No matter if you are a full-time-resident of the “Old Pueblo,” or a visitor, on this Tucson food tour you’ll eat your way through delicious neighborhoods from the burgeoning downtown, south-side or all-around town. This three-hour tour will open the food secrets not mentioned in the New York Times articles and known only to those who have eaten their way from one side of town to the other in search of the best Sonoran Hot-Dog on the city's South side to a hole in the wall serving up some of the city's finest Mexican street food to a white tablecloth eatery serving the finest of Mexican regional cuisine.
You’ll discover the food lore of the city’s 4,000 + year history and how it received its UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization) designation as the first City of Gastronomy in the country. The food and restaurants will vary depending on the day of the week and time.
For those over 21 we can offer a tour of the half dozen and counting, micro-brewers and distillers of spirits. “No matter what your poison,” we will introduce you to Tucson’s award-winning libations served up with local fare.
Itinerary
Chef Barry Infuso, the head of the culinary department at Pima Community College for over 20 years and a dietary and food consultant for the Pascua Yaqui Nation, will lead this Tucson food tour. Barry has published reviews of upscale restaurants for Tucson Lifestyle Magazine and several times a year he organizes the culinary booth at the Home Show housed in the Tucson Community Center.
Chef Infuso will share his knowledge of the finer aspects of culinary arts and the sights and attractions of the food establishments of downtown Tucson. He will talk about the city’s history, architecture and local culinary scene which has taken off in the last five years. There will be ample time to sample a diversity of tasty and filling food at various eateries from well-known places such as Cafe Poca Cosa to hidden out of the way gems.
The group will gather in the courtyard at the Mercado Agustin, located at the end of the Sun Link streetcar line in a thriving and lively area of downtown. There are upscale restaurants in the courtyard such as Agustin Kitchen, Seis Kitchen and delicious baked goods at La Estrella Bakery. We will sip coffee or Mexican hot-chocolate at Presta Coffee Roasters or try delicious raspados at Sonoran Sno-Cones. We will take advantage of the weekly Thursday afternoon farmers market where participants can buy fresh produce.
Tucson’s recently completed streetcar system, called Sun Link, will be our conduit of transportation on this walking and riding tour. The streetcar has played a vital role in revitalizing downtown and has spurred the growth of shops, restaurants, bars, theaters and various other businesses along its route.
The streetcar winds its way from the historic University of Arizona area, the 4th Avenue shopping district to the Mission San Agustin public marketplace just west of downtown.
Tucson’s craft beer scene is lively and exciting, there are new breweries popping up throughout the city. At least twenty breweries cater to beer lovers. We will sample craft beers at one or two breweries during the tour. Several of the breweries feature southwestern style craft beer, such as Borderlands Brewing Company. Their regionally grown ingredients include cactus fruit in its Prickly Pear Wheat and pecans in their Nut Brown Ale. We will tour Thunder Mountain Brewery, a mainstay of the downtown scene.
A number of downtown buildings and walls have recently been transformed in an open-air gallery featuring big, bold and often fanciful artworks. This is thanks in part to a public and private partnership between the City of Tucson Mural Arts Program and the Tucson Arts Brigade.
The funding comes from the Tohono O’odham National and Visit Tucson. The murals were created from a variety of artists and are as high as seventy feet and as wide as eight three feet. In fact, Herbert Alley off E. Congress Street has changing murals advertising upcoming concerts at the Rialto Theatre.
This Tucson food tour will feature delicious and eclectic upscale Mexican fare. Specialties include the sumptuous chicken with mole sauce and a variety of healthy salads and fresh vegetables.
Come join us on this fun and informative food tour of Tucson, headed by esteemed chef Barry Infuso.
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