Where to eat on your San Diego road trip
- Updated
Arizona's best burrito at Chile Pepper, Star Trek murals at the Space Age Restaurant ... These places are worth your stop.
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
- Updated
Space Age Restaurant
This life-sized replica of the Starship Enterprise was built in 1964 by businessman Al Stovall, who lined the building with NASA memorabilia from the plastic factory he owned. After it burned down in 1998, it was rebuilt with all kinds of Star Trek stuff including a pretty stellar mural in the front. The food is standard diner fare, but I liked my Double Jupiter Burger with crispy onion rings. For dessert, they've got strawberry shakes and alien lollipops in the gift shop. Call ahead, they do takeout! bestwestern.com , 928-683-2761 , 401 E. Pima St., Gila Bend
Sofia's Mexican Food
The locals are all about this casual order-at-the-counter Mexican restaurant that's quaintly decorated with kitschy tropical paintings. The little space on Pima Street serves some pretty awesome corn gorditas, $3.55, which they stuff with meats like chicken and carne asada. They taste kind of like a cross between a taco and a pizza pocket, which makes them really easy to eat in the car. Sophia's Mexican Food , 928-683-6382 , 530 W. Pima St., Gila Bend
Humberto's
This Mexican drive-thru taco shop serves your regular menu of burritos, quesadillas, rolled tacos and more. But for an authentic taste of San Diego (before you get there) you've gotta go for the carne asada French fries. They're thin-cut crispy little things piled high with sour cream, guacamole, carne asada and lots of shredded cheese. Like McDonald's crossed the border. humbertosmexfood.com , 928-683-0525 , 610 E. Pima St., Gila Bend
Little Italy Pizza and Italian Restaurant
This restaurant is right next door to Humberto's, and has a walk-up takeout counter that serves all manner of sub sandwiches. Check out the Big Boy with turkey, roast beef, ham and provolone cheese on a freshly-baked housemade bread. If calzones are more your style, they have five different varieties ... littleitaliapizza.com , 928-683-2221 , 502. E. Pima St., Gila Bend
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
- Updated
Dateland Travel Center, Dateland
This market has been a roadside stop since the '20s, when people traveled through on railroad cars. It's a pity they didn't have air conditioning back then, because the weather out here is like Iraq, and can reach up to 120 degrees in the summer. The date trees love it of course, and the 22-acre fields yield half a dozen different varieties, which you can sample for free in the gift shop. The dates go into everything from candy to barbecue sauce. But you can't miss the frozen date shakes and date ice cream in a crispy waffle cone. It's incredibly rich and fibrous almost like a banana, with a mildly sweet honey flavor. dateland.com , 928-454-2772 , 1737 S. Ave. 64 East, Dateland.
Basque Etchea, Tacna
The town of Tacna, Arizona is home to about 555 people, a whole lotta sheep and Arizona's only Basque restaurant. Immigrants from this northern region of Spain came to Arizona in the 1800s, bringing their sheepherding traditions to little towns like Tacna. Sheepherder Fidel Jorajuria built Basque Etchea himself almost 40 years ago, and today you see his wife Frances holding court at the table in the front. These days the menu is mostly American burgers and sandwiches, but you can still find a few Basque specialties like trout fillet and leg of lamb with bright green mint jelly. They also sell sheep pelts! 928-785-4027, 8575 South Avenue 40 East, Tacna.
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
- Updated
The Chile Pepper
This 60-year-old Yuma spot may have one of the best best burritos in America, according to a recent article in Thrillist. The Gutierrez family employs a team of 17 people to work in a nearby factory making fresh corn and flour tortillas every day, starting at 1:30 in the morning. Their masterpiece is the simple bean burrito, which The Chile Pepper sells in fat little chubs for $1.89. It's not too big, so you can eat a couple and still feel good on the road. bgfamilyltdpartnership.com , 928-783-4213 , 1030 W. 24th St., Yuma.
More info here.
Other stops in Yuma: You can get the same burritos closer to the freeway at the Gutierrez family's other restaurant Mr. G's Mexican Food, 501 S. Fourth Ave.
Beer lovers should make the trip out to Prison Hill Brewing Co. for a pint of Jailbate Date, brewed with fresh local dates, 278 S. Main Street.
Or you can just get Italian deli takeout from Bernardo's Foothills, which sells a stuffed steak stromboli big enough to feed three people, 11242 S. Foothills Blvd. Suite 15.
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
- Updated
Tacos de Pescado Marlyn
For a quick plate of tacos and a cold Dos Equis, head over to Tacos de Pescado Marlyn. Baja California is still 45 minutes away, but you wouldn't know it from the fresh fish ceviche tostadas and Ensenada shrimp tacos. The salsa bar is beautiful and fresh, but be careful about that bright orange "Yahualica" salsa. It's really hot! facebook.com/tacosmarlyn86 , 760-353-1686 , 1614 S. Fourth St., El Centro
Jardin Hawaiiano
There's a little Mexican sweets shop right next door called Jardin Hawaiiano that sells fresh jugos and raspados for the summer heat. The mango raspado with chamoy sauce is a winning combination of contradictory flavors, with the sweet fruit playing off the intense spicy sauce. 760-352-0759 , 1600 S. Fourth St., El Centro
Antojitos Como En Casa
This homey Mexican kitchen is packed with trucker types and people enjoying gorgeous caldo stews. The vibrant green pozole can't be missed, but on weekends the restaurant also serves a dish called the lamb mixiote, which features lamb cooked in agave leaves. They also do breakfast. antojitoscomoencasa.com, 760-482-5621 , 425 Desert Gardens Drive, #C., El Centro
More like this...
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
Space Age Restaurant
This life-sized replica of the Starship Enterprise was built in 1964 by businessman Al Stovall, who lined the building with NASA memorabilia from the plastic factory he owned. After it burned down in 1998, it was rebuilt with all kinds of Star Trek stuff including a pretty stellar mural in the front. The food is standard diner fare, but I liked my Double Jupiter Burger with crispy onion rings. For dessert, they've got strawberry shakes and alien lollipops in the gift shop. Call ahead, they do takeout! bestwestern.com , 928-683-2761 , 401 E. Pima St., Gila Bend
Sofia's Mexican Food
The locals are all about this casual order-at-the-counter Mexican restaurant that's quaintly decorated with kitschy tropical paintings. The little space on Pima Street serves some pretty awesome corn gorditas, $3.55, which they stuff with meats like chicken and carne asada. They taste kind of like a cross between a taco and a pizza pocket, which makes them really easy to eat in the car. Sophia's Mexican Food , 928-683-6382 , 530 W. Pima St., Gila Bend
Humberto's
This Mexican drive-thru taco shop serves your regular menu of burritos, quesadillas, rolled tacos and more. But for an authentic taste of San Diego (before you get there) you've gotta go for the carne asada French fries. They're thin-cut crispy little things piled high with sour cream, guacamole, carne asada and lots of shredded cheese. Like McDonald's crossed the border. humbertosmexfood.com , 928-683-0525 , 610 E. Pima St., Gila Bend
Little Italy Pizza and Italian Restaurant
This restaurant is right next door to Humberto's, and has a walk-up takeout counter that serves all manner of sub sandwiches. Check out the Big Boy with turkey, roast beef, ham and provolone cheese on a freshly-baked housemade bread. If calzones are more your style, they have five different varieties ... littleitaliapizza.com , 928-683-2221 , 502. E. Pima St., Gila Bend
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
Dateland Travel Center, Dateland
This market has been a roadside stop since the '20s, when people traveled through on railroad cars. It's a pity they didn't have air conditioning back then, because the weather out here is like Iraq, and can reach up to 120 degrees in the summer. The date trees love it of course, and the 22-acre fields yield half a dozen different varieties, which you can sample for free in the gift shop. The dates go into everything from candy to barbecue sauce. But you can't miss the frozen date shakes and date ice cream in a crispy waffle cone. It's incredibly rich and fibrous almost like a banana, with a mildly sweet honey flavor. dateland.com , 928-454-2772 , 1737 S. Ave. 64 East, Dateland.
Basque Etchea, Tacna
The town of Tacna, Arizona is home to about 555 people, a whole lotta sheep and Arizona's only Basque restaurant. Immigrants from this northern region of Spain came to Arizona in the 1800s, bringing their sheepherding traditions to little towns like Tacna. Sheepherder Fidel Jorajuria built Basque Etchea himself almost 40 years ago, and today you see his wife Frances holding court at the table in the front. These days the menu is mostly American burgers and sandwiches, but you can still find a few Basque specialties like trout fillet and leg of lamb with bright green mint jelly. They also sell sheep pelts! 928-785-4027, 8575 South Avenue 40 East, Tacna.
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
The Chile Pepper
This 60-year-old Yuma spot may have one of the best best burritos in America, according to a recent article in Thrillist. The Gutierrez family employs a team of 17 people to work in a nearby factory making fresh corn and flour tortillas every day, starting at 1:30 in the morning. Their masterpiece is the simple bean burrito, which The Chile Pepper sells in fat little chubs for $1.89. It's not too big, so you can eat a couple and still feel good on the road. bgfamilyltdpartnership.com , 928-783-4213 , 1030 W. 24th St., Yuma.
More info here.
Other stops in Yuma: You can get the same burritos closer to the freeway at the Gutierrez family's other restaurant Mr. G's Mexican Food, 501 S. Fourth Ave.
Beer lovers should make the trip out to Prison Hill Brewing Co. for a pint of Jailbate Date, brewed with fresh local dates, 278 S. Main Street.
Or you can just get Italian deli takeout from Bernardo's Foothills, which sells a stuffed steak stromboli big enough to feed three people, 11242 S. Foothills Blvd. Suite 15.
- Andi Berlin | This Is Tucson
Tacos de Pescado Marlyn
For a quick plate of tacos and a cold Dos Equis, head over to Tacos de Pescado Marlyn. Baja California is still 45 minutes away, but you wouldn't know it from the fresh fish ceviche tostadas and Ensenada shrimp tacos. The salsa bar is beautiful and fresh, but be careful about that bright orange "Yahualica" salsa. It's really hot! facebook.com/tacosmarlyn86 , 760-353-1686 , 1614 S. Fourth St., El Centro
Jardin Hawaiiano
There's a little Mexican sweets shop right next door called Jardin Hawaiiano that sells fresh jugos and raspados for the summer heat. The mango raspado with chamoy sauce is a winning combination of contradictory flavors, with the sweet fruit playing off the intense spicy sauce. 760-352-0759 , 1600 S. Fourth St., El Centro
Antojitos Como En Casa
This homey Mexican kitchen is packed with trucker types and people enjoying gorgeous caldo stews. The vibrant green pozole can't be missed, but on weekends the restaurant also serves a dish called the lamb mixiote, which features lamb cooked in agave leaves. They also do breakfast. antojitoscomoencasa.com, 760-482-5621 , 425 Desert Gardens Drive, #C., El Centro
More like this...
Tags
- Sweeps
- Where To Eat In El Centro
- Where To Eat In San Diego
- Where To Eat On The I-8
- Where To Eat From Tucson To San Diego
- Where To Eat In Gila Bend
- Where To Eat In Yuma
- Gila Bend Restaurants
- Dateland Restaurants
- Yuma Restaurants
- El Centro Restaurants
- Space Age Restaurant
- Dateland Market
- Chile Pepper Yuma
- Jardin Hawaiiano
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