In the place of a former Mimi’s Café on Tucson’s north side, something entirely new has taken shape.
What was once a quiet, familiar chain restaurant is now Tesoro, a lively Latin restaurant and cantina filled with music, movement and energy. It offers Tucsonans a place to gather that doesn’t involve the usual downtown rush.
For general manager Angel Martinez, the vision was simple: create a space where people could have fun, feel comfortable and stay awhile.
“I just wanted to give people a different option, other than downtown, to be able to come and dance and have fun and listen to cool, live music,” Martinez said.
A long time coming
Tesoro’s journey began years before its 2023 opening.
The property had been in development as early as 2019, but like many projects, it stalled during the pandemic. Construction picked back up in 2022, and what nearly became a Texas Roadhouse instead transformed into something much more personal.
“We got the opportunity to lease the building and I thought it was so pretty from the outside,” Martinez said. “It looked like a little casita that you would find in Mexico or somewhere in Latin America.”
Martinez helped lead the project from the ground up, handling licensing, development and concept creation alongside a few other people, including his longtime friend and now assistant general manager, Jose Sanchez.
Even the name carries personal meaning.
“My mom always had a nickname for me—she called me ‘tesoro,’ which means treasure,” Martinez said. “I started thinking, what if we called it Tesoro? And that’s how we got our name.”
One space, multiple experiences
Step inside Tesoro and it quickly becomes clear the restaurant isn’t designed around just one kind of night out.
The layout naturally shifts from a high-energy cantina—complete with bar-top seating and TVs—to a more traditional dining room with low tables and a stage for live performances. Outside, the patio adds another layer to the experience.
Originally, the plan wasn’t to keep much of the old Mimi’s Café layout. But with certain walls, beams and structural elements impossible to remove, the team had to rethink their vision. What could have been a limitation instead became a defining feature.
“It ended up being a happy accident,” Martinez said. “Now we have different sections in the restaurant… different kinds of vibes.”
That versatility is intentional. Martinez says he wanted to create a space where even older guests could feel comfortable enjoying a night out.
“I wanted to create a place that made older clientele feel comfortable,” he said. “You can walk around, enjoy good food, enjoy good drinks and still have a good time.”
A full week of energy
At Tesoro, the atmosphere changes almost daily, but the energy stays high.
Wednesdays bring salsa and bachata dance lessons, followed by music from a live DJ. Thursdays split the space between trivia night in the cantina and live performances in the dining room. Fridays turn into karaoke nights, while Saturdays, Tesoro’s busiest night, feature DJs and rotating live bands.
Sundays slow things down just enough for brunch before picking back up again with evening mariachi performances.
“We’re just trying to have a high-energy place and show people a good time,” Martinez said.
The approach is working. On weekends, especially Sundays, reservations are often a must.
Rooted in comfort food
In the kitchen, head chef Yadira Leon focuses on Mexican comfort food made from scratch.
“We knew that we wanted to have a few staples that we were going to be known for,” Martinez said.
Those staples include enchiladas, house-made salsas and chile rellenos that took multiple iterations to perfect.
“When we finally got it right, I took a bite and told the chef it tasted like my abuelita’s,” he said.
Other highlights include slow-roasted birria, cooked for six hours, and large-format parrilladas designed for sharing.
Portions are intentionally generous.
“We don’t want to skimp on portions,” Martinez said. “People always leave with boxes.”
Behind the bar
Tesoro’s cocktail program carries just as much personality as its kitchen.
Led by Sanchez and bar manager James Bennigan — both winners of Tucson’s Knife Fight competition — the drink menu blends approachable, poolside-style cocktails with playful creativity.
“When I was thinking about the menu, I wanted something that felt like a poolside experience,” Sanchez said.
Popular drinks include the Pepino P.P., a refreshing mix of lime and cucumber vodkas, and the Burbujas de Fresa, a strawberry-forward cocktail topped with prosecco that evolves as you drink it.
Then there’s the Jalapeño Popsicle, a frozen margarita paired with a pineapple-jalapeño tequila shot.
Beyond individual cocktails, the “Mucho Más” menu leans into shareable fun, featuring oversized margarita pitchers, tequila flights and 32-ounce micheladas.
“We wanted it to be fun, easy and something people could enjoy together,” Sanchez said.
Building a community
Over time, Tesoro has built a steady base of regulars, from nearby businesses to returning weekend crowds.
“We definitely get a lot of recurring people,” Martinez said. “Especially on Saturdays — we see a lot of familiar faces.”
The restaurant also hosts private events, catering and seasonal celebrations, with Mother’s Day, graduation season and the holidays bringing some of its busiest moments.
Looking ahead
Even after two and a half years, Tesoro continues to evolve.
The team is currently developing a new brunch menu and expanding into non-alcoholic cocktails and beers to meet changing preferences.
“There’s a lot of people that just aren’t drinking anymore,” Martinez said. “So we’re working on that.”
A different kind of night out
At its core, Tesoro is about creating an experience, one that blends food, music and movement in a way that feels both lively and welcoming.
“I just wanted to give people a little oasis away from the downtown scene,” Martinez said.
And for those who have found their way there, that’s exactly what it’s become.
Tesoro Latin Kitchen & Cantina is located at 4420 N. Oracle Rd. For more information, visit tesorotucson.com.
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