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| Dining at Raijin Ramen, Tucson |
In 2014, shortly after purchasing our Roadtrek 210P we took a trek to the southwest and spent a couple of weeks in Tucson, Arizona. We have been back every winter since then. We concluded there was a lot to like in Tucson. Outdoor activities, museums, history and lore of the southwest including Tombstone and Bisbee, and a varied culinary experience.
Tucson became the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2015. Tucson has great food, but it's also an identity and a way of life. "What does it mean to be a UNESCO City of Gastronomy? Tucson received this distinction from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), because the food here tells a story that dates back 4,000 years."
Here is a sampler of a few of the restaurants we have recently dined at in Tucson, Arizona. These are in no particular order. We cook most of our meals, but we also enjoy dining out with fellow travelers. Some of our local favorites did not survive the pandemic or have undergone extreme changes as a consequence. So, I did not include them here. Furthermore, there are more restaurants than we have days available to dine out. It is true that staffing issues have had a negative impact on a lot of restaurants, and recent supply chain issues have also contributed to the economic havoc and menu availability. As a consequence, I've left a lot of restaurants off of this list because we have not had an opportunity to visit them in 2022.
Joe's Pancake House, 2532 S Kolb Rd, Tucson, is a popular breakfast & lunch dining restaurant. Consistently fast service, very reasonable prices. Voted Best Breakfast Restaurant in Tucson.
We do enjoy Fat Willy's in the Voyager RV Resort. We make it a point to visit the resort and the Bar & Grill is an important amenity. When we first visited Voyager, the resort owned and managed the restaurant. A couple of years ago Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc./ Encore Resorts decided to get out of that business, spun it off and leased it. It became Fat Willy's Bar & Grill. It is open 7am-9pm daily and serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. (Note: hours are subject to change). Dining on the patio in the evening is a pleasant experience.
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| Dining on the patio at Voyager RV Resort |
Did you know there are a number of Ramen shops in Tucson? This winter we returned to Raijin Ramen at 2955 E. Speedway, west of Kolb. It is a vegetarian friendly Japanese Ramen Shop restaurant, which had been running on limited hours during the Pandemic. It is now back to normal hours, lunch through dinner. We had the Gyoza (pork and veggie pot stickers), Miso - Regular and hot sake. There are other Ramen versions as well as a spicy one. The Miso is delicious!
Another dining spot is Culinary Dropout at 2543 E. Grant Road. I think of it as Comfort food with a flair. We visited recently and I had
Tomato Bisque and
Crusty Bread as an appetizer. I also had
Meat Loaf as the entre' while G had the
Famous Fried Chicken. Very tasty. The Crusty Bread is served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
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| Crusty bread and tomato bisque |
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| Famous fried chicken |
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| Meat loaf |
There are lots of spots for
Breakfast. In addition to
Fat Willy's at the Voyager Resort we also visited
Joes Pancake House and
Snooze several times.
Over at
Snooze 2500 E. Grant Rd there are pancakes and other treats. I recently had
Spuds Deluxe. The
Grits and Shrimp was outstanding.
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| Spuds Deluxe at Snooze |
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| Grits and Shrimp at Snooze |
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| Breakfast fruit cup at Snooze |
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| Churro Pancakes and a side of sausage at Snooze |
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| Smashed Avocado Benny at Snooze |
We recently visited
Caruso's 434 N. 4th Avenue for an Italian Dining experience:
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| Caruso's Italian Restaurant - 434 N. 4th Avenue - Tucson |
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| Caruso's Special - A combination of traditional Italian Favorites: •Spaghetti •Meatballs •Meat & Cheese Ravioli Served Meat sauce, Marinara sauce, or White Garlic-Mushroom sauce |
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| Caruso's - Lasagne al Forno with Eggplant Parmigiana |
A lunch of Greek food at Opa's Best Restaurant, 4590 East Broadway, Tucson:
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| Opa's Combo Plate with Gyros |
We do frequent Fat Willy's Bar and Grill. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is in the Voyager RV Resort, on Kolb Rd south of I-10. The bar & grill are open to everyone. They have a full-service menu and weekly specials which include Burger Monday, Taco Tuesday and Fish Fry Friday, as well as other, holiday based special menus.
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| Fat Willy's - Veggie Skillet and Get-up-and-Go breakfast sandwich |
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| Fat Willy's St. Patrick's Day Menu Specials |
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| Fat Willy's - Cobb Salad and Crispy Chicken Salad |
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Fat Willy's - Reuben Sandwich on Marbled Rye
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Saguaro Corners Restaurant & Bar, 3750 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, is a convenient stop when we are visiting Saguaro National Park - East. Usually, we stop for lunch.
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| Saguaro Corners- Shrimp, Cheese & Grits |
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| Saguaro Corners - Cobb Salad |
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| Saguaro Corners- Macaroni & Cheese |
Argenziano's is a small, locally owned Italian Restaurant. 16251 S Houghton Rd, Corona De Tucson, AZ 85641
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| Argenziano's Pizza, etc. |
BJ's Brewhouse & Restaurant at 5510 E. Broadway has an extensive menu including delicious Fish & Chips for lunch:
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| BJ's Brewhouse Fish & Chips |
Gaslight Theater 7010 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, is a popular live theater entertainment experience, which serves food and there is
Little Anthony's Diner next door:
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| Gaslight - Snacks during the performance |
Not visited in 2022, but we hope to do so, soon:
El Corral 2201 E. River Rd, Tucson. I had the Prime Rib with Tamale Pie. Delicious.
Poco & Mom's Cantina 7000 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson. Mexican Food made with 100% organic vegetables and spices.
The Canyon's Crown Restaurant & Pub. 6958 E Tanque Verde Rd, Tucson. Full menu but also Guinness Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, Bangers & Mash, Corned beef & Cabbage, and Chicken Curry.
Locale Neighborhood Italian Restaurant & Bakery, 60 N Alvernon Way, Tucson. 100% homemade. Wonderful outdoor dining from 11:30am. Lunch outdoor seating fills up quickly.
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(c) N. Retzke 2022
