
- Chocolate Smores with a dot of locally cultivated prickly pear cactus jelly on a spoon
- Mixed Beverage with Monin
- Scratching The Plate Catering
- Blue Corn Cake with orange seca and elote mousse
- Seis Kitchen
- Puerco Verde Taco with salsa cruda
- Sweets Cakes & Treats
- Cake Jars
- Layer Cakes with Frosting
- Tabú Restaurant
- Menu TBD
- The Cork
- Beef Bourguignon
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- House-Pickled Onions
- The Royal Room
- Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Transit Tea
- Just Tea
- Flavored Tea
- Tucson Chocolate Factory
- Caramel Pecan Turtles
- Vegan Pecan Turtles
- Westbound
- Cactus Wren and Assorted Brews
- Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa
- Grilled Octopus Salad
- Scallops with Butternut Squash
- Bourbon Cocktail
- Tequila Cocktail
- Whiskey Del Bac
- Whiskey Del Bac Classic – American single malt whiskey
- Whiskey Del Bac Dorado- American single malt whiskey
- Whiskey Del Bac – American single malt whiskey
- Sentinel of the Desert – straight rye whiskey
- Whiskey Del Bac – American single malt whiskey
- Wisdom’s Cafe
- Fruit burros
Other Highlights Include:
- Live entertainment, live music, and DJs will be on site
- Explore the Botanical Gardens and exhibits
- Meet-and-Greets
- A local makers’ market
Get your Tickets!
- VIP Admission: SOLD OUT
- General Admission: $125 – Access from noon – 3 p.m. including tastings, live music, and a commemorative wine glass. Learn more.
This 21+ event is expected to sell out quickly (it has every time in previous years), so early booking is encouraged.
The SAVOR Southern Arizona Food & Wine Festival is happening at 2150 N. Alvernon Way (Tucson Botanical Gardens). For more information about SAVOR, visit saaca.org.
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.
