Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Tucson

Serving wood-baked Napoli pizzas in an upscale, minimalist space is Falora. The creation of owner and Chef Ari Shapiro, this bright pizzeria also serves wine and beer with these low on gluten pies. Choose from their amazing Caesar, Kale or Butter Pecan salads as an excellent culinary warm-up. Then move on to their unique artisan pizzas, some of which include classic Margherita, Carni, Giardino and Cura, Falora's also encourages patrons to bring in their favorite vinyl record to spin on their stereo. As a return gesture, you can enjoy a free bottle of Chianti.

It's easy to miss this minute East African restaurant in a converted cottage on Broadway, but once you've tasted the exotic offerings, you'll want to mark it on your map. The menu is almost as limited as the number of tables (be prepared for a wait), but the sampler platters give you a good grasp of the gastronomic style of the region. Wats, Ethiopian-style stewed dishes, is the focus here. Choose from Doro (chicken), Yebeg (lamb), Zighi (beef), Yemisir (lentil) or several other exotically seasoned dishes, eaten in hand using the spongy Injera bread. No alcoholic beverages are served but, because of the size of the restaurant, you're allowed to bring your own wine or beer.

Chicago transplant and former rock musician, Rocco DiGrazia, brings a bite of the Windy City to Tucson at Rocco's Little Chicago. The choices include double-crusted pies and thin-crust, square cut options. With names like the Heart Attack—piles of meat and tons of cheese, and Fungus Humongous—mega-mushrooms, it's obvious this isn't health-conscious dining, but it's a delicious indulgence. A few sandwiches—also of mammoth proportions, are also offered and beer and wine are served. Quite likely, Rocco himself, will prepare your pizza.

Stop at this small midtown restaurant, meet the Trang family and have them cook an authentic Vietnamese meal for you suited just to your tastes. One of their favorites is the charbroiled pork or beef served on a rice noodle bowl. Do not miss the excellent pho soups that the family is famous for. Mr. & Mrs. Trang will take every effort to make their customers happy and you will leave well-fed and with a new appreciation of Vietnamese hospitality. Beer and wine are available.

Tucson Tamale Company serves, as their name would suggest, the best tamales in the city. It all starts with the fresh ingredients that are used in their wide variety of tamales. Different selections include the Santa Fe with pork loin and green chile sauce, as well as their signature Tucson tamale, which comes with tons of cheese in grilled jalapeno masa. Plenty of veggie and vegan options are also available, as are frozen varieties that are not sold hot in the restaurant. Their tamales can also be ordered through their website.

At Bob's it seems like everyone knows everyone else here, which is to say that the place is always filled with locals. Bob's is kind of a dive, however with TVs on the walls, it does have somewhat of a sports bar vibe. During happy hour, the college crowd comes in for cheap drinks and filling appetizers. Bob's serves a decent amount of domestic swill like Budweiser and Coors, but oftentimes you will also find a craft beer or two. Moreover, when the weather is right, the two patios available for outside dining are perfect.