Highest-rated restaurants in Tucson by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Tucson, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Thunder Bacon Burger
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 33 North 6th Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Samurai Sombrero
- Rating: 4.5/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8101 East 22nd St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Food Trucks, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (271 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2530 North First Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#27. La Chaiteria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1002 West Congress St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Penelope
- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 210 East Broadway Blvd. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#25. El Antojo Poblano
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 1108 West St. Marys Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Yelp Elite Week With Blacktop Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Address: 8300 North Thornydale Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Local Flavor, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Jaime's Pizza Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 312 East Congress Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Caterers, Pizza, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Los Chipilones
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 1122 South 6th Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#21. La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood
- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7230 East 22nd St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. La Yaquesita Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 5.0/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 North 4th Ave. Ste 1 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos, Hot Dogs
- Read more on Yelp
#19. El Perro Loco
- Rating: 5.0/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3051 East 36th St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Los Mezquites
- Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 2341-2399 West Drexel Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Restaurants
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Barista Del Barrio
- Rating: 5.0/5 (557 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1002 North Grande Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Juice N Fruit Raspados
- Rating: 5.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3502 South 6th Ave. Ste 100 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Ceres
- Rating: 5.0/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 77 West Washington St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Cafes, Pasta Shops, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Zyka Twist
- Rating: 5.0/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 621 North 4th Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Tumerico
- Rating: 5.0/5 (1020 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2526 East 6th St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Cocteleria La Palma Mariscos Y Mas
- Rating: 5.0/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1137 South 6th Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Seafood, Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Coronet Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 353 South Meyer Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Redbird Scratch Kitchen + Bar
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 6444 North Oracle Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Tacos, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Che Cafe Empanadas Argentinas
- Rating: 5.0/5 (74 reviews)
- Address: 1998 East Irvington Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Empanadas, Argentine
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Urban Fresh
- Rating: 5.0/5 (224 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 73 East Pennington St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Vegan, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Live/Raw Food
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Carniceria Wild West
- Rating: 5.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4825 North 1st Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Grocery, Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Raptor Canyon Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (150 reviews)
- Address: 75 East Pennington St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Kabul Corner
- Rating: 5.0/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 1800 East Fort Lowell Road Ste 128 Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Afghan, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Chef Brian's Comfort Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 611 North 4th Ave. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Desserts, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Taco Rico
- Rating: 5.0/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4499 West Ina Road Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Houlden's Rise Above
- Rating: 5.0/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5029 East 5th St. Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Bakeries, Desserts, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Molecular Munchies
- Rating: 5.0/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: Tucson, Arizona
- Categories: Food Trucks, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
