Tabu, a Latin-fusion bar and restaurant on Congress Street, has rolled out a new brunch menu that turns traditional Latin-inspired plates. The downtown restaurant now serves brunch Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with offerings that balance time-honored recipes and inventive twists.
Latin Classics Reimagined in Tucson
Tabu’s brunch lineup reads like a tour of Mexican and Latin American breakfast favorites with a modern spin. The kitchen, led by chef Luis Garcia, infuses authentic flavors along with new ideas into every dish.
Chilaquiles Panzones exemplify the approach’ the kitchen stuffs the tortillas with your choice of birria, chicken or carnitas, then smothers them in red or green salsa (or both, divorciado-style). Each hearty plate comes topped with two eggs, meat, and a side of refried beans. These are the best chicken chilaquiles I’ve ever had, with use of soft, masa-rich cakes instead of the usual tortilla chips. The quick hit of heat from a vibrant green chile sauce fades fast, letting bold flavors shine through.
The Machaca Sonorense features savory shredded beef (a Sonoran staple) alongside two eggs and house-made tortillas. Even the classic Huevos Rancheros gets an upgrade; Tabu tucks melted cheese into a handmade tortilla and tops it with beans, ranchero salsa, and house-made chorizo, plus a side of breakfast potatoes.
Molletes, a Mexican open-face sandwich on toasted bolillo bread, arrive loaded with refried beans, melted mozzarella, two eggs and a choice of chorizo or machaca.
Meanwhile, the Tabu Chile Relleno stuffs a roasted poblano pepper with a sweet corn tamal, blanketing it in creamy white sauce and plating it with two eggs and beans.
For the Tamal Tabu, a thick handmade corn tortilla is topped with complex mole sauce and a corn tamal, accompanied by two eggs and one red cheese enchilada.
Sweet Mornings
The new menu also satisfies sweet cravings with a Latin tropical flair. The Tabu Pancakes use corn flour batter for a subtle masa sweetness. The fluffy trio of pancakes is topped with sweet corn, vanilla ice cream, and sweetened condensed milk, and even crowned with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The result is light, fluffy, and about perfect for me; among Tucson’s best pancakes.
Another indulgent highlight is the Tabu French Toast, which soak thick bread in an arroz con leche (cinnamon-infused rice pudding) batter and stuff it with your choice of a frosted berries or Nutella.
Brunch Beverages & Vibes
No brunch is complete without drinks, and Tabu delivers on that front as well. Diners can sip on refreshing aguas frescas like jamaica and tangy limónada, or opt for classic morning cocktails. Mimosas and Micheladas are on the menu, alongside the bar’s mezcal-heavy specialties such as the citrusy Tabueno mezcal mule and rich espresso-spiked Carajillo. The lively beverage selection complements the menu’s tropical notes and adds to Tabu’s energetic daytime vibe.
