91. Taqueria Pico De Gallo
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 623-8775
Address: 2618 S. 6th Ave.
Description: Raised from relative obscurity by a review in Gourmet magazine, this tiny taqueria in South Tucson has kept its modest digs and low-key attitude. The only change is that you can now use credit cards to pay for some of the tastiest Mexican food in town. Don’t pass up the fabulous shrimp tacos served with homemade corn tortillas or a huge steaming bowl of tortilla soup full of shredded chicken, cheese, and avocado. The whole fried fish is a stunner. Daily combination plates feature whatever’s fresh from the sea or the market. Dessert has to be the big plastic cup of fresh fruit the restaurant is named for, pico de gallo: slices of coconut, papaya, pineapple, jicama, and oranges, sprinkled with lime juice and chili pepper. No reservations; open daily for lunch and dinner.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 534 N. 4th Ave.
93. Empire Pizza And Pub
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: 137 E. Congress Ave.(520) 882-
Insider Pick:
Description: Rejoice! True New York–style pizza has finally come to Tucson courtesy of Empire. The front of the house is dedicated to takeout, lots and lots of slices (hooray) with toppings from pineapple (!) to BBQ chicken to the good old classic—just plain cheese and sauce. Customers line up here to eat slices while standing on the sidewalk or get pizza to go, but you can also sit on the tiny front patio and watch the downtown come to life or head to the back, where a lovely high tin-ceiling bar area offers drinks and beers on tap. Perch on a stool and enjoy your slice along with a cold one. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
94. Mama’S Pizza And Heros
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 297-3993
Address: 7965 N. Oracle Rd.
Description: With three generations of Mama’s children working in the restaurants, you can rest assured that whatever you order will be just like Mama made. The family-size pizza is big enough for a family of four plus any number of relatives and friends who might stop by unannounced. Mama’s also serves some great sandwiches. Additional Tucson locations are at 6996 E. 22nd (520-750-1919); 4500 E. Speedway Blvd. (520-319-8856); and 50 S. Houston (520-751-4600). All Mama’s are open for lunch and dinner every day.
95. Sauce
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 297-8575
Address: 7117 N. Oracle Dr.
Description: Have a craving for crispy crust pizza? Sauce is the place. Yummy pizzas come topped with pepperoni and cremini mushrooms, rosemary potato, spinach, feta and olive tapenade, or the unlikely prosciutto and melon combo. People chow ’em down in an instant. You can also choose from several tasty salads and lasagna. Wine and beer are available as thirst quenchers. Open for lunch and dinner daily from 11 a.m. Additional Tucson locations are at 5285 E. Broadway Blvd. (520-512-1122) and 2990 N. Campbell Ave. (520-795-0344).
96. Zachary’S
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 623-6323
Address: 1019 E. 6th St.
Description: Zachary’s has a reputation for cold beers and humongous pizzas. The beers come from all over the world. In fact, Zachary’s had a large beer selection long before it became trendy. Dress is very casual, and families are welcome.Pizzas are 2 inches thick and come loaded with toppings, including the standards as well as broccoli, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, jalapeños, spinach, proscuitto, and pineapple. The Big Z is the house specialty. Meat lovers will want to try the T Rex, which comes with pepperoni, sausage, and ham. For veggie lovers, the staff recommends the Uptowner. The salad dressings are homemade. Due to the size of the pizzas, the wait once you’ve ordered can be almost an hour, especially on nights when there is a UA game. Zachary’s is open every day.
97. Bluefin Seafood Bistro
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 531-8500
Address: 7053 N. Oracle Rd.
Description: A sister restaurant to Kingfisher (see below), this classy seafood bistro is tucked away in the middle of Casas Adobes Plaza. Brick walls and banquette seating are the setting for some super seafood. Oysters, clams, shrimp, clam chowder, and ceviche are just for starters. Specialties include crab cakes, fish-and-chips with house-made tartar sauce, and the grilled salmon melt. Patio dining is available as well. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
98. Kingfisher
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 323-7739
Address: 2564 E. Grant Rd.
Insider Pick:
Description: Kingfisher bills itself as an American grill, but the accent is on seafood in every way, shape, and form. Diners can select 15 varieties of oysters flown in daily from the Northwest, the East Coast, and other briny places. And if you don’t know one oyster from another, your knowledgeable waitperson will explain the subtle differences.Fresh fish specials change daily; all are cooked with attention to detail and are free of heavy sauces. Salmon is a staple, but that’s not to say the steaks and other entrees aren’t good here. The kitchen grills up a pretty mean steak. The award-winning wine list is large and varied enough to find a suitable match for any choice of entree.The decor is modern but cozy. Reservations are suggested. Lunch is served Mon through Fri, and dinner daily.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 1009 Grande Ave.
100. Chad’S Steakhouse & Saloon
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 881-1802
Address: 3001 N. Swan Rd.
Description: Local beef lovers adore Chad’s. Old-fashioned and low-key, it’s all about the beef here. Steak, prime rib, and all the fixin’s are what’s on the menu. Go for the rib eye rare; the charred pink meat is juicy and corn fed. A giant baked spud, split and topped with melted butter and sour cream, will add to your cholesterol count but it sure tastes good! Salad dressings are homemade and dinner comes with warm bread and cowboy beans. Yee-haw! Open for lunch and dinner daily.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2201 E. River Rd.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 8501 N. Silverbell Rd.
103. Mcmahon’S Prime Steakhouse
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 327-7463
Address: 2959 N. Swan Rd.
Description: Voted the best steak house in Tucson by local magazines, McMahon’s is famous for its USDA prime aged beef and fresh seafood. Try one of the dry-aged steaks, rare, with a side of creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, and a Caesar salad. Seafood specialties include lobster tails. You’ll also find great appetizers, desserts, and over 25,000 wines. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Address: 6541 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
105. Sam Hughes Place Championship Dining
City: Tucson, AZ
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (520) 747-5223
Address: 446 N. Campbell Ave.
Description: Part sports bar, part sophisticated restaurant, Sam Hughes Place offers “a menu of American favorites,” including seafood, salads, and sandwiches, but beef is the thing here, brought in fresh daily and cut in-house. Choose from sterling silver–grade 21-ounce bone-in rib eye, 15-ounce bone-in New York strip, 10-ounce filet mignon, and the gargantuan 23-ounce porterhouse, all accompanied by a giant baked potato with sour cream, butter, bacon, and chives. While you wait for your entree, feast your eyes on the 23 high-definition TVs (usually showing sports) in the main dining room. If you have to use the loo, you won’t miss a thing—there are 4 more TVs in the restrooms. Open daily.