Tucson has been feeling the love in recent weeks for its highly celebrated food scene.
First, Yelp put six of the city's restaurants on its list of top 100 restaurants in the U.S. for 2025.
Among those selected: Baja Cafe, Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe,La Frida Mexican Grill & Seafood,Tito & Pep,Penelope andThe Parish.
Now, Forbes is piling on the praise, with a new piece, "Tucson, Culinary Capital And City Of Gastronomy, Celebrates 250 Years," that explores some of the city's restaurants and how they are utilizing the ingredients that grow in and around the Old Pueblo.
The publication cites James Beard award winner Don Guerra, founder of Barrio Bread (18 S. Eastbourne Ave.), for his use of heritage grains. It celebrates Maynard's Kitchen & Bottle Shop (400 N. Toole Ave.) for its use of prickly pear, agave and squash blossom in its dishes, and the gin-driven cocktail joint, Juniper (222 E. Congress), for using house-made prickly pear, among other ingredients.
BarBata, located under the downtown restaurant Bata (35 E. Toole Ave.), also gets a nod for its "From Agave" cocktail menu selections.
The article continues with separate sections about the Tucson Agave Heritage Festival, taking place this year April 10-13, and Tucson's Mission Garden.