Breakfast and coffeehouses
Brawley's Restaurant — 6367 E. Broadway. This neighborhood place dishes up a delicious, affordable breakfast (lunch, too) and some of the best coffee in town. Tucson casual. Open: 5 a.m. weekdays; 6 a.m. Sundays. 722-5571. ¢ E
Crying Onion — 3684 W. Orange Grove Road. Whether you want an order of toast or a breakfast of champions, this eatery gets you going. Breakfast and lunch only. No credit cards. Tucson casual. Open: 6:30 a.m. 531-1330. $ NW
The Egg Connection — 3114 E. Fort Lowell Road. Lots of food and choices — including home fries or grits — that are good, cheap and fast. Breakfast and lunch only. Tucson casual. Open: 6 a.m. 881-1009. $ C
Wags Family Restaurant — 4026 E. Grant Road. "Iowa style" diner serves up everything from griddle cakes to pork tenderloin sandwiches. Breakfast and lunch only. Tucson casual. Open: 6:30 a.m. 323-2345. $ C
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Special settings
The Gold Room at the Westward Look Resort — 245 E. Ina Road. The menu offers classic and nouvelle choices, along with eye-catching city views. High casual. Smoking allowed on patio. 917-2930. $$$$ NW
Bistro Zin — 1865 E. River Road. This chic restaurant with deep-red walls and banquettes resembles a Big Apple brasserie, with good wines by the bottle, glass or in flights. Reservations recommended. High casual. 299-7799. $$$ FH
Flying V Bar & Grill — 7000 N. Resort Drive, at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. The patio looks out on the pristine 18th hole of the golf course. Pricey but worth it. High casual. Smoking on the patio. 299-2020. $$$ FH
Ventana Room — 7000 N. Resort Drive, in Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. This is the definition of "fine dining" — near faultless food; stunning wine list; warm, hospitable service. Dressy. 299-2020. $$$$ FH
The Grill at Hacienda del Sol Resort — 5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Road. Top service and fine cuisine. Sunday brunch. High casual. Smoking at the bar and on the patio. 529-3500. $$$$ FH
Anthony's in the Catalinas — 6440 N. Campbell Ave. Voted Tucson's favorite restaurant with a view, Anthony's offers Continental dining, an award-winning wine list and attentive service. Reservations recommended. Dressy. Smoking in the lounge or on the patio. 299-1771. $$$$ FH
Arizona Inn — 2200 E. Elm St. This Tucson landmark offers understated elegance and upscale, satisfying food. Dressy. 325-1541. $$$$ C
Soleil — 3001 E. Skyline Drive. The fish is swimmingly fresh, and the desserts are a don't-miss. Tucson casual to high casual. 299-3345. $$$$ FH
American and grills
Metropolitan Grill — 7892 N. Oracle Road. Stylish restaurant/bar with an exhibition kitchen serves a variety of dishes. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual. 531-1212. $$ NW
City Grill — 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. The young, hip professionals hang here. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual. Smoking at the bar. 733-1111. $$$ FH
Elbow Room — 1145 W. Prince Road. This old favorite has deep-fried, no-frills food at remarkably low prices. Tucson casual. Smoking section. 690-1011. ¢ C
Agave Restaurant — In the Desert Diamond Casino, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road, at Interstate 19. Close, but still far away from the clang-clang-clanging of slot machines, Agave serves up soups, burgers and dinners. Tucson casual. 393-2720. $$ SW
Old Pueblo Grille — Two locations: 60 N. Alvernon Way, 326-6000; 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd., 297-1999. Part of the Metro Restaurants chain, both locations serve Southwest-style cuisine. Tucson casual. Smoking in the lounge. $$ C, NW
Tucson Racquet & Fitness Club — 4001 N. Country Club Road. Eat in or take out — even if you're not a member. There are salads, build-your-own-entree plates and healthful side orders. Tucson casual. 795-6960. $ C
Risky Business — 10515 N. Oracle Road, 531-0202; 6866 E. Sunrise Drive, 577-0021; 8848 E. Tanque Verde Road, 749-8555; 250 S. Craycroft Road, 584-1610. Family-friendly restaurants with burgers, salads and sandwiches. Tucson casual. $ NW, FH, C
Make mine meat
Bubb's Grubb — 16010 N. Oracle Road. Meat lovers will find what they're looking for. Tucson casual. 825-6510. $-$$ NW
Chad's Steak House and Saloon — 3001 N. Swan Road. Hand-cut beef selections range from ground sirloin to porterhouse at this Western-themed restaurant. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual. 881-1802. $$ C
Li'l Abner's Steakhouse — 8500 N. Silverbell Road. This former stagecoach stop serves steak grilled over mesquite wood. No reservations. Tucson casual. Smoking on the patio. 744-2800. $$ NW
Burgers and more
Buddy's Grill — 4821 E. Grant Road. Hamburgers so good that Star readers voted them Tucson's best. Tucson casual to high casual. 795-2226. $$-$$$ C
Bob Dobbs Bar & Grill — 2501 E. Sixth St. The burgers are BIG; and the homemade chips, a down-home treat. Tucson casual. 325-3767. $ C
Cody's Beef 'n' Beans — 2708 E. Fort Lowell Road. The burgers are thick, dripping with juices and charbroiled the way you request. Tucson casual. 322-9475. $-$$ C
Trident Grill — 2033 E. Speedway. Hamburgers, 24 beers on tap, friendly folks, cozy booths and a long bar make this a fine hangout. Tucson casual. 795-5755. $-$$ C
Italian
Caffé Torino — 10325 N. La Cañada Drive, Oro Valley. Northern Italian fare just like Mama used to make. Tucson casual. 219-2994. $$ NW
Verona Italian Restaurant — 120 S. Houghton Road. Simple, yet quietly elegant. Come hungry: The restaurant provides generous portions of homemade Italian delights. Tucson casual to high casual. 722-2722. $$ SE
Cibaria Cucina Italiana — 12985 N. Oracle Road. The talented Michael Veres is chef and co-owner. Check out the heavenly gnocchi arrabiata. Tucson casual to high casual. 825-2900. $$-$$$ NW
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. $-$$ C
Bazil's — 4777 E. Sunrise Drive. Booths and a rich-hued décor provide the backdrop for ample portions of Italian specialties such as veal and pasta. Half-orders available. Reservations recommended. High casual. Smoking at the bar. 577-3322. $$$ 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. $-$$ C
Tavolino — 7090 N. Oracle Road. The small restaurant serves unfussy fare. Reservations recommended. Tucson casual to high casual. 531-1913. $-$$$ 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. Smoking outside. 299-1600. $$ FH
Piazza Gavi — 5415 N. Kolb Road. Pizza and a more upscale environment are the marked differences between this and the other Gavi restaurants. The Sicilian fare comes in big sizes. Tucson casual. Smoking outside. 577-1099. $$-$$$ FH
Pizza
Argenziano's —16251 S. Houghton Road. You can find pizzas, pastas and sandwiches at this restaurant in the Corona de Tucson area. 762-5999. Tucson casual. $ SE
Bianchi's — 1110 N. Silverbell Road. West Siders' pizzeria of choice, with loads of toppings available. Drive-through and delivery. Tucson casual. Smoking on patio. 882-8500. $ C
Zachary's Pizza — 1028 E. Sixth St.. Delicious, inventive pizzas that won't disappoint. Parking is scarce, but the toppings are plentiful. Tucson casual. Smoking on patio. 623-6323. $ C
Zona 78 — 78 W. River Road. The grown-up pizzas have thin crusts and inventive toppings, and the tomato sauce is used judiciously. Tucson casual. 888-7878. $$ NW
Bazil's To Go — 4777 E. Sunrise Drive. Flavorful Chicago-style pizza and pasta for takeout only. 577-1100 $-$$ FH
Rocco's Little Chicago Pizzeria — 2707 E. Broadway. Mounds of cheese on the pies and one of the best thin crusts around. 321-1770. $-$$ 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
New York Pizza — 8771 E. Broadway. Inch-thick crusts and to-die-for garlic bread. 885-0116. $-$$ E
Arizona Pizza Company — 4955 N. Sabino Canyon Road, 299-7311; 5855 E. Broadway, Suite 114, 514-0909. Not your average pies, with selections such as chicken pesto. $-$$ 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. $-$$ FH
Brooklyn Pizza Company — 534 N. Fourth Ave. Best-selling pizza is the tried-and-true pepperoni, but the staff recommends the cheese pizza with tomato and basil sauce. Tucson casual. 622-2902. $ C
Asian and Pacific Rim
P.F. Chang's China Bistro — 1805 E. River Road. This sleek restaurant serves out-of-the-ordinary Cantonese, Shanghai, Szechuan and Mongolian cuisine. Tucson casual. 615-8788. $$ FH
Shabu Shabu Tanaka — 5655 E. River Road. This Japanese restaurant lets you cook the meals yourself — in a flavorful broth, with plenty of fresh ingredients. Tucson casual. 232-1393. $-$$ FH
Sakura — 6534 E. Tanque Verde Road. If you want dinner and a show, here's your place. The cooks whip up Japanese meals and do fancy knife work at your table. Tucson casual. 298-7777 $$-$$$ FH
Veggie-friendly
Govinda's — 711 E. Blacklidge Drive. No meat anywhere at Govinda's, a restaurant that is proof-positive that a vegetarian state can be heavenly. The buffet is heavy with culinary options. Our recommendation: Eat anything with the homemade cheese in it. Tucson casual. 792-0630. $ C
Guilin Chinese Restaurant — 3250 E. Speedway. An abundance of vegetarian dishes to choose from, and many will please. A favorite is the full-flavored vegetarian sizzling rice soup. Tucson casual. 320-7768. $ C
India Oven — 2727 N. Campbell Ave. Indian restaurants are a vegetarian's friend, and that's especially true here. Of course, you want the naan — we like the tandoori bread with garlic. But we love the saag paneer, a creamy dish made with the fresh cheese (paneer), spinach, garlic (lots of it) and a touch of red chile. 326-8635. Tucson casual. $$ C
La Indita — 622 N. Fourth Ave. The food here draws from Mexican, Tarascan Indian and Tohono O'odham cuisines. The beans are vegan; the vegetarian selections, abundant. The chile rellenos boast a delicate, egg-battered coating that doesn't overpower the natural flavor of the fresh, roasted chiles. Tucson casual. 792-0523. $-$$ C
Lovin' Spoonfuls — 2990 N. Campbell Ave. This vegan restaurant (no meat, no dairy) really blossoms with the dinner entrees, in which vegan meat, pasta and vegetables rule. The Coney Island Dog is pure comfort food. Tucson casual. 325-7766. $ C
Mina's Thai Restaurant — 5575 E. River Road. So many wondrous choices. A few we love: the tom yum vegetable soup, with tofu, mushrooms and lemon grass. Or the hot and spicy combo, with tofu, green beans, bamboo shoots and a give-me-a-fan hot and spicy sauce. Tucson casual. 299-0453. $-$$ FH
Red Sky Café —2900 N. Swan Road, Suite 100. Steve Schultz dishes up oversize servings that expertly combine French, California and Southwest cuisines. The Sunday brunch offers a range of vegetarian salads and pastas. High casual. Reservations recommended. 326-5454. $$-$$$ C
Soleil — 3001 E. Skyline Drive. You can request a vegetarian menu for dinner entrees. The desserts are a don't-miss. Tucson casual to high casual. 299-3345. $$$$ FH
Tohono Chul Tea Room — 366 N. Paseo del Norte. There are a few veggie choices here, but if they offered only one, let it be the open-faced sandwich of sweet tomato, fresh basil and creamy fontina on grilled French bread. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Tucson casual. 797-1222. $ NW
Zemam's — 2731 E. Broadway. We could love this just because we get to eat with our hands. That more than half of the menu is vegetarian makes us love it more. Try the spinach dish. Or the yemsir wet, a stunning, spicy, red lentil dish. Tucson casual. 323-9928. $ C
Sandwiches
Austin's — 6129 E. Broadway. New location but same to-scream-for ice cream, with extra-thick shakes. Tucson casual. 514-5132. $ E
Beyond Bread — 3026 N. Campbell Ave., 322-9965; 6260 E. Speedway, 747-7477. Combination sandwiches are generous; fresh-baked breads — with different daily choices — are stellar. Tucson casual. Smoking on patio. $ C
Ted's Country Store — 2760 N. Tucson Blvd. A casual place for good deli sandwiches in this specialty market with a small-town flavor. Tucson casual. 325-3122. $ C
Bison Witches Bar & Deli — 326 N. Fourth Ave. Sandwiches are big; and bread bowls of soup, yummy. Takeout might be easier because of the lack of dining space. Tucson casual. 740-1541. $ C
Daggwood Cafe — 736 E. Fort Lowell Road. Huge sandwiches in a variety of choices — including retro meat like liverwurst. Tucson casual. 903-9663. $ C
Sausage Deli — 2334 N. First Ave. Lots of sandwich choices, and for only $1.99 you can add a side salad, chips and a drink. Tucson casual. 623-8182. $ C
Where is it?
C–Central E–East
D–Downtown FH–Foothills
GV–Green Valley NW–Northwest
S–South SW–Southwest
SE–Southeast
What does it cost?
Price-range estimates are for dinner for two. Drinks, tax and tip are not included.
¢ – About $10 $ – $10-$20
$$ – $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. Restaurants are smoke-free unless otherwise indicated.
