8 Best Restaurants in Downtown Tucson, Tucson

Tucked inside the Stevens Home, part of the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, this gem of a café serves breakfast frittatas, burritos, and pancakes as well as delightful salads, soups, and sandwiches daily from 8 to 4, and is open for happy hour and dinner Wednesday through Saturday until 9.

An anchor in the downtown district, this French-inspired bistro, bar, and gourmet market takes up part of Tucson's historic train depot. Clever thematic touches—a dining room fashioned long and narrow like a train car, with wheel-like divider walls and lamps made from rail spikes—and the attentive yet relaxed service evoke the romance of a largely bygone era. Choose a table by the window and watch the trains go by. Or, if you prefer, sit outside on the vast patio overlooking the tracks. Menu choices range from starters like fresh oysters and steak tartare to bouillabaisse, coq au vin, and burgers served with pommes frites. The market, open from 7 am to 8 pm daily, sells pastries, sandwiches, and lighter fare to take out or dine in, as well as regional wines, tamales, and ice cream.

Hip in an understated way, this classy bistro and bar is firmly ensconced at the top of local "best of Tucson" lists, and its cocktails have garnered national attention. The minimalist setting—walnut banquettes, exposed pipes, and bare-bulb lighting—contrasts with the great care taken in preparing entrées like phyllo-wrapped chicken stuffed with spinach and goat cheese or steamed mussels with andouille sausage and pommes frites. Try a bold, herb-infused cocktail such as the Brick House old fashioned with bacon-washed rye.

Tucked inside the Stevens Home, part of the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, this gem of a café serves breakfast frittatas, burritos, and pancakes as well as delightful salads, soups, and sandwiches daily from 8 to 4, and is open for happy hour and dinner Wednesday through Saturday until 9.

This charming spot off the lobby of Hotel Congress is at the epicenter of Tucson's hippest scene, but it also serves up excellent food from breakfast through late night. Try the cast-iron baked eggs or huevos rancheros for breakfast, and the ahi poke bowl or "Queer Steer" (veggie burger) later in the day. It's open late—until 10 pm weeknights and 11 pm on weekends—and becomes crowded in the evening with patrons from Club Congress, the hotel's nightclub.

Ever-evolving maverick and master chef Janos Wilder draws inspiration from warm-weather regions around the world as he fuses French technique and Southwestern flavors. His emphasis on locally grown, organic foods informs the seasonally changing menu, but you can always get his signature J Dawg, a Sonoran hot dog with black beans, bacon, and smoked–poblano chile crema. The interior, decorated in soft blues and greens and exposed-brick walls, encourages relaxation and quiet conversation.

Started by Monica Flin in 1922, the oldest Mexican restaurant in town still serves splendid versions of the Mexican-American staples Flin claims to have originated, most notably chimichangas and cheese crisps. Located in an old stone house in El Presidio Historic District, the colorful restaurant and bar exude a festive, if slightly touristy, vibe.

Popular with local families and the business crowd at lunch, this bustling restaurant in Tucson's Barrio Historico neighborhood has been serving topopo salads (a crispy tortilla shell heaped with beans, guacamole, and many other ingredients), huge burritos, and green-corn tamales (in season) made just right for over 50 years. The spicy menudo (tripe soup) is reputed to be a great hangover remedy.