Sandwiches
Austin's — 6129 E. Broadway. To-scream-for ice cream, with extra-thick shakes. Tucson casual. 514-5132. $ E
Beyond Bread — 3026 N. Campbell Ave., 322-9965; 6260 E. Speedway, 747-7477. Combination sandwiches are generous; fresh-baked breads are stellar — with different daily choices. Tucson casual. $ C
Ted's Country Store — 2760 N. Tucson Blvd. A casual place for good deli sandwiches in this specialty market with a small-town flavor. Tucson casual. 325-3122. $ C
Bison Witches Bar & Deli — 326 N. Fourth Ave. Sandwiches are big, and bread bowls of soup terrific. Take-out might be easier because of the lack of dining space. Tucson casual. 740-1541. $ C
Daggwood Cafe — 736 E. Fort Lowell Road. Huge sandwiches in a variety of choices — including retro meat like liverwurst. Tucson casual. 903-9663. $ C
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Sausage Deli — 2334 N. First Ave. Lots of sandwich choices, and for only $1.99 you can add a side salad, chips and a drink. Tucson casual. 623-8182. $ C
Bumsted's — 500 N. Fourth Ave. Bumsted's is all about good food, and its vast menu is divided into "affairs" — "A Hot Affair" for hot sandwiches, etc. — and items with amusing names. Tucson Casual. 622-1413. $-$$ C
Cattletown Steakhouse and Saloon — 3141 E. Drexel Road. A country-style steakhouse with Texas-size tables. No checks. Tucson casual. 295-1141. $$ S
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar — 6360 N. Campbell Ave., No. 180. The noise level is high, but the satisfaction level is even higher. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual to dressy. 529-5017. $$$$ FH
McMahon's Prime Steakhouse — 2959 N. Swan Road. Upscale restaurant with glassed-in wine room features meats and seafood. High casual. 327-2333. $$$$ C
Taste of Texas — 8310 N. Thornydale Road. Serves dinner daily in an old-town, family-style atmosphere. Tucson casual. 572-5968. $$ NW
Sam Hughes' Place — 446 N. Campbell Ave., Suite 150. Championship dining — try to find a classier sports bar anywhere. Tucson casual. 747-5223. $$-$$$ C
Sullivan's Steakhouse — 1785 E. River Road. It's worth the indulgence. High casual. 299-4275. $$$$ FH
Firebirds — 2985 E. Skyline Drive, at La Encantada. Steaks here are aged, thick and juicy. Tucson casual. 577-0747. $$$-$$$$ FH
OK Corral — 7710 E. Wrightstown Road. Cowpokes love it here. It's casual, it's Western, and it has mighty fine steaks cooked over a mesquite fire. Tucson casual. 885-2373. $$-$$$ FH
Pinnacle Peak — 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road in Trail Dust Town. Ol' West hullabaloo can put you in the mood for a thick, juicy steak cooked just the way you want it over a mesquite fire. Tucson casual. 296-0911. $$ FH
Daisy Mae's Steakhouse — 2735 W. Anklam Road, serves certified Angus steaks, cooked on an open flame fueled by mesquite whose fragrance seeps into the meat. The menu also offers chicken and seafood. Tucson casual. 792-8888. $-$$ NW
Rod's K.C. Barbecue — 601 N. Fourth Ave. Friendly dining spot with a down-home ambience serves savory, lean and tender ribs. No alcohol. Tucson casual. 623-0182. $ C
El Paso Bar-B-Que Co. — 5510 E. Broadway. It's a solid choice for barbecue and other rib-sticking food. But the spirit of its happy-hour specials is as big as the state of Texas. Tucson casual. 745-2000. $ C
Intermezzo — The Plaza at Williams Centre, 5350 E. Broadway, Suite 128. This low-key restaurant is open for not-so-light lunches, with wine and a light menu in the evening. Tucson casual. 748-8100. $ C
Mama Louisa's La Cantina Restaurant — 2041 S. Craycroft Road. Mangia is the motto at this place for reasonably priced homemade Italian food. Tucson casual. 790-4702. $-$$ C
Nonna Maria's — 2161 Rockcliff Blvd., Oracle. Obviously, pizza and pastas abound, but sandwiches, salads and calzones also make up the menu. Tucson casual. 1-520-896-3522. $-$$ NW
Bazil's — 4777 E. Sunrise Drive. Booths and a rich-hued décor provide the backdrop for ample portions of Italian specialties such as veal and pasta. Half-orders available. Reservations recommended. High casual. 577-3322. $$$ FH
Oregano's Pizza Bistro — 4900 E. Speedway. They pile on the food at this hip, chic little eatery. But you'll have to wait for it: Long lines mean long waits. Tucson casual. 327-8955. $-$$ C
Tavolino — 7090 N. Oracle Road. This small restaurant serves unfussy fare. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual to high casual. 531-1913. $-$$$ NW
Viro's Real Italian Bakery and Cafe — 8301 E. 22nd St. A sampling of the fresh baked goods, meats and cheeses will make you think you're in Tuscany. Tucson casual. 885-4045. ¢–$ SE
Dolce Vita —7895 E. Broadway. It's tempting to fill up on the crusty bread dipped in rosemary-garlic olive oil, but save room for anything topped by the marinara sauce. Tucson casual. 298-3700. $$-$$$ E
FioRito's — 2702 E. Grant Road. This cool, dark restaurant serves up good, no-nonsense Italian basics. Tucson casual. 325-6919. $$-$$$ C
Roma Imports — 627 S. Vine Ave., off 15th Street and South Kino Parkway. Good Italian food done right. You order at the counter, seat yourself and wait for your food to be served. Tucson casual. 792-3173. ¢-$ C
North Modern Italian Cuisine — 2995 E. Skyline Drive. Sam Fox's restaurant has a homey, sink-in-and-enjoy-yourself feel. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual to dressy. 299-1600. $$ FH
Piazza Gavi — 5415 N. Kolb Road. Pizza and a more upscale environment are the marked differences between this and the other Gavi restaurants. The Sicilian fare comes in big portions. Tucson casual. 577-1099. $$-$$$ FH
DiLuca Fine Italian Foods — 7090 N. Oracle Road. A takeout restaurant and deli that also has a small market with a wide array of Italian imports. In the deli counter, you'll find lasagna and meatballs alongside cold pasta salads and veggies. Tucson Casual. 531-8885. $$ NW
Trattoria Della Famiglia — 6060 N. Oracle Road. Unpretentious and inviting, with rustic cook pots and Italian posters hanging on sponge-painted burnt-orange walls. Tucson casual. 219-7226. $$ NW
Ascolese's Italian Ristorante — 222 S. Church Ave. Ascolese's traded Jersey Joe's subs for more upscale cuisine. The restaurant has packed up its garlic, tasty marinara sauce and sausage and settled into the old Samaniego House on the grounds of the Tucson Convention Center.Tucson casual. 623-0313. $-$$ C
Bakerzin — 940 E. University Blvd. The menu is a fusion of French and Italian. But most of the French accents — aside from the decadent pastries, cakes and desserts — haven't been added. So, basically, Bakerzin is an Italian restaurant. Tucson casual. ¢ C 792-0530.
Trattoria Pina — 5541 N. Swan Road, at Sunrise Drive. Simply fantastico Italian fare. Dishes here don't need fancy dress to speak eloquently. Tucson casual to high casual. 577-6992. $$-$$$ FH
Cibaria Cucina Italiana — 12985 N. Oracle Road, Suite 165. There's a generous selection of beef, chicken, veal and seafood dishes but not so many that you feel overwhelmed with decisions. The house pizza is a treat and it has a limited kids' menu to satisfy. Tucson casual. 825-2900. $ NW
Vintabla — 2890 E. Skyline Drive. This spot specializes in small plates and big plates meant to be shared. Which is a brilliant way to eat, really, especially for people with smaller appetites or those who like to sample a bit of everything. Casual. 577-6210. $$ FH
Argenziano's —16251 S. Houghton Road. You can find pizzas, pastas and sandwiches in this Corona de Tucson-area restaurant. 762-5999. Tucson casual. $ SE
Bianchi's — 1110 N. Silverbell Road. West Siders' pizzeria of choice, with loads of toppings available. Drive-through and delivery. Tucson casual. 882-8500. $ C
Zachary's Pizza — 1028 E. Sixth St.. Delicious, inventive pizzas that won't disappoint. Parking is scarce, but the toppings are plentiful. Tucson casual. 623-6323. $ C
Zona 78 — 78 W. River Road. The grown-up pizzas have thin crusts, inventive toppings, and the tomato sauce is used judiciously. Tucson casual. 888-7878. $$ NW
Bazil's To Go — 4777 E. Sunrise Drive. Flavorful Chicago-style pizza and pasta for take-out only. 577-1100 $-$$ FH
Rocco's Little Chicago Pizzeria — 2707 E. Broadway. Mounds of cheese on the pies and one of the best thin crusts around. Tucson casual. 321-1770. $-$$ C
Magpie's Gourmet Pizza — 8295 N. Cortaro Road, 572-4300; 605 N. Fourth Ave., 628-1661; 4654 E. Speedway, 795-5977; 105 S. Houghton Road, 751-9949; 7159 E. Tanque Verde Road, 546-6526. Locally owned chain makes even plain pepperoni a gooey delight. NW, C, E, FH $-$$
Eclectic Pizza — 7065 E. Tanque Verde Road. Organic dough and choices like jalapeño cream sauce and red curry sauce give you a reason to visit. 886-0484. $-$$ FH
Arizona Pizza Company — 4955 N. Sabino Canyon Road, 299-7311; 5855 E. Broadway, Suite 114, 514-0909. Not your average pies, with selections such as chicken pesto and The Hawaiian. $-$$ FH, C
Canal Street Pizzaria — 5655 E. River Road. Generous servings and a menu scattered with comments that read like script notes from "The Sopranos." 615-2262. $-$$ FH
Enoteca Pizzeria and Wine Bar — 58 W. Congress St. There are always a handful of mouthwatering specials on the board, and you can enjoy something as simple and savory as a doughy pie with crispy crust topped with goat cheese, caramelized onions and other gourmet delights.Tucson casual. 623-0744. $$ C
Vero Amore — 3305 N. Swan Road. Think Wolfgang Puck rather than Shakey's. Toppings include fresh basil and prosciutto, or smoked salmon partnered with mascarpone cheese and arugula. Tucson casual. 325-4122. $-$$ FH
The Bamboo Club — 5870 E. Broadway, in Park Place mall. It's big, it's hip, and it features delectable dishes from most of the Pacific Rim nations. Tucson to high casual. 514-9665. $$-$$$ C
Confucian Stir Fry — 4202 E. 22nd St. Big portions and a home-style approach to Cantonese, Szechwan and Mandarin cuisine. No checks. Takeout and deliveries, too. Tucson casual. 750-1432. $ C
Neo of Melaka — 1765 E. River Road. A Malaysian restaurant that opened up in the restaurant mecca along East River Road and North Campbell Avenue. The food is just as tempting as it is at the sister restaurant of Seri Melaka. High casual. 299-7815. $$-$$$ FH
Bonsai Japanese Steak & Seafood — 3305 N. Swan Road. The teppan tables are fun, but it's the sushi that has won our hearts. Tucson casual. 325-4494. $$ C
Char's Thai — 5039 E. Fifth St. Intimate, exotic eatery serves well-prepared Thai specialties to sample or share. Tucson casual. 795-1715. $$ C
Ha Long Bay — 6304 E. Broadway. You'll find fresh ingredients, subtle, sometimes exotic flavors, and thoughtful presentation at this small, unpretentious restaurant. Tucson casual. 571-1338. $-$$ E
Where is it?
C–Central E–East
D–Downtown FH–Foothills
GV–Green Valley NW–Northwest
S–South SW–Southwest
SE–Southeast
What does it cost?
Price-range estimates are for dinner for two. Drinks, tax and tip are not included.
¢ – About $10 $ – $10-$20
$$ – $20-$30 $$$ – $30-$40
$$$$ – above $40
WHAT TO WEAR
Dressy: Fancy. Dress to impress.
High casual: Polish up. Polo shirt and khakis are OK.
Tucson casual: Just about anything goes. Shirt and shoes, of course.
The fine print
A rotating list based on staff reviews. Don't see your favorite place? Let us know at caliente@azstarnet.com.
