10 Tucson Restaurants to BYOB & Suggested Wine Pairings

Sep 14, 20173 min read

Tucson folk like to drink without spending a fortune. (Who doesn’t?) Thankfully, Tucson’s BYOB (bring your own bottle) options aren’t particularly formal — this means you don’t have to fuss over etiquette and can also save a fortune.

Since you’re bringing a whole bottle however, pairing with food can be trickier. The key is to not overthink it and enjoy yourself.

If you’re a wine newbie and don’t even know where to start, we’ve provided a few suggested pairings below. Cheers!

Cafe Desta

758 S. Stone Ave.

(Credit: Café Desta on Facebook) — (Credit: Cafe Desta on Facebook)

If you can get your hands on the Ethiopian honey wine tej, bring it. Mead makes a suitable substitution. High-acid whites like Chenin Blanc pair well with the spice.

Corkage fee: NO

For more information, call (520) 370-7000 or visit cafedesta.com.

Chef Alisah’s Restaurant

5931 N. Oracle Rd. Ste 117

With such a beefy menu, bring a red wine such as Zinfandel or Barbaresco.

Corkage fee: NO

For more information, call (520) 887-5305 or visit alisahrestaurant.com.

Frank’s / Francisco’s de Noche

3843 E. Pima St.

Combination #2 (Enchiladas, Sope, & Flauta) at Frank's/Francisco's — Combination #2 (Enchiladas, Sope, & Flauta) at Frank’s/Francisco’s (Credit: Megan Black)

If you’re coming in the morning, bring sparkling wine for mimosas. If you’re coming for dinner, bring a dry Sauvignon Blanc to pair with carne asada and birria.

Corkage fee: NO

For more information, call (520) 881-2710 or visit franksrestaurant.com.

Martin’s Comida Chingona

557 N. Fourth Ave.

Martin’s Chicken Mole pairs with partially oaked, dry Chardonnay.

Corkage fee: NO (but you have to be seated indoors).

For more information, call (520) 884-7909 or keep up with Martin’s Comida Chingona on Facebook.

Mutts Premium Hot Dogs & Sausages

806 E. University Blvd.

Believe it or not, champagne is fantastic with hot dogs. The acidity and bubbles help cut through the rich dogs and sausages. Mutts also sells orange juice if you’d like to make mimosas.

Corkage fee: NO (but you have to be seated indoors).

For more information, call (520) 529-7277 or keep up with Mutts on Facebook.

Queen Sheba

Bring a Syrah with spicy notes to complement the berbere-rich Eritrean stews.

Corkage fee: $1 per beer/wine bottle

For more information, call (520) 276-3476 or visit queenshebatucson.com.

Rollies Mexican Patio

Assuming you’ll put the spicy, creamy Rollies sauce or tangy salsas on everything, bring a Portuguese Vinho Verde.

Corkage fee: NO

For more information, call (520) 300-6289 or keep up with Rollies Mexican Patio on Facebook.

Taqueria Pico de Gallo

2618 S. Sixth Ave.

A light Mexican lager naturally goes well with tacos, but try stepping it up a notch with a bottle of cava. The bubbles work magic with the rich meats and pickled veggies.

Corkage fee: NO

For more information, call (520) 623-8775 or keep up with Taqueria Pico de Gallo on Facebook.

The Tasteful Kitchen

722 N. Stone Ave.

Even though the Tasteful Kitchen is vegetarian, they know how to use ingredients such as miso to create deeply savory dishes. A rosé will pair nicely with most of the menu, but the robust Miso Eggplant can handle a Merlot.

Corkage fee: $7 per bottle of wine or six pack of beer

For more information, call (520) 250-9600 or visit thetastefulkitchen.com.

Zemam’s (only the Broadway location)

2731 E. Broadway Blvd.

Doro Wat with Hard Boiled Egg at Zemam's (Credit: Mark Navarro) — Doro Wat with Hard Boiled Egg at Zemam’s (Credit: Mark Navarro)

For the Doro Wat, an oaked chardonnay pairs marvelously. The heavily-spiced dishes go well with hoppy lagers and IPAs.

Corkage fee: $3

For more information, call (520) 323-9928 or visit zemams.com.

Do you have a favorite BYOB restaurant to add to the list? Let us know in the comments.

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Article written by:

Jackie Tran

More about Jackie

Jackie 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.