Discover Marana proudly announces the winner of the first Taste of Marana STANDOUT Restaurant Award of the year: Alejandro, “Serious Mexican, Mariscos, & Fusion Food” at 7850 N. Silverbell Rd. #156.
The STANDOUT award recognizes nominated local restaurants that offer exceptional food, service, and community involvement. The nomination highlighted the restaurant’s outstanding food, service, and welcoming atmosphere as key reasons for this honor.
Owner Alejandro Diaz has a pretty diverse menu featuring dishes ranging from seafood to enchiladas and tacos. Many menu items are named after family members as a way to celebrate life. Diaz opened the restaurant in the Fry’s Shopping Center at Cortaro Road and Silverbell Road in July of 2022 to honor his brother Gilbert and two cousins — all of whom unfortunately passed away just months apart.
The family turned tragedy into inspiration, founding the restaurant to honor their loved ones.
“This recognition is a testament to the hard work and passion of our entire team, who strive to bring the best dishes to our guests every day,” said Diaz. “I’m so thankful for the support of my family and community.”
The Taste of Marana STANDOUT award presentation took place at Diaz’s restaurant on Tuesday, May 7 during a special lunch for the Marana Chamber of Commerce’s IMPACT Marana class.
This group of 25 local professionals has spent the past several months immersing themselves in all things Marana. Amanda Wiggins, President and CEO of the Marana Chamber of Commerce says the restaurant is a great example of the small businesses fueling our economy.
“We exist to support local businesses and create a thriving community through connected business leadership,” she said. “Nearly two years ago, our Chamber was excited to welcome Alejandro, and his family as a new business in Marana and our Chamber. Since then, Alejandro’s has been a great partner to the business community through hosting Chamber events, catering business meetings, and personally, my family enjoys their taco boxes to go!”
About the Taste of Marana Standout Restaurant Award
The Taste of Marana STANDOUT Restaurant Award is part of Discover Marana’s initiative to promote the local dining scene and showcase the stories behind the restaurants. A strong dining scene is an important part of tourism and a thriving community, especially in light of the challenges that restaurateurs have faced in the last several years due to labor shortages, supply chain issues, and inflation.
Discover Marana invites the public to nominate their favorite local restaurants for the next award.
The nomination form can be found on Discover Marana’s website.
Discover Marana hopes to honor up to 10 local restaurant owners who stand out in their field. The first STANDOUT award winner was Nana’s Kitchen back in August of 2023 and Vero Amore – Dove Mountain in November 2023. Both restaurants have been in the community for 15 years!
Alejandro, “Serious Mexican, Mariscos, & Fusion Food” is located at 7850 N. Silverbell Rd. #156. For more information, visit alejandroseriousmexicanfood.com.
Discover Marana the official destination marketing organization for the Town of Marana. For more information about Discover Marana and its programs, visit discovermarana.org. For more places to eat in Marana, check out our essential guide.
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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.
