Check out these new restaurants and bars that have debuted in Tucson — or opened new locations — so far in 2023.
The Jewel Cafe and Juice Bar, 431 N. Fourth Ave., is working to open this year after months of renovations.
Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily StarThe Jewel Cafe & Juice Bar officially opened Jan. 30 serving up a farm-to-table concept with a menu consisting of omelets, pastries, sandwiches, burritos and pressed juices.
Where: 431 N. Fourth Ave.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday
Website: The Jewel Cafe on Facebook
Jonathan Russell, left, and Julia Russell, owners of The Jewel Cafe and Juice Bar.
Grace Trejo, Arizona Daily Star
The Yo Yo Yoji at Miss Dessert comes with sticky rice pellets with vanilla or green tea ice cream.
Gloria Knott, This is TucsonMiss Dessert is a small chain from Phoenix that has made its debut in Tucson. Find Hong Kong-style desserts, like snow with sticky rice, and lots of drinks.
Where: 1800 E Fort Lowell Rd #140
Website: Miss Dessert
Pasta La Vista advertises itself as to-go, but they do have a dining room. Their menu rotates around pasta, pizza and subs — all of which are customizable.
Where: 2425 N. Tucson Blvd
Website: Pasta La Vista
After nearly a year, Just Churros opened its brick-and-mortar location on National Churro Day.
Gloria Knott, This Is TucsonJust Churros makes Spanish-style churros using beloved Mexican toppings like cinnamon sugar, chocolate and cajeta.
Where: 4280 N. Oracle Road
Website: Just Churros
Richard Fifer, co-owner of the Agave House, center, talks with John Oliver, far left, and Jody Ipsen, during a soft opening of the restaurant for friends and family on Monday.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily StarAgave House is a sit-down Mexican restaurant with "a modern flair.”
Where: 943 E. University Blvd
Website: Agave House
The Xtreme Slush from Better Bevs is a sour blue raspberry slush with sour candies atop.
Gloria Knott, This Is TucsonBetter Bevs combines techniques of boba tea shops with Mexican flavors and aguas frescas, as seen in their chamoy mango shave ice and cucumber lemonade with spicy chile popping boba.
Where: 210 N. Fourth Ave.
Website: Instagram
Sumaj commissioned Bolivian artists to design their food truck art and their logo, depicting a Bolivian-style empanada.
Ellice LuedersSumaj is a mother-daughter-run food truck that serves up Bolivian street food.
Where: 403 N. Sixth Ave.
Website: Sumaj
Sumaj is a new food truck slinging Bolivian street food near downtown Tucson. It's the only place that makes Bolivian food in Tucson, and they make it all from scratch.
Albert Lopez, right, helps a customer with her order during the grand opening of Chick-in Waffle on May 19. This is the Missouri chain restaurant’s first Arizona location and first location outside its birthplace in Kansas City.
Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily StarChick-in Waffle is the first chicken and waffles restaurant in Tucson since May’s Counter Chicken & Waffles on East Speedway closed in 2018. Several Tucson restaurants, including The Drunken Chicken on North Fourth Ave., serve chicken and waffles, but none of them focuses on it exclusively.
Where: 5524 E. Grant Road
Phone: 816-800-4041
Website: Chick-in Waffle
For Star subscribers: A Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant has opened its first location outside its homebase in Tucson, with two locations coming soon to Phoenix.
David Woods of the Brillé Mead Company pours a mix of water and honey from Marana into a fermentation tank inside Dillinger Brewing Co. in Tucson. This batch – a prickly pear mead – will be ready in about three weeks.
Rick Wiley, Arizona Daily StarMead is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and in Ethiopia, a version of mead called te’j is a familiar household drink, consumed out of long-necked vessels called bereles. Brillé Mead Company's David Woods is bringing te’j to Tucson.
Where: 3895 N Oracle Rd
Phone: (520) 207-2312
Website: Brillé Mead Company
Brillé Mead Company is a new place to find mead in Tucson. The mead is inspired by Ethiopian te'j, from owner David Woods' home country.
Doughbird Pizza, 2960 N. Campbell Ave. is opening Wednesday, May 31.
Kelly PresnellRotisserie chicken and pizza is the premise of Sam Fox's six-year-old concept Doughbird, which opened its first Tucson location on May 31.
Where: 2960 N. Campbell Ave.
Website: Doughbird
For Star subscribers: Doughbird, a rotisserie chicken and pizza restaurant, is opening next door to another new Fox eatery, Flower Child.
While there are lots of Mexican sushi food trucks in Tucson, Mr. Patron is the first sit-down restaurant slinging the deep-fried rolls. It even has a patio.
Where: 5754 E. 22nd St.
Phone: (520) 372 2346
Website: Mr. Patron
11 new restaurants have recently opened in Tucson. Find a second location of Indian Twist, a new pupuseria in a food truck park and a Japanese-style sandwich spot at American Eat Co.
The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQ is expected to open in February at Tucson Spectrum on Irvington Road near I-19.
The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQThis small chain, started in Myton, Utah, has one restaurant in Casa Grande and opened its third location in Tucson on April 3. They offer steak cooked on a hot stone right at your table along with other steakhouse classics.
Where: 5475 S. Calle Santa Cruz
Phone: (520) 702-2227
Website: Hideout Steakhouse
For Star subscribers: The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQ will open next year on Tucson's south side, creating about 50 new jobs.
Idaho-based Gyro Shack, serves up Greek staples in a "fast-causal" setting.
Where: 5775 E. Broadway Blvd
Phone: (208) 853-5840
Website: Gyro Shack
The new Greek-inspired joint will host its soft opening on April 14 across from Park Place Mall.
420 Taco Truck is one of the five core food trucks at The Backyard food truck park and will be available 20 days out of the month.
Ellice LuedersThe Backyard has a rotating roster of 20 trucks, though a core few will be posted up 20 days of each month and 7-8 are featured at a time. The park is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: 890 W. Grant Road
Phone: (520) 668-0074
Website: The Backyard
The Backyard, located on Grant Road, is Tucson's newest food truck hub. With a roster of 7-8 food trucks at a time, you'll find Mexican sushi to Persian-inspired coffee.
The garlic naan at Zyka Twist is $4.25.
Ellice Lueders, This Is TucsonWhere: 621 N 4th Ave
Phone: (602) 544-6766
Website: Zyka Twist
Tucson's Indian Twist just opened a second location, this time on 4th Ave. Zyka Twist serves a curated selection of items you love from Indian Twist's midtown location.
Flower Child, on the corner of North Campbell Avenue and Glenn Street, is located where the former Old Chicago Pizza once stood.
Mason Kumet, For the Arizona Daily StarFlower Child features a menu of salads and bowls, many of them vegetarian and vegan.
Where: 2960 N Campbell Ave. #110
Phone: (520) 276-4550
Website: Flower Child
Kava Den is a new extension of the Kava Bar, which offers Kava drinks and products.
Where: 67 E. Pennington St.
Phone: 520-323-1832
Website: Kava Den
Justin Fitzsimons prepares a French dip burger at Uptown Burger, 6370 N. Campbell Ave.
Rick Wiley, Arizona Daily StarUptown Burger is a counter-service, fast-food restaurant that serves a half-dozen eclectic burgers, salads, fries and gelato.
Where: 6370 N. Campbell Ave. suite 160
Phone: (520) 638-6182
Website: Uptown Burger
For Star subscribers: The scion of Tucson's famous Italian restaurant family has dove into his passion for burgers.
You can purchase Yellow Brick Coffee at their brick-and-mortar store, 3220 S. Dodge Blvd. It was founded in 2012.
Yellow Brick CoffeeYellow Brick Coffee is at a new location offering hand- and batch-brewed coffees, espresso-based beverages and pastries made in-house.
Where: 800 N. Country Club Road
Phone: (520) 226-4068
Website: Yellow Brick Coffee
For Star subscribers: A Tucson-based coffee roaster is opening its flagship location at the iconic Benedictine Monastery in midtown.
A new food truck park opened in February at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet.
Where: 4100 S. Palo Verde Road
Phone: (866) 440-2810
Website: Comida Park
Tucson restaurateur Patricia Schwabe drew from childhood memories of eating classic American fare during visits from Mexico for her new restaurant, Blue Front Fine American Food, 110 E. Congress St.
Kelly Presnell photos, Arizona Daily StarBlue Front, home to American comfort foods, opened in January.
Where: 110 E. Congress St.
Phone: (520) 849-7964
Website: Blue Front
The chicken on the menu of Dave's Hot Chicken comes in seven degrees of hot, from "No Spice" to "Reaper."
Courtesy Dave's Hot ChickenWhere: 5615 E. Broadway Blvd.
Phone: (520) 613-2420
Website: Dave’s Hot Chicken
A row of dogs gets loaded up on the line at Portillo’s, 3761 E. Broadway Blvd., in Tucson.
Kelly Presnell Arizona Daily StarThis popular chain that specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs opened in February where Claim Jumper once stood at the El Con Center.
Where: 3761 E Broadway Blvd
Phone: 520-246-2300
Website: Portillo's
Pictured is the Triple Lava Burger at Main Event, which comes with three patties topped with American cheese ... and then smothered in creamy cheese and caramelized onions.
Courtesy Main Event EntertainmentMain Event is a family-friendly bowling, arcade and entertainment venue that opened its first Tucson location in March.
Where: 4700 S Landing Way
Phone: (520) 503-3301
Website: Main Event
Features Reporter
For Star subscribers: The shop sells both sweet and savory bowls with fresh ingredients.
For Star subscribers: The popular salad bar operated from 1996 until the pandemic forced its closure in 2020.
After opening over two decades ago, this eclectic Patagonia restaurant is still standing despite relocation, renovations and economic downturns.
For Star subscribers: Longtime chef-owner Jonathan Landeen is pulling the trigger on retirement, passing the proverbial cleaver to new Tucson owners.
The healthy-leaning restaurant serving salads and bowls is adjacent to another Sam Fox concept, the pizza and rotisserie chicken restaurant Doughbird, set to open in May.
For Star subscribers: The sandwich shop will open on Broadway and Tucson Boulevard this fall.
The new Greek-inspired joint will host its soft opening on April 14 across from Park Place Mall.
Appearing alongside New Orleans and Chicago, Tucson was recently named one of the top 10 cities for food in the U.S. on a list published by Travel and Leisure magazine.
The Backyard, located on Grant Road, is Tucson's newest food truck hub. With a roster of 7-8 food trucks at a time, you'll find Mexican sushi to Persian-inspired coffee.
For Star subscribers: New entertainment options are coming to downtown Tucson and the Sunshine Mile with the support of Rio Nuevo.
A total of three Tucson eateries made Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in the Southwest 2023 list, which had five Arizona restaurants in the Top 10.
Tucson is lucky to have at least two British pubs, including Canyon's Crown and The Union Jack.
Brillé Mead Company is a new place to find mead in Tucson. The mead is inspired by Ethiopian te'j, from owner David Woods' home country.
For Star subscribers: We love our local restaurants, but national chains are finding just as much love from Tucson diners as new eateries make big inroads into the market.
Eegee's is now offering a limited-time cotton candy Eegee to celebrate students returning to school.
A croffle is a cross between a waffle and a croissant. The hybrid dessert was invented in South Korea and has recently made it stateside.
For Star subscribers: The new restaurant, with the slogan "Bites and Liquid Courage," will take over the Funky Monk space.
Ten months after announcing plans to expand into Tucson, the Chicago-based Portillo's is open, serving Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches.
For Star subscribers: The 50,000-square-foot Main Event joins dozens of restaurants, shops and a movie theater, establishing the area as an entertainment hot spot.
Tucson doesn't have a lot of German food. But between the months of October and April, our German food truck count increases to two. German Food Station is a food truck specializing in Swabian cuisine.
For Star subscribers: Dave's Hot Chicken, which includes the rapper Drake as an investor, is opening the first of three locations in midtown Tucson.
For Star subscribers: When the owners tweaked the menu and concept at the pizzeria, they also changed the name, drawing inspiration from their parents love story.
How well do you know the news of the past week? Play now to find out!
March 14 is Pi Day, which celebrates the mathematical constant — the first three digits of which are 3.14.
Arizonans have until May 13 to submit their ideas for Bashas' Donut Flavor Craze contest. Two winners will have their creations sold in stores for the month of June.
For Star subscribers: A Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant has opened its first location outside its homebase in Tucson, with two locations coming soon to Phoenix.
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Tucson's newest Mexican restaurant is all about agave
