TUCSON & SOUTHERN ARIZONA Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails, Tucson DINING WITH A VIEW In Southern Arizona, dining out often comes with a feast for your eyes as well. Tucson’s Tohono Chul Garden Bistro is set in a 49-acre botanical garden and surrounded by wildflowers and palo verde trees. Peruse the daily brunch menu for choices like prickly pear margaritas and avocado toast. For cosmopolitan cityscapes, head up to the 14th floor of the Graduate Tucson to find The Moonstone rooftop bar, serving up modern Southwestern fare, craft cocktails and panoramic views of downtown. Thirty minutes outside downtown, venture to Tanque Verde Ranch for a down-home Cowboy Cookout. You’ll pile your plate with grilled meats and homemade cornbread and take a seat amid the peaceful scenery of Cottonwood Grove. Against a backdrop of craggy Pusch Ridge, Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails at El Conquistador Tucson serves up locally inspired dishes like chile con carne fundido. Just north of Tucson, Noble Hops gastropub in Oro Valley has va-va-voom views of the Catalina Mountains from its ample patio—plus craft beers and comfort food like burgers, wings and nachos. South of Tucson, Stables Ranch Grille at Tubac Golf Resort & Spa is a historical setting surrounded by views of golf greens, towering cottonwoods and the Santa Rita Mountains from its spacious patio. In between gazing, dig into herb potato gnocchi with smoked bison sausage or the signature pork schnitzel. HAVEN FOR ARTISTS BY TERESA BITLER DeGrazia Gallery, Tucson You’ll discover incredible arts and crafts wherever you travel in Arizona. But in the southern part of the state, several art destinations stand out for their unique sense of place. One of the most famous of these is DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum. Located in the foothills of Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains, the Gallery in the Sun pays tribute to Ettore “Ted” Grazia, known for his whimsical paintings of American Indian children. In addition to displaying his art, the gallery-turned-museum sells DeGrazia originals, so you can take the artist’s work home with you. TOP TO BOTTOM: VISIT TUCSON (2 PHOTOS); DARSHAN PHILLIPS Also in Tucson, the Monterrey Court Studio Galleries and Cafe was originally a motel when it opened in 1938. Today, it is home to a restaurant, bar, and several galleries and shops surrounding a courtyard where live music plays most nights. For sale, you’ll find everything from artisan jewelry and handbags at Uptown Rodeo Rose to mixed media and paper art at B. Art. There’s also a spa and three tattoo parlors on-site. Farther south, La Entrada de Tubac resembles the Spanish village that the country’s soldiers may have left to come to the area in 1752. Today, you can visit the presidio they built here, but La Entrada de Tubac is a destination itself. Its galleries showcase original paintings, sculptures and photography while specialty shops sell Southwestern home décor, handcrafted jewelry, clothes, native plants and local food items. Before you go, savor the flavors of Mexico at Elvira’s Restaurant, which opened in 1927. La Entrada de Tubac, Tubac 53
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2022-23: Page 53
