There is definitely no debate that Mexican food is the crown jewel of the Tucson food scene. The Mexican culture is effervescently present within the Tucson community in regards to music, art, and celebrated holidays. This present culture means that there are plenty of destinations for great Mexican food within the area but here are three sit down restaurants to try out or go back to this week.
Friends of The Little One
When I worked at my last internship before Disney, one of my coworkers gave me a list of must try Mexican spots around town and this spot definitely made the list. Friends of The Little One definitely lived up to the hype that my coworker had given this place. This spot is a sister restaurant of Cafe Poca Cosa which is the special occasion style restaurant whereas Friends of The Little One is more of a casual spot. There is so much history that is within these special family-owned restaurants but one of the most unique things is that the owner won't let you leave without giving you a hug. Enough about the history, pictured above is the plato surprise plate which is described as 3 items off of the menu, whatever the gals in the kitchen feel like giving you. I'm not 100% sure what I received but I'm going to guess that I got a chicken soup, which was truly incredible, cochinito en crema de chipotle which is a tender pork slow roasted in a creamy, smoked chipotle sauce, and I'm not sure about the third portion. This sampler style plate was only $12 and everything about the experience makes this spot probably one of the best Mexican destinations in Tucson. I would truly recommend this place to anyone that is looking for a casual Mexican cafe spot in downtown Tucson.
Friends of The Little One: 151 N. Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
El Charro Cafe
I've eaten here on several occasions at this local chain spot with friends and family but the food and atmosphere have us coming back for more every time. I've been to both the downtown and Ventana locations but an interesting fact is that they opened up a spot in the Tucson International Airport in concourse b. Another interesting fact about the Cafe is that they opened their doors in 1922 and is the nation's oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family. Some of my favorites from the menu include the queso fundido melt which is queso and crema with chorizo and roasted corn served with tortilla chips. As for entrees, I would suggest the reynosa chicken which is chicken breast topped with cremosa chipotle and queso casero served with charros beans and sonora rice. An additional option if you're not feeling the reynosa chicken is the grilled asada burro. The burro comes with either grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak with bacon, avocado, caramelized onion, green chile, queso casero, chipotle ranch, and pico salsa garnish. Vegetarian? There are is also two vegetarian burro options one comes with beans and cheese while the other has a mixture of vegetables inside. There are also menu options for the vegans out there. One great vegan option is the crispy avocado and jalapeno tacos which are served on soft flour or corn tortillas with pico, tomato salsita, and a roasted corn garnish.
El Charro Cafe: 311 N. Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
La Olla Mexican Cafe
Now this place came to me from recommendation through google and was pleasantly surprising. This was the first spot that I ate at when my step-mother and I re-entered Tucson because I was in completely in the mood for carne asada tacos but didn't want to drive to the other side of Tucson for some great tacos. Unlike the other two spots, La Olla is on the other side of Tucson on the cusp of Marana but I can vouch that the drive is worth the payoff. Pictured above is the soft tacos with carne asada which is served on a flour tortilla with cabbage slaw, cheese, and salsa fresca. All of the taco dishes are served with rice, beans, and calabacitas. I also opted to get a side of guacamole with my dish so I could enjoy it with my tacos but I ended up just eating some complimentary chips with the guac because the tacos were delicious by themselves. The chipotle shrimp and pork is also a great option if you're not looking for tacos, this dish is pork pounded thin and breaded topped with garlic shrimp, and chipotle cream sauce served with rice, beans, and calabacitas as well as a warmed tortilla. There are vegetarian options on the menu but they are very minimal. One option is the harvest salad, this is romaine and iceberg lettuce with roasted corn, red pepper, avocado, tomato, and red onion tossed in a jalapeno citrus vinaigrette with tortilla shards and toasted pumpkin seeds. The plate is also suppose to come with chipotle chicken but that be easily opted out if asked to be.
La Olla Mexican Cafe: 8553 N. Silverbell Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743
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