Eating the Old Pueblo: 10 Best Restaurants for Exploring the Tucson Food Scene

Explore Tucson

DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails

Cuisine: American, Ethnic

Price Range: $$$

10Best Says

This lively downtown Tucson restaurant celebrates the city and its confluence of culinary traditions. Chef Janos Wilder has developed strong ties to the Southern Arizona gardeners and farmers for a farm-fresh menu with a strong emphasis on regional and indigenous ingredients. Try the Shrimp with a Sense of Place, a delectable entree featuring shrimp mojo de ajo on freshly ground corn masa, spicy black bean puree, salsa fresca, cholla bud escabeche and queso fresco. For an entree rich in local ingredients, try the ancho chile and chipotle braised lamb shank Tohono O'ohdam squash, served with local honey puree, greens, braising liquids and minted jalapeno vinaigrette.

Address:

135 South 6th Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85701
5206237700

Hours:

Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 3:00pm
Dinner: Monday - Saturday: 5:00pm - Close, Sunday: 4:00pm - Close

EXPERT TIPS BY: Patricia Escarcega
Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson Local Expert

Best Restaurants: "Happy hour food and drink specials are available every day from 4 pm to 6 pm."

Recommended as Best Restaurants Because: Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails offers a unique menu that marries Southern Arizona terroir with a unique fine dining sensibility.

Dinner
- Appetizers
  
  Thai Curried Carrot + Coconut Milk Soup^
  
  pickled ginger espuma, mushroom chips ($10.00)
  
  Cross-Cut of Iceberg with Ranch^
  
  blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes, chives ($11.00)
  
  Sonoran White Wheat Berry + Spinach Salad
  
  pickled beef tongue (optional), apples, dates, raisins, carrots, broccoli, toasted sunflower seeds, cider vinaigrette, goat cheese ($10.00)
  
  Grilled Garlic + Mushroom Bread^
  
  thyme, Madeira, leek fondue + Grana Padano ($11.00)
  
  Calamari
  
  mango, candied ginger, roasted Spanish peanuts, watercress + green chile vinaigrette ($12.00)
  
  Crab Tostadas (2)^
  
  fragrant peruana bean spread, crab, tomatoes, manzanilla olives, lemon aioli, hard cooked eggs, radishes ($12.00)
  
  Donuts Kissed by Angels^
  
  2 donuts: 1 w/ braised pork belly, the other w/ liquid foie gras gelee; foie gras caramel, reduced port sauce + candied kumquats ($14.00)
  
  Salmon Belly + Hamachi Aguachile* ^
  
  candied jalapeños, pickled cholla buds, jicama, orange scented prickly pear/jamaica broth, lime, mint syrup ($14.00)
- Entrées
  
  Florentine Grilled Beef Rib-Eye* ^
  
  Castelveltrano olive crushed potatoes, mushrooms marsala, cherry/fennel mostardo, pesto vinaigrette ($30.00)
  
  Pan-Seared Salmon, Fennel Lemon Citronette* ^
  
  creamy polenta, lemon-garlic broccoli ($28.00)
  
  Duck Wanders into Tucson^
  
  citrus braised duck quarter on chipotle molasses sweet potatoes with pears, apples, roasted grapes, spiced wine reduction, membrillo vinaigrette, watercress + watermelon radishes ($26.00)
  
  Minted Lamb Bolognese Rigatoni with Creamy Pea Sauce^
  
  tomato lamb ragu with mint, pea cream + Grana Padano ($22.00)
  
  City of Gastronomy Roast Porchetta* ^
  
  rubbed w/ habanero pepita pesto, chili Colorado, frijoles maneados, salpicon ($24.00)
  
  Pan-Roasted Maple Glazed Chicken Breast* ^
  
  stuffed with housemade apple sausage, creamy polenta with rich maple scented dark chicken jus, roasted Brussels sprouts and their leaves, parsnip curls ($24.00)
  
  Ma Po Tofu^
  
  our version of Mother Chen's Chengdu classic: tofu, pork, leeks, Sichuanese chili bean paste, fermented black beans, rice noodles ($23.00)
  
  Chiles en Nogada
  
  poblano chile stuffed with grapes, apples, walnuts, pears, caramelized onions, squash + walnut cream sauce, goat cheese, arroz verde, pomegranate arils, roasted grapes, orange supremes, cilantro ($22.00)
- Sharing Sides
  
  Chorizo Black Beans^
  
  ($6.00)
  
  Frijoles Maneados^
  
  ($6.00)
  
  Arroz Verde w/ Walnut Sauce, Pomegranate
  
  ($6.00)
  
  Garlic Fries^
  
  ($7.00)
  
  Roasted Brussels Sprouts + Leaves^
  
  ($7.00)
  
  Creamy Polenta^
  
  ($6.00)
Happy Hour Menu
- Main
  
  Warm Oaxacan Peanuts
  
  w/ lime, roasted garlic + chiles pequin ($3.00)
  
  Slow Braised Beef Cheek Taco^
  
  cilantro + cabbage slaw, radishes + chiltepin salsa ($2.50)
  
  DTK + C Fish Taco* ^
  
  beer batter fried fish, shredded cabbage, remoulade, chiltepin salsa, flour tortilla ($3.00)
  
  J Dawg^
  
  beef hot dog, chorizo black beans, smoked poblano crema, mustard, nopalitos, red onion ($5.00)
  
  Donuts Kissed by Angels^
  
  2 donuts: 1 w/ braised pork belly, the other w/ liquid foie gras gelee; foie gras caramel, reduced port sauce + candied kumquats ($11.00)
  
  Calamari
  
  mango, candied ginger, roasted Spanish, peanuts + watercress, green chile vinaigrette ($9.00)
  
  Grilled Garlic + Mushroom Bread^
  
  thyme, Madeira, leek fondue + Grana Padano ($11.00)
  
  Chiles en Nogada
  
  poblano chile stuffed w/ grapes, apples, pears, caramelized onions, squash + walnut cream sauce, goat cheese, arroz verde pomegranate arils, roasted grapes, orange supremes, cilantro ($22.00)
  
  Garlic Fries^
  
  ($5.00)
  
  Cross-Cut of Iceberg with Ranch^
  
  blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes, chives ($7.00)
  
  Thai Curried Carrot + Coconut Milk Soup^
  
  pickled ginger espuma, mushroom chips ($7.00)
  
  Sonoran White Wheat Berry + Spinach Salad
  
  pickled beef tongue (optional), apples, dates, raisins, carrots, broccoli, toasted sunflower seeds, cider vinaigrette, goat cheese ($7.00)
  
  Downtown Burger* ^
  
  mushrooms, smoked poblanos, manchego, bacon, caramelized onions on griddled torta bun ($10.00)
  
  Crab Tostada (2)^
  
  fragrant peruana bean spread, crab, tomatoes, manzanilla olives, lemon aioli, hard cooked eggs, radishes ($12.00)
  
  Salmon Belly Takashimi*
  
  lightly grilled salmon belly served in an eggroll wrapper, wasabi slaw, seaweed salad, pickled ginger, toasted nori, furikake ($6.00)
Bar
- Main
  Warm Oaxacan Peanuts
  
  w/ lime, roasted garlic + chiles pequin ($4.00)
  
  Slow Braised Beef Cheek Taco^
  cilantro + cabbage slaw, radishes + chiltepin salsa
  
  $4.00
  
  (3): $11.00
  DTK + C Fish Taco* ^
  beer batter fried fish, shredded cabbage, remoulade, chiltepin salsa, flour tortilla
  
  $5.00
  
  (3): $14.00
  J Dawg^
  
  beef hot dog, chorizo black beans, smoked poblano crema, mustard, nopalitos, red onion ($8.00)
  
  Donuts Kissed by Angels^
  
  2 donuts: 1 w/ braised pork belly, the other w / liquid foie gras gelee; foie gras caramel, reduced port sauce + candied kumquats ($14.00)
  
  Calamari
  
  mango, candied ginger, roasted Spanish, peanuts + watercress, green chile vinaigrette ($12.00)
  
  Grilled Garlic + Mushroom Bread^
  
  thyme, Madeira, leek fondue + Grana Padano ($11.00)
  
  Chiles en Nogada
  
  poblano chile stuffed w/ grapes, apples, pears, caramelized onions, squash + walnut cream sauce, goat cheese, arroz verde pomegranate arils, roasted grapes, orange supremes, cilantro ($22.00)
  
  Garlic Fries^
  
  ($7.00)
  
  Cross-Cut of Iceberg with Ranch^
  
  blue cheese, bacon, tomatoes, chives ($11.00)
  
  Thai Curried Carrot + Coconut Milk Soup^
  
  pickled ginger espuma, mushroom chips ($10.00)
  
  Sonoran White Wheat Berry + Spinach Salad
  
  pickled beef tongue (optional), apples, dates, raisins, carrots, broccoli, toasted sunflower seeds, cider vinaigrette, goat cheese ($10.00)
  
  Downtown Burger* ^
  
  mushrooms, smoked poblanos, manchego, bacon, caramelized onions on griddled torta bun ($15.00)
  
  Crab Tostada^
  
  fragrant peruana bean spread, crab, tomatoes, manzanilla olives, lemon aioli, hard cooked eggs, radishes ($12.00)
  
  Salmon Belly Takashimi*
  
  lightly grilled salmon belly served in an eggroll wrapper, wasabi slaw, seaweed salad, pickled ginger, toasted nori, furikake ($8.00)

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