$25 Challenge: Chocolates, candles and cute finds at Sonoran House Sam Hughes

Sonoran House Sam Hughes opened in the summer of 2025, and inside the charming brick building at 2513 E. Sixth St. is a wonderland of drinks, foods and affordable treasures. The space is home to a coffee bar, market, restaurant and gift shop area filled with local goods.

Here are some of my favorite things that I found for under $25.

First, I had to grab one of Sonoran House’s delicious drinks: their mojito black tea lemonade, a refreshing drink for warm weather. The black tea and lemonade are obviously a classic combo, and the mint syrup is an amazing complement to the bright flavors.

If you’re a die-hard Sonoran House fan, you’ll want to check out their selection of shop merch, featuring their cactus logo. If you’re a fan of morning coffee or tea, you can grab your own Sonoran House mug for $20, or rep the brand with a cool hat for $19.

They also have a large selection of local Tucson and desert-inspired art, including vibrant, illustrative magnets by Mary M. Spencer that depict Arizona’s landscape and wildlife. You’ll find designs of hummingbirds, roadrunners, desert tortoises and cacti. Each magnet is priced at $6.

Or, you can choose one of the many prints, created by local artists such as Melinda Kane, Lady Kady Art, Marcy Ellis, Jonah Ballard, and more. Many of the pieces highlight the beautiful desert scenery around Tucson, and many cost between $18 and $24.

There are also plenty of sweet treats if you’re looking to satisfy your cravings. For chocolate fiends, Sonoran House stocks delicious bars from local Monsoon Chocolate. Monsoon Chocolate is an award-winning chocolate maker and confectioner that draws inspiration from local ingredients to craft chocolate bars, bon bons, confections, desserts, beverages and more.

Their chocolate flavors include Sonoran sea salt and a mesquite white chocolate in collaboration with San Xavier Co-op Farm, a community farm located on the Tohono O’odham Nation that employs tribal members to wild harvest mesquite pods. Each bar costs $15.

Beyond chocolate, you can find cookies, caramels, Mexican chocolate brownies, marshmallows, pepita brittle and more, by Kim’s Confections. Most items are priced between $6 and $7.50.

For those who love the plants and landscape of the desert, or want to learn herbal recipes for natural healing and sustainable foraging tips, “Seasons of the Desert,” by Sonoran Rosie, guides you through the more than 75 plant species that call the Sonoran Desert home, from cacti and agaves to lesser-known trees and shrubs. The illustrated guide retails for $24.99.

I know I’m not the only one who can’t resist a good candle, and Sonoran House sells a line of mini candles from Tucson’s Di Luna Candles.

Since 2020, the candle and gift shop has been hand-pouring its own soy candles and wax melts, and crafting its own diffusers and bath salts, with the intention of bringing joy and a little magic into everyday life.

At Sonoran House, they have several different Di Luna scents, including midnight magic, rose magnolia, saguaro trail, cafecito and citrus basil. They all smelled so incredible I don’t think I could pick a favorite if I tried. Luckily, at only $9.50 each, you might not have to pick just one.