Cafe Poca Cosa
This is not your average casual Mexican joint, but an upscale urban bistro serving creative Mexican cuisine. Owner and chef Suzana Davila introduces guests to the wide range of flavors available in her native country. The menu changes twice per day and is printed in Spanish on a portable chalkboard, which servers take from table to table. This approach keeps Suzana and her staff on their toes, and it hasn’t gone unrecognized. Cafe Poca Cosa has been featured in a variety of publications, from the New York Times to Better Homes and Gardens to Gourmet Magazine.
El Charro Cafe
Since 1922, the same family has been cooking up Mexican food at El Charro, the oldest Mexican restaurant in Tucson. Monica Flin, El Charro’s first owner, is even said to have invented the chimichanga.
According to the restaurant’s legend, while frying ground beef tacos, she accidentally dropped a burrito into the frying pan. When the hot oil splashed up, Monica almost let fly a common Spanish swear word starting with “ch.” She stopped herself just in time when she saw her nieces and nephews, and out came the word “chimichanga.” It loosely translates to “thingamajig.”
In addition to deep-fried chimichangas, El Charro serves up tasty Sonoran and Tucson-style Mexican food, as well as strong margaritas in the outdoor cantina.