Ursa, the downtown Tucson restaurant, earned two national honors on Nov. 10. Eater named chef Aaron Lopez one of five 2026 Chefs of the Year. Additionally, The New York Times awarded the restaurant three stars. The recognitions put Tucson’s Sonoran Desert tasting menu in front of a national audience.
Eater picks Lopez for its new national category
Eater introduced a Chef of the Year category for its 2026 awards. Editors chose five chefs who made major news and shaped their cities’ dining scenes. Correspondent Matthew Kang wrote the Ursa profile. In it, he described Ursa as “a hushed gallery” for the $150 tasting menu.
The other 2026 honorees include:
Laura Ozyilmaz of Maria Isabel in San Francisco
Carlos Delgado of Maru San in Washington, D.C.
Amir Hajimaleki of Roya in Austin
Phila Lorn of Sao in Philadelphia
Kang wrote that the menu pairs Indigenous cooking techniques with foraged and farmed local ingredients.
Ultimately, Kang called the results “evocative and powerful.” He added that Lopez’s message centers on the beauty of the landscape, its people, and its ingredients. He also wrote that the kitchen lets produce and meats show their natural character.
The New York Times awards three stars
Critic Tejal Rao reviewed Ursa and gave it three stars. The paper’s scale defines three stars as excellent. The Times also listed Ursa as a Critic’s Pick. Overall, she wrote that she left thinking “Ursa was a thrilling restaurant, it just didn’t seem to know it yet.”
However, Rao also offered criticism. She found the lighting odd in the large, spare dining room. She also wanted servers to share more about the ingredients and ideas behind each course. Still, she wrote that Ursa has “vision, creativity and grit to spare.”
Ursa’s path from El Centro to downtown Tucson
Lopez and his wife, June Chee, started Ursa as a 2024 pop-up in El Centro, California. They moved the restaurant to downtown Tucson in October 2025. Before that, Lopez worked in Los Angeles and Honolulu kitchens alongside chefs Michael Voltaggio, Josef Centeno, and Neal Fraser. Tucson Foodie covered Ursa in March for diners curious about the Sonoran Desert.
Ursa Tucson hours, menu, and reservations
Diners can find the key details below:
Address: 110 E. Congress St., Tucson
Hours: Dinner only, Wednesdays through Sundays
Menu: 10-course tasting menu for $150; four-course menu for $75
Reservations: Accepted at 520-860-5448 or ursadesert.com
Ursa sits in the historic Central Block building, which dates to 1912. The drink list focuses on Arizona wines and beers, plus housemade juices and kombuchas. In addition, the kitchen serves teas made from native crops.
