Tucson has been on the receiving end of no shortage of national attention since the UNESCO World City of Gastronomy designation in December. Recently the Guardian featured Tucson and its rare assortment of native foods in the article, “Tucson, Arizona, cultivates its foodie reputation – with a nod from Unesco.”
“The abundance of this native food is one reason why, last December, Tucson became America’s first UNESCO city of gastronomy, joining just 18 others worldwide, despite having fewer fancy restaurants than many US cities, and being one of its poorest.”
Home to Native Seeds/SEARCH, one of the oldest nonprofit community seed banks in North America, Tucson’s agricultural history and current culture played a heavy role in it receiving the UNESCO designation.
However, the Guardian’s article also highlighted recently-opened restaurants Batch Cafe & Bar, Carriage House, Elvira’s, and Charro Steak as pivotal towards downtown Tucson’s revitalization.
Food festivals such as Tucson Meet Yourself also garnered attention.
For more information, see the full story on the Guardian.
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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.
