TUCSON & SOUTHERN ARIZONA TUCSON TACOS Every day is Taco Tuesday in Tucson, long known as the Mexican food capital of the country. Here are five different spins on those savory tortilla-wrapped treats. BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON 5 ways El Taco Rustico, Tucson 1 QUESABIRRIA TACOS You can order tacos in dozens of combinations at the counter-service El Taco Rustico by Chef Juan Almanza, but don’t miss the quesabirria version: tortillas stuffed with a glorious mess of stewed-until-it-falls-apart meat and melted cheese. SEAFOOD TACOS With a funky exterior that looks like a submarine, El Berraco trawls the Pacific coast to create its Latin seafood menu. Sea-worthy tacos are no exception. While traditional fish tacos (the “El Fishi”) make the menu, locals go for the exotic, like octopus, marlin or the pastor shrimp, served with grilled pineapple and pineapple salsa. that her tacos are muy creative. Her Boca Tacos Y Tequila menu includes a chicken mole taco topped with sesame seeds, a grilled cauliflower option with cilantro curry and one with citrus-marinated salmon. avocado tacos or tacos filled with scrambled eggs, potatoes and roasted green chiles. 5 2 3 GOURMET TACOS Chef Maria Mazon has been a James Beard Award nominee and a Bravo TV “Top Chef” competitor, so it follows 4 BREAKFAST TACOS Is 8 a.m. too early for tacos? Not at Seis Kitchen , known for its breakfast tacos. With three locations, start your day with choices like bacon and PLANT-BASED TACOS Charrovida is all about healthy eating, with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices, including the taco options. Go for a quesabirria taco made with jackfruit instead of meat or the plant-based “Beyond Carne” version. HAVEN FOR ARTISTS BY TERESA BITLER DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum, 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. Also in Tucson, the Monterey 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 rocks and crystals at Temple of the Moon. There’s also a spa and several 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 decor, 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. 52 VISITARIZONA.COM TOP TO BOTTOM: @ROVE.AND.RELISH; VISIT TUCSON
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2023-24: Page 52
