TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson has Mexican restaurants all over town but one area specifically has more than 50 restaurants.
The Tucson City Council designated an area around south Tucson as the best 23 miles of Mexican food in the country.
Many of the restaurants all have a specific item they are known for which keeps customers coming back visit after visit.
Birrieria Guadalajara focuses on breakfast as well as their birrieria. They have been family owned and operated for more than 39 years.
Another popular spot is BK Carne Asada and Hot Dogs. They have a Sonoran flavor to many of the options on their menu, but most people come for the Sonoran hot dog.
"Everyone asks about them," Karyme Galinado, an employee said. "They're amazing."
The heaviest concentration of Mexican restaurants is along 12th Ave. It's hard to drive a block without seeing a new spot.
Another family restaurant that has been open since 1965 is El Merendero. They focus on having fresh food for their customers. The favorite meal is an enchilada with their chipotle cream sauce.
But if you are looking for a tamale, Perfectos just down the street is the place to go. They have been open for 12 years and especially during the pandemic made it by selling tamales.
With all the Mexican restaurants it might be difficult to see how so many have stayed open for so long. Judith De La Rosa who has worked at Perfectos for years now said it's because they each have a specialty.
"I think that each of us have something and something to thrive in," De La Rosa said. "There is enough for all of us and there is something special that we all have which is amazing."
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