» Restaurants

Border crossings

Mariscos Chihuahua — 1009 N. Grande Ave. (623-3563); 2902 E. 22nd St. (326-1529); and 3901 S. Sixth Ave. (741-0361). The fresh, filling, chilled seafood cocktails in a well-spiced broth will change your life. For some extra heat, add a bit of bottled hot sauce. No reservations. Tucson casual. $$

Maya Quetzal — 429 N. Fourth Ave., south of East Sixth Street. Central American specialties, with proceeds benefiting Guatemalan refugees. Reservations suggested for large groups. Tucson casual. 622-8207. $

Mi Nidito — 1813 S. Fourth Ave., at East 29th Street. Bill Clinton happily gobbled down a big lunch here back in 1999 when he was president. No wonder: It's authentic and good Mexican food at "my little nest." Expect to wait. Tucson casual. 622-5081. $

Rosa's Mexican Food — 1750 E. Fort Lowell Road, at North Campbell Avenue. It can be a madhouse here — crowds and confused staff contribute to the hectic atmosphere. But it's worth putting up with for the lard-free beans and tasty carne asada. Tucson casual. 325-0362. $

American and grills

Blue Willow — 2616 N. Campbell Ave., south of East Glenn Street. They know how to treat kids here. Adults, too: Check out the sour cream chocolate cake. Plenty of vegetarian choices. Tucson casual. 327-7577. $

Metropolitan Grill — 7892 N. Oracle Road, at West Magee Road. Stylish Northwest Side restaurant/bar with an exhibition kitchen serves a variety of dishes, including seafood, rotisserie chicken, sandwiches and salads. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual. 531-1212. $$

City Grill — 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road, north of East Pima Street. The young, hip professionals hang here. It features good American food, including pastas, wood-fired pizzas and grilled seafood. Smoking at the bar. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual. 733-1111. $$$

Cup Café — 311 E. Congress St. (in the lobby of the Hotel Congress). Hip hangout is a journey through a menu of foods from India, Thailand, Mexico, Japan, the Mediterranean and down-home America. No reservations. Tucson casual. Smoking in the patio. 798-1618. $$

Elbow Room — 1145 W. Prince Road, near North Flowing Wells Road. This old favorite has honest-to-goodness, deep-fried, no-frills food at remarkably low prices. Tucson casual. Smoking section. 690-1011. ¢

Elle, A Wine Country Restaurant — 3048 E. Broadway. The menu includes thoughtful salads, gnocchi that you have to tie down it's so light, and entree choices that whet the appetite. Tucson casual to high casual. 327-0500. $$-$$$

French Quarter — 3146 E. Grant Road. We'll put up with the smoky bar, live blues bands that are good but make conversation tough, and sometimes spotty service for just one of the beignets. But we'll take the traditional gumbo and jambalaya, too. Tucson casual. Nonsmoking until 9 p.m. 318-4767. $-$$

Nonie New Orleans Bistro — 2526 E. Grant Road. Serving Cajun and Creole cuisine, Nonie evokes New Orleans — from great gumbo and corn bread to colored strands of beads draped over the wall-mounted light fixtures. Tucson casual. 319-1965. $-$$

Raz — 1929 E. Grant Road. A sleek, upscale, intimate restaurant with a small, tempting selection that includes touches of Spanish, Pacific Rim, Greek and American cuisines. More of a date kind of place, with a small, nicely chosen wine list. Smoking in the patio. High casual. 327-2223. $$$-$$$$

Lovin' Spoonfuls — 2990 N. Campbell Ave. Vegan restaurant (no meat, no dairy) may not turn meat lovers into meat haters, but it'll easily convince you of the endless, and tasty, possibilities found in vegetarian fare. The creativity really blossoms with the dinner entrees, where vegan meat, pasta and vegetables rule. Tucson casual. 325-7766. $

Asian and Pacific Rim

ABC Market — 2710 S. Park Ave., south of East 36th Street. A South Park neighborhood favorite offering good takeout Chinese food. No tables or chairs. Cooks are fast. Alcohol available in the market. No checks or credit cards. Tucson casual. Not 882-8072 or 622-4054. ¢

Lotus Garden — 5975 E. Speedway. A serene setting, fine service and dishes such as glazed shrimp with walnuts make this an enticing place to dine. Tucson casual. 298-3351. $-$$

Szechuan Omei — 2601 E. Speedway. This UA-campus-vicinity restaurant serves Szechuan, Mandarin and Cantonese fare. Tucson casual. 325-7204. $$

Thai China Palace — 4853 E. Speedway. Offers a Chinese and Thai menu. The kung pao dishes are reputed to be among the best in town. Beer and wine only. High casual. 881-5068. $$

Yama — 5425 N. Kolb Road, south of East Sunrise Drive. The Japanese restaurant features Kobe beef, a shabu-shabu (sort of like fondue) bar and terrific teriyaki. Tucson casual to high casual. $$-$$$$ 615-1031.

Cafe Pacific — 3607 N. Campbell Ave., at East Prince Road. They serve up all things Asian here, from Malaysian to Indonesian. Tucson casual. 326-5174. $-$$

Sandwiches

Austin's — 2920 E. Broadway. This old-fashioned, booth-and-counter storefront eatery serves simple, satisfying sandwiches and to-scream-for ice cream. The extra-thick shakes are like the good ol' days. No alcohol. Tucson casual. 327-3892. $

Beyond Bread — 3026 N. Campbell Ave., north of East Glenn Street (322-9965); and 6260 E. Speedway, west of North Wilmot Road (747-7477). Combination sandwiches are generous; fresh-baked breads — with different daily choices (Friday is challah day) — are stellar. Can be crowded and noisy at lunch. No alcohol. Tucson casual. Smoking in the patio. $

Italian

Tavolino — 7090 N. Oracle Road. The small Italian restaurant serves unfussy fare that makes the taste buds dance. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual to high casual. 531-1913. $-$$$

Trattoria Guiseppe — 6761 E. Tanque Verde Road. Reasonably priced, high-quality entrees, with some tasty treats with a Sicilian accent. Tucson casual. 298-2233. $$

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, not Tucson. Tucson casual. 885-4045. ¢–$

Dolce Vita —7895 E. Broadway. It'll be tempting to fill up on the crusty Italian bread dipped in rosemary-garlic olive oil, but don't: Save room for anything topped by the marinara sauce. Tucson casual. 298-3700. $$-$$$

FioRito's — 2702 E. Grant Road. This cozy restaurant is a cool, dark respite that serves up good, no-nonsense Italian basics. Don't miss the lasagna or the manicotti, which, with a lemon-laced cream sauce, manages to be both airy and substantial at the same time. Tucson casual. 325-6919. $$-$$$

Breaking the Code

What to wear

Dressy: Fancy. Dress to impress.

High casual: Polish up. Polo shirt and khakis are OK.

Tucson casual: Just about anything goes. Shirts and shoes, of course.

Smoking

By ordinance, smoking is restricted inside restaurants within the Tucson city limits.

Accessibility

The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that restaurant dining areas and 5 percent of fixed table be accessible. For information on specific accommodations, contact the restaurant. For information on public accommodation requirements, call 1-800-949-4232.

What you'll pay

Price-range estimates are for dinner for two. Drinks, tax and tip are not included.

¢ = Cheap! About $10

$ = $10-$20

$$ = $20-$30

$$$ = $30-$40

$$$$ = above $40