Half n Half Bites serves up horchata, elote, more sweet and spicy snacks

Rice, milk and cinnamon.

As simple as those three ingredients are, when they come together they create something magical.

With a little patience and the help of a blender, they are transformed into a creamy, softly sweet drink with notes of warm spices swirling around.

Its comforting flavors will have you hooked at first sip, making you realize you chugged all your horchata even before you were served your juicy carne asada tacos.  

Just as amazing as horchata is, a bad one is heartbreaking.

Too sweet.

Too watery.

Made from a packaged powder.

But when you get that icy glass of horchata that is the perfect creamy consistency and has those subtle sweet and warm flavors dancing throughout, you’ll feel like you’re floating through a field of flowers.

That’s the kind of horchata Sonia Valdez is serving up at Half n Half Bites.

Valdez is one of the owners of Half n Half Bites, at 5002 S. 12th Ave., a food truck that serves up all the classic antojitos ("little cravings" snacks) you’d see in Sonora, including elote and horchata con nieve.

Before starting Half n Half Bites, Valdez had never run a food truck. She and her cousin had been craving the street food they love to enjoy in Sonora and decided to take matters into their own hands.

Instead of taking the hour-long trip down south, the two decided to bring a little piece of Sonora to Tucson, opening their truck last August.

The first snack they needed to have on their menu is elote, the Mexican street corn covered in mayonnaise, Cotija cheese and powder. This isn’t your average corn on the cob: it’s rich, it’s spicy and it’s tangy.

At Half N Half Bites, you’ll have to choose between all kinds of elote dishes. Coctel de elote, tostielote (think elote mixed with nacho cheese) and tamal con elote are just a few of the corn snacks you can indulge in.

They also serve charola, aka a tray of elote. For this snack, you’ll get a tray that’s filled with corn on the cob rounds, each coated in mayonnaise, butter, Cotija cheese and crumbles of spicy Hot Cheetos. It’s not only a dish that deserves its own Instagram post, but it’s also the perfect snack to share with a friend on a Friday night as you sit under the truck’s twinkling string lights.

To add to their list of viral Mexican snacks, Half n Half Bites also offers a Buldak Ramen elote. You may have seen videos on TikTok of people making Buldak Ramen noodles and adding a bit of flair to the dish by combining it with ingredients like nacho cheese and, of course, Hot Cheetos. While it sounds like a lot, they somehow make it an addictive snack you’ll crave once the sun goes down.

Obviously, Half n Half Bites had to get in on all the Buldak Ramen fun, making their own version of the dish, adding in elote, Cotija cheese, chipotle and Hot Cheetos. Valdez said this is one of the most popular items on their menu.

Need something sweet to balance out the spicy elote? Half n Half Bites has the ultimate treat: horchata con nieve.

When it comes to making her horchata, Valdez likes to strictly use rice and a few other ingredients, cutting out the condensed milk and other sweeteners. That’s why her horchata has that hypnotizing, gentle sweetness that really lets the warm spices shine.

Now, what if that addicting horchata had a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream? Valdez’s special horchata is poured into a cute, small bucket and topped off with just such a scoop. You can then sip or slurp up the goodness with a spoon, enjoying the comforting vanilla and cinnamon flavors.

Next time you’re craving a spicy snack or need something sweet for dessert, you can sit under Half and Half Bite’s sparkling lights, enjoying a little piece of Sonora in South Tucson.

5 other antojitos places in Tucson to add to your try list

Funland Raspados, 2100 W. Grant Road

Funland has served Tucson for more than two decades with its raspados, snacks, ice cream and fruity treats. There are also burgers, Sonoran hot dogs, birria fries and other savory items.

La Muncheria, 702 W. Irvington Road

At La Muncheria, they not only serve up raspados, but also lots of antojitos like Tosti-Locos and sandia loca.

Mangos Refresqueria Y Cafe, 4990 S. Campbell Ave.

Want something sweet and savory? Don’t worry, Mangos has them both. Raspados, Tosti-birria, elote with Hot Cheetos, aguas frescas and churro waffles.

Raspados El Sahuaro, 245 E. Congress St.

From the owners of Fourth Avenue's La Yaquesita, Raspados El Sahuaro opened in 2024 with raspados, antojitos, sandwiches and wraps. Bonus hours: The shop is open until 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Antojitos, 63 E. Congress St.

The people behind The Neighborhood, La Chingada and Real Good Brunch also have an antojitos spot. Here, you can order all kinds of agua frescas, churros, Sonoran dogs and fresas con crema.