Cover Story
At Amazon, “Cheap” Comes at a Very Hefty Price
In his classic 1936 comedy, “Modern Times,” silent filmmaker Charlie Chaplin depicts the trials and tribulations of a harried factory worker trying to cope with the sprockets, cogs, conveyor belts, and “efficiencies” of the new industrial culture. The poor fellow finds himself caught up (almost literally) in the grinding tyranny of the machine. The movie…
Tonight: Edge Reading Series at Casa Libre Features TPAC’s Roberto Bedoya
Edge 69, the Casa Libre reading series of emerging and younger writers, continues tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m., with Jia Oak Baker, Roberto Bedoya and John Myers, at the 228 N 4th Ave. literary arts center. Suggested donation is $5. Reading tonight is Jia Oak Baker, author of a forthcoming chapbook, Crash Landing in…
Here’s What A Comet Looks Like Up Close
NASA/JPL/University of Arizona The UA’s HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter got a great snapshot of comet Siding Spring as it passed by Mars over the weekend. HiRISE mastermind Alfred McEwen explains what you’re seeing in the above image: Oort Cloud comet Siding Spring made its closest pass to Mars and the Mars Reconnaissance…
Surprising to No One, GOP AG Candidate Brnovich Finds Same-Sex Marriage “Wrong”
Attorney General candidate Mark Brnovich made a statement following the ruling (and current AG Tom Horne’s decision to not appeal) on Friday, Oct. 17 that allowed same-sex marriage here in Arizona that was banal in it’s the-law-is-the-lawness: State and local officials now have an obligation to put aside politics and personal feelings and uphold the…
My Pick For Pima Community College Board: Mark Hanna
We have the rare good fortune of having two good candidates running for the open seat on the Pima Community College governing board: Mark Hanna and Michael Duran. Both would work to steer the college in a positive direction, something it sorely needs given its much-deserved bad press lately and its fight to get off…
Someone Made a Super Creepy One Minute Horror Film
Based on a Reddit post where people wrote two sentence horror stories, director Ignacio F. Rodo made an incredibly short, but very disconcerting film. Happy Halloween, y’all!
Tucson Mountains Trail Hound: Cat Mountain Trail
Hello again, fellow hikers and desert lovers. Herein, the second edition of Tucson Mountains Trail Hound, the new column dedicated to detailing some of the lesser know trails in the Tucson Mountains, west of the city. Well, it’s still hot, but hike we must. So, today we feature one of my very favorite mid-level trails,…
Copper & Congress Kick Off Tour at Club Congress Tonight
Local “Desert Soul” trio Copper & Congress performs tonight, Oct. 22, appropriately enough, at Club Congress before getting in the van for a two-week West Coast tour in support of the band’s excellent new record, “Fault Line.” Doors open at 8, with support from Tucson’s own Carlos Arzate & The Kind Souls and Durango, Co.’s…
Are Marijuana Edibles in Trouble in Colorado?
Image courtesy of Shutterstock As always, you have to think of the children, and since several in Colorado have apparently gotten sick by eating marijuana edibles, regulators in the state are considering several routes to increasing safety, including severely restricting the type of edibles available, possibly to just hard lozenges and tinctures. “If the horse…
Final TUSD Candidates Forum and the Politics Continues
Still on the fence about who you want to support in the Tucson Unified School District governing board race? Tonight there’s likely a final candidates forum, Monday, Oct. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the YWCA, 525 N. Bonita Ave., co-sponsored by Voices for Education, Menlo Park Neighborhood Association, Brichta Neighborhood Association and Legislative…
Deschutes Brewery Is Invading Tucson This Week
Deschutes brought their keg-shaped bar to town for the Baja Oktoberfest Saturday, but gosh, why not stick around Tucson for awhile? I’m almost certain that this was more of a planned extended PR event than the lark I’m personally imagining, but hey, delicious beer, right? Apparently, the bar-on-wheels will be around town Tuesday through Friday…
Here’s a Video of Baby Elephant Nandi Made by the San Diego Zoo
We haven’t shared much about Nandi, our very own baby elephant, lately, possibly because we’re still a little salty that readers of the Star got to pick the name (blergh), but hey, here’s one minute and seventeen seconds of tiny pachyderm joy courtesy of the San Diego Zoo.
Here’s Your Chance to See Jim Nintzel’s New Politics Show
Zona Politics Eps.1 from Brink on Vimeo. In case you missed Jim Nintzel’s return to TV on KGUN Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. (set your DVR now for next week!), you can still catch the first edition of Zona Politics, our Journalist of the Year’s new weekly show, online. This week Pima County Democratic Party…
Happy Birthday, Snoop Dogg
Happy 43rd birthday to Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr., a.k.a. Snoop Dogg. While the guy has cranked out 127 singles in his 22-year-long career, my personal favorite is still this 2007 tribute to Autotune and horniness.
HiRISE Survives Close Encounter with Comet
We thank all the HiRISE/MRO/JPL engineers, uplink folks and everyone else who helped keep us safe. pic.twitter.com/rU9e1PuXZr— HiRISE (@HiRISE) October 19, 2014 It appears that that the UA’s HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter survived this weekend’s brush with comet Siding Spring and will be sending back some photos soon. Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy…
Sometimes You Just Gotta Love Tom Danehy
I always read Tom Danehy’s column in the Weekly. No, Dan Gibson didn’t tell me to say that. I used to read Tom before I wrote here. He’s got a predictably enjoyable style and an unpredictable topic list. When I don’t make it to the end, it’s because I really, really don’t care about his…
Michael Hicks’ Bankruptcy, And Why It Matters For A TUSD Board Member
Michael Hicks declared bankruptcy in August, 2007. From then until his Chapter 13 bankruptcy case was completed in April, 2012, he made payments in a court-approved plan to pay a portion of what he owed to creditors who filed a claim in the case. There’s nothing uncommon about the situation Hicks was in, and it…
Marriage Equality Ruling: Candidates Speak Out
A round-up of comments from this year’s candidates on today’s marriage equality ruling, which has paved the way for gay marriage in Arizona: Congressman Ron Barber: Today is an historic day in Arizona — a day that is long overdue — as each of our fellow citizens now has the right to make a legally…
Raul Alcaraz Ochoa on Mariposas Sin Fronteras in Advocate
The Advocate magazine has its important place in LGBT history, but it earned some series Tucson love this week running a beautiful op-ed from Mariposas Sin Fronteras and Southside Workers’ Center’s Raul Alcaraz Ochoa on his work helping undocumented in detention, with this op-ed calling important attention to two friends who are transgender and their…
UPDATE: You Can Marry Today, Right Now at Pima County Clerk’s Office
As we previously reported (see blow), yes, this morning a federal judge struck down Arizona’s anti-same-sex marriage law as unconstitutional. Although previously reported that state Attorney General Tom Horne would have a press conference on Monday and, while not interested in an appeal, that would be when most counties across the state could issue marriage…
Cleo Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Cleo No. 789734 — 3.5 Months Old — Domestic Short Hair — Female Who doesn’t love a goofy, fun, affectionate kitten? Cleo is a lively sweetheart who finds everything fascinating. She entertains herself with toys and occasionally her own tail. Surrendered to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona…
UA Scientists Go for “One in a Million” Shot of Comet As It Passes Mars
An animated simulation of how the rover Curiosity might see the fly-by of the comet Siding Spring.On Sunday, Oct. 19, UA scientists are going to try to use their robotic cameras in orbit around Mars to capture an image of the comet Sliding Spring as it passes the planet. UA News has details: University of…
Tucson, You Need More Ana Tijoux: Tonight, a Community Platica at the Global Justice Center
If you were lucky enough to catch Chilean hip-hop artist and musician Ana Tijoux performing in Tucson this week, then you know how lucky you were to catch her show and understand the beauty and talent of this amazing artist. But wouldn’t it be cool to spend some time with her talking about her work…
Oh Jimmy John’s: The Chain Makes Employees Sign Noncompete
They deliver those sandwiches so fast, and they do an Unwich, that lettuce wrap sandwich you eat with less guilt after eating that big bag of Doritos washed down with that bottle of wine the night before … but then read about how they make their employees sign a noncompete and think about that nice…
Loft Film Fest: “I Am Big Bird”
We didn’t have room in this week’s story to touch on all the great films this weekend at the Loft Film Fest, but one documentary that has caught my eye is I Am Big Bird, featuring Carroll Spinney, who has performed the role of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969. Zach Breneman tells…
Antigone v. Horne: Update and the Legal Filing For Your Eyes
In this week’s story on the ACLU challenge of the state’s “nude photo law,” we mentioned that the state Attorney General’s office first told us they didn’t know about the case and after we gave them some brief additional information they finally got back to —oh yeah, that one. Well, since it’s in litigation, no…
Tonight: Megafauna at Flycatcher, Andale Pues!
Austin trio Megafauna returns tonight to kick our asses, Tucson, and admit it … we could really use their prog-rock, garage loudness and what singer Dani Neff brings with her voice and that damn guitar of her’s. Tonight, Thursday, Oct. 16, at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St., 9 p.m. with Garboski and Ghostal. $5 cover.…
Here’s a New Run Boy Run Song
Run Boy Run are getting ready to release their new album “Something to Someone,” co-produced by Ryan Hadlock, who also worked on the Lumineers record at the end of the month, so they’re teasing their fans with preview tracks scattered around the internet. Today, you get the chance to hear “Spin a Golden Thread,” a…
Raisin Needs a Home
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona presents Raisin #789518 — 10 Years Old — Domestic Short Hair — Female Raisin is a confident and outgoing lap cat searching for the perfect place to rest her paws. This charming senior has a whole lot of love to give and makes no demands of her friends. She…
Notes From The TUSD Board Meeting
Flier handed out before the board meeting I attended the TUSD board meeting Tuesday night and scribbled notes as fast as I could. Here are some of the takeaways. The district is submitting its annual report about its finances for the 2013-14 school year to the state Department of Education and the Auditor General. That…
Nine on the Line
Dave Valencia is a “desert rat”, since birth. He was born and raised in the Old Pueblo and attending public schools. He enjoyed playing soccer in high school and spent about five years pursuing a career as a musician. Dave was a band’s front man, singing lead and background vocals as well as played the…
Calling All Gnomes, Calling All Gnomes
Metro Gnome and Cycle to Go is going all gnome for its third annual Gnome Fest—all things music and gnome—on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 4044 E. Speedway Blvd. with a Guinness Book of World Record attempt for the largest gathering of people dressed as garden gnomes, beating the current…
Nine Questions
Todd Wilson, a sixth generation Tucsonan and Tucson Magnet High graduate, cofounded the popular Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation fundraiser fashion show Möda Provcater at the age of 17. Wilson, now 29, has had an amazing young career in dance that started at the age of 15 when he began with the UA College of Dance—a…
Celebrating Baja Beer
Do you really need an excuse to wear a dirndl or lederhosen? How about drinking beer? Better yet, an event to celebrate craft beer that also benefits Tu Nidito? The Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild’s Baja Oktoberfest does all that, billing itself as the largest celebration of Arizona craft beer in Tucson on Saturday, Oct. 19,…
Noshing Around
EAT WID DA FISHES Jim “Murph” Murphy and Jeff Azersky, chef/owners of Bluefin and Kingfisher are making a splash with new fall menus at both restaurants. Kingfisher has added (the oh-so-loved by this guy) lobster bisque, lamb shanks, fennel coriander crusted scottish salmon, duck cooked two ways, Jack Daniels pecan pie and more. Also, their…
Celebrating the Soft Machine
It’s writer, junkie and agitator William S. Burroughs’ 100th birthday, and there’s absolutely no reason to celebrate playing a William Tell game in his honor when you can head over to Exploded View Gallery, 197 Toole Ave., on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. with local musician and UA Professor John Melillo (Algae & Tentacles)…
Primer
WHO ARE THEY Easily one of the strangest stories in pop music history, rap duo Insane Clown Posse has defied its outspoken and frequent detractors to become one of contemporary music’s biggest cult acts, with several Billboard Top 10 albums over the course of its 20-year plus career and its rabid following of “Juggalos” being…
All Souls Season Continues
If you haven’t found the time to get involved in the different aspects of the All Souls Procession, consider this your invitation. It’s really a season that begins with fundraising efforts at house parties, special events and different businesses in town, to actual hands-on preparations that serve a great purpose—dishing up community. In preparation for…
Soundbites
THAT LIGHT THAT’S BLINDING As somewhat of a counterpoint to the doom and anger of Southwest Terror Fest (still highly recommended; more on the Fest elsewhere in this issue), if you enjoy beautiful music that makes you feel better about humanity, you might want to check out Mutual Benefit at Club Congress on Saturday, Oct.…
La Santa Cecilia Returns to Tucson
La Santa Cecilia has basically become the house band of Tucson’s soul (non-resident edition) becoming regulars to our music scene with their beautiful brand of cumbia, corridos, mambo and rock ‘n’ roll. Lead singer Marisol “La Marisoul” Hernandez is like our cousin or little sister, and every time they visit they seem to leave some…
Into the Darkness
Each October, as Halloween draws near, Ballet Tucson opens its season with a spooky story dance. Last year it was “Dracula.” Another year it was “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” This time around it’s “Phantom of the Opera.” But don’t get the idea that Tucson’s only pro ballet is doing a takeoff on the glitzy…
It’s All Happening at the Zoo
Theaters in our fair city may not be as plentiful as gas stations, but you never have to risk running out of opportunities to keep your playbill collection replenished. A fairly new kid on the block is Speak the Speech Theater Company, a not entirely obscure name for a group of thespians, if you know…
Garboski, “Nothing’s Funny, I’m Broke”
Since Tucson prog-inflected indie rockers Garboski began playing live again in 2013, after a long period of dormancy and with additional guitarist Ian Phillabaum (ex-Chango Malo) adding muscle to the sound, the quartet’s performances have been better than ever. Unfortunately, for most of the revitalized band’s latest EP, “Nothing’s Funny, I’m Broke,” the excitement of…
Tucson Tamale’s Secret Ingredient
No, it’s not the cliché of love that makes a local homegrown business successful. It takes more than just love. Often times in this charming city of ours, people who have a love for something still fail at what they love to do. Tucson Tamale’s secret ingredient to their success are guts. I do not…
Editor’s Note
Hopefully, inside this issue somewhere is our 26th Best of Tucson section, complete with a glossy cover. Even before I worked here, I used to keep Best of Tucson® sections around the house for the year following its publication, as a guide to stuff I should try around town reminding me to get out of…
Movie Mania
More than two dozen feature-length films and a couple dozen fun short movies will be on the screen this weekend at the fifth annual Loft Film Fest. The festival launches Thursday, Oct. 16, and continues through Sunday, Oct. 19. We caught up via email with Loft Cinema Foundation Executive Director Peggy Johnson, whose endless energy…
Police Dispatch
MORE HOSPITAL HIJINKS FOOTHILLS AREA SEPT. 9, 1 A.M. Hospital workers trying to care for a dangerously drunk man were paid back with death threats and blow-job demands, a Pima County Sheriff’s Department report stated. Sheriff’s deputies responded to Northwest Hospital, where an ambulance had brought an extremely intoxicated man who’d bumped his head. The security…
Cinema Showdown
Not that we wouldn’t be thrilled here at the Cinema Showdown desk to see any of the fine films showcased by the Loft this year, but we find these six to be our own personal must-sees. FORT TILDEN Friday, Oct. 17, 5 p.m. As mentioned in our Cinema feature this week, “Fort Tilden,” stars Clare…
Antigone v. Horne
If you’re going to look through a lawsuit against state Attorney General Tom Horne and this great state he represents, nothing warms a Baja Arizona heart more than seeing Antigone Books listed as the lead plaintiffs. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union Tuesday, Sept. 23, challenges the state’s “nude photo law,” a…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I’ve heard that the Tijuana donkey show featuring a female whore is not real other than the fact that they do bring out a donkey and do some simulation for people who are drunk. Down-Low Loco Dear Gabacho: You’re right. And after months of research, the Mexican can confirm the full history of…
The Skinny
Broadway Show City Council approves a wider Broadway Boulevard between downtown and Country Club Road, but big questions remain A rowdy crowd of east-of-downtown residents packed the Tucson City Council meeting last Thursday, Oct. 6, as the City Council considered the future of Broadway Boulevard between Euclid and Country Club. The residents were hoping to…
Customer Concentration
If the customer is always right, then The Apothecary, recently ranked in a patient survey as Tucson’s number one medical marijuana dispensary, has a lot going for it. Immediately noticeable upon entering, The Apothecary has a spacious, well-lit lobby, reminiscent of a doctor’s office, where patients are buzzed in before being led to a showroom.…
Danehy
A few weeks back, I wrote something about why would anybody want to be a teacher in Arizona. Some guy e-mailed me and suggested that I’m a shill for public schools because my wife is a public-school teacher. He said that I should do that full-disclosure thing so that the readers can take what I…
Metal Mania
The third annual Southwest Terror Fest—a homegrown heavy music festival born out of a drunken conversation several years ago by three friends—promises to be the most exciting installment yet. SWTF 2014 boasts a streamlined roster, a venue shift from The Rock to The Rialto (with after-parties at The District Tavern) and more stylistic unity than…
Media Watch
Tucson isn’t exactly an out-of-the-box market when it comes to radio. Cluster-dominated stations generally have limited resources, which means if they’re going to bother with local talent, they’ll pay for morning, afternoon drive and occasional daypart positions. Once the clock strikes 6, especially in the local talk radio realm, the concept of a Tucson-based radio…
Calling It Your Own
A perpetually busy musician, Adam Schatz let his Landlady band develop slowly, an evolution that captured different sounds along the way to blend with his improvisational background. The resulting second album “Upright Behavior” has earned wide praise, with no less than The New York Times saying that Landlady “joins a lineage of New York City…
Best Gym
Right up against the bank of the Rillito riverbed, the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club features not only all the workout machines and weights you could want, but dozens of tennis courts spread across the lush green grounds, two big swimming pools, ferocious leagues of all kinds, a full schedule of classes—yoga, zumba, the deadly…
Best Veterinarian
If the vets from Valley Animal are good enough for the giraffe from the Reid Park Zoo, the Hermitage No Kill Shelter or the dogs in the K-9 units with Tucson Police Department, then the Tucson Weekly readers who voted this hospital top dog obviously agree it’s a good place for all manner of pets.…
Best Local TV Newscast
Yes, yes, they like to remind us over there that they are “on our side,” and while monikers are always a good idea in this business, once in a while a few stars really shine at KGUN reminding us, well, yeah, maybe they are on our side. While veterans in the local broadcast business seem…
Best Park
With a duck pond, dog park, zoo, various concert series and an award-winning rose garden, Reid Park has a little bit of everything. Perfect for family picnics, first dates, or that morning run you’ve been meaning to get to, Reid Park is the hub for it all. Did we mention there’s also a lake? The…
Best Video Games Store
Not a particularly local option, but hey, Gamestop probably is the first place that comes to most people’s minds when they’re looking for a game for their Xboxes and Playstations. Yes, they’re going to bug you about their customer program and they’re not going to give you much for your used stuff, but there are…
Best Local Performing Artist
We are well overdue for a full-on Calexico show here in Tucson, but our biggest rock stars have been busy traveling the world and serving as our ambassadors across the globe. But Joey Burns, John Convertino and the rest of the gang are back in downtown’s Wavelab studio to work on a new album and…
Best African
Zemam’s wins this category every year for a few reasons, certainly one of which is the always delicious food they serve on Broadway in an ever-expanding house. Also, it helps that the staff of Zemam’s make everyone who eats at their restaurant feel like an invited guest. Not much has changed here since they opened…
Best Way to Entertain Kids During the Summer
Listen: when you have a chance to ride in a pretend fire engine in air conditioned comfort, you take it. The Children’s Museum is an affordable bit of fun during our blazing season (free on certain days of the month, although predictably a little nuts) and even cheaper with a membership. The place was designed…
Best Southside Restaurant
Mi Nidito’s claim to fame is that long ago, on the campaign trail, former President Bill Clinton sat down and had a lot of a little bit of everything that is so delicious at Mi Nidito. They even have a picture to prove it that you can purchase in postcard form. Those who love Mi…
Best Clothing Fashions (Locally Owned)
There are a couple of stores with roots in Tucson that were pioneers traversing the land of sustainable living and recycle-reuse before it was cool. Buffalo Exchange has grown beyond the walls of the Old Pueblo, but the stores in Tucson remain what they have always been for the old folks and the young—places you…
Best Mexican
Last year, El Charro snuck past Café Poca Cosa in this battle between the two main places Tucsonans take visitors to our city, but this year, Suzana Davila’s tribute to seasonality and regional Mexican cuisine won out. What else can we say about the place? While you never know exactly what dishes will be on…
Best Martini
With a long list of martinis available, Kingfisher can provide patrons with anything from a Chocolate Martini to the James Bond Martini (said to be worthy of Daniel Craig himself). If you’re looking for a little nosh with your martini, try the Grover’s Martini with Bombay Sapphire gin and blue-cheese stuffed olives. Or if you…
Best Late-Night Eats
You might go ahead and substitute any burrito place that’s open late, but hey, somehow Nico’s has taken over the spot previously held by the 24-hour joints ending in –beto’s as the generic name for anywhere with a California burrito on the menu. What they have does the job and sometimes that’s all you’re asking…
Best Hotel
From its 1930 construction to today, the Arizona Inn remains simply the best hotel in our city. From the pink adobe walls to the lovely grounds, it exudes elegance. The restaurant is one of Tucson’s finest and we’re always up for lunch on the bar’s patio or (and this is a well-kept secret) down by…
Best Yoga Studio
Yoga Oasis has three locations in Tucson, including a downtown spot that’s responsible for downtowners seeing an increase in folks walking from coffee spots to the yoga studio with those yoga mats rolled under their arms. But what’s obvious about the studio is that they’ve been able to successfully preach the mission that is yoga.…
Best Local Twitter Feed
We know how this looks, but have you seen our Twitter feed? We’d like to take this opportunity to point out that Best of Tucson® is voted on by readers and with that, we graciously accept and promise to continue our wit, hard-hitting news stories, and the occasional meme. We’d also like to thank you…
Best Public Garden
Once the home of Rutger and Bernice Porter, the Tucson Botanical Gardens are 5 ½ acres of responsibly grown plant life that are a refuge for us in the middle of our sometimes chaotic city. Since it is the desert, there are the lush beds of flowers and greenery that you might see in the…
Best Video Store
Long after the Blockbusters and the Hollywoods have fallen, Casa Video continues to thrive by stocking everything from the latest action-adventure to the obscure indie. Great deals, like two-for-one nights on Tuesday and Wednesday and weeklong rentals on Sunday, keep loyal customers coming back in an age of streaming. And now they’re even selling growlers…
Best Organic Food Store
There’s something super helpful about having a chain like Sprouts in town. Think about what it was like a decade or so ago trying to find organic produce, for example. Maybe the big chain grocery store had a few options, but the prices or quality weren’t there. There were some boutique type stores, but they…
Best Musical Instrument Store
Sure there are other musical instrument stores in Tucson, but Chicago Store could be the one store that actually keeps us grounded to our past. Its downtown location, with its beautifully renovated façade, celebrates Tucson before Stalinist architecture became all the rage for student housing. Want to touch the heart of Tucson while grabbing some…
Best Steakhouse
There are Fleming’s locations all over the country, but you don’t get the sense that it’s a chain when you walk in, just that this is a restaurant that knows what it’s doing. We’re more apt to be found at the restaurant’s solid happy hour (no steaks, but the burger’s great) than dining on dry-aged…
Best Day Spa
Gadabout is a successful salon business model, and it works because it makes it easy to get those things you need to feel like an I’m-ready-to-take-on-the-world human—a haircut and color, that needed wax for your uni-brow (Frida would have loved this place), a massage, a facial and more. Anyone, dressed in any style, can show…
Best Mexican Fast-Food/Drive-Thru
Sure, Nico’s. Why not? The perfect endorsement of Nico’s place in Tucson food culture is that most conversations about their food goes like this: “Where’d you get that burrito?” “Nico’s [shrug]” “Oh, ok.” No judgment, we’ve all been there. Runners up: 2. El Güero Canelo 3. Los Betos
Best Nightclub
The heart of downtown, the peak of all adrenaline rushes, and the king of dance clubs, Club Congress is the place to be every Friday and Saturday night (and Monday through Thursday if we’re being honest). With a full roster of local and touring bands, the club is bursting at the seams with a constant…
Best Local Activist
It’s possible there isn’t anyone else involved in Tucson activism that elicits as much hateful diatribe from the right as Isabel Garcia. It’s also possible that Tucson’s borderland politics and the reasons we should care about the militarization of our border are on our radar because of Garcia’s work. By day she works at the…
Best Bookstore for New Books
In an age when bookstores are vanishing, we’re delighted that Antigone Books seems to keep growing at its Fourth Avenue location. Sure, it’s easier to buy from one of those online dealers, but where’s the fun in that? A bookstore is a grand place to browse and meet new authors that might not fit some…
Best Local Weatherperson
Erin Christensen is a familiar face in Tucson. Whether she’s telling us we’ll face another day of sunshine or be confronted with a spontaneous torrential downpour, Christensen demonstrates her expertise happily. She has earned both the American Meteorology Society Seal and the Certified Broadcast Meteorology Seal. Christensen has also won an Arizona Associated Press award…
Best Sporting Goods
Bookmans went big into the sporting goods world with a giant store that has a little of everything, from a soccer ball signed by a former version of the U.S. Soccer team to guitars designed to be played by the campfire. A definite upside: you can use your trade credit from the books/CDs/etc from the…
Best Fresh-Baked Bread
It seems like we’ve had Beyond Bread in town for forever, even though it’s only been since 1998 that we’ve had the local bakery around to provide us about 12 everyday varieties, plus a bunch of rotating varieties based on the day of the week. The quality of each loaf, baked in-store, is always high…
Best Organic Food Store
There’s something super helpful about having a chain like Sprouts in town. Think about what it was like a decade or so ago trying to find organic produce, for example. Maybe the big chain grocery store had a few options, but the prices or quality weren’t there. There were some boutique type stores, but they…
Best Place to See a Concert
The Rialto Theatre 318 E. Congress St. rialtotheatre.com The Rialto Theatre remains the anchor of live music in Tucson, bringing cutting-edge indie bands, classic rockers and everything in-between to town. To add to the fun, a new mascot, the red, bespectled dinosaur named Rialtor has been hatched just this year to join the hard-working staff…
Best Sushi
Sushi Garden has won this category five of the last six years and if you stop by either slick, modern location, it’s wildly apparent how popular these places are. The all-you-can-eat buffet is the star and although there are rules, you can really go to town challenging the limits of your gastrointestinal system ordering roll…
Best Eyeglass/Optical Retailer
Alvernon Optical has been outfitting Arizonans with eyeglasses for more than half a century. They do it all, from eye exams to making sure your glasses fit properly, and they give great advice about what’s going to work for you. On more than one occasion, they’ve fixed our broken cheaters for free and last year,…
Best Salsa
Unlike ketchup, its competitor for the title of “America’s Condiment,” salsa’s a food item with a seemingly infinite number of variations (yes, we know that there are different types of ketchup, but let’s face it, in general, there’s a singular flavor you associate with the stuff). So, that variety—the fact that most Tucsonans probably have…
Best Place to Dance
Here’s how 90 percent (estimated) of conversations about finding a place to dance in Tucson go: “Hey, I feel like dancing tonight.” “Congress?” “Sounds good.” There’s Saturday night’s Saturdaze event with today’s club bangers inside and whatever Jalph feels like doing outside, the super-long running retro night on Mondays (which has evolved from reminiscing over…
Best Marijuana Dispensary
First of all, we’re still just happy that we have dispensaries here in Arizona, so all the locations have their charms, but Green Halo managed to nose ahead of its colleagues this year. Could it be the “no one is ever going to see me walk in here” location? The friendly staff? The wide variety…
Welcome to the 26th Best of Tucson
Welcome to Best of Tucson® 2014! While there are certainly people who make a living complaining about Tucson (including at least one Best of Tucson® winner, oddly enough), but so far, 2014 has been solid for Tucson, right? Downtown is better than ever, we have viable, interesting football and basketball teams at the same time…
Best Radio Personality
According to his website, Bobby Rich has been a disc jockey since age 14 and those years of experience clearly show in the morning radio show he hosts with Mrs. Grant (on a side note, doesn’t her on-air name set back feminism a bit every time it’s uttered?) and Greg. In an era where listening…
Best Bagels
For a breakfast place spun off from Boston Market once upon a time, Einstein Bros is a solid place to pick up a bagel sandwich or a couple dozen to be popular at work for the day. They have a bunch of options and you’re not likely to be disappointed. It’d be nice to have…
Best Hot Dog
There’s a reason El Güero Canelo has been celebrated in newspapers and magazines, on national TV shows and even in a Calexico song: They serve up a Sonoran hot dog that is simply the best. Wrapped in bacon, slathered with beans, tomatoes, relish, mayo, ketchup and mustard and slapped into that soft bun, it’s just…
Best Local Theater Company
Sure, they’re not doing avant-garde politically-themed pieces on the eastside at the Gaslight, but is there a more reliable live entertainment option in town, six nights a week, five shows a year, with as much popcorn as you can eat? Each show offers both a generally wacky take on a pop culture phenomenon of the…
Best Breakfast
There’s a lot to love about the Blue Willow’s breakfast. You’ve got great omelets, a sizzling version of huevos rancheros, and the beloved Blue Willow special if you’re a fan of eggs and plenty of other sweet stuff if you’re more inclined to try the pancakes or French toast. If you’re really in the mood…
Best Thai
Char’s is a little off the beaten path, but if you’re looking for the mint, lemongrass and lime flavors of Thailand, it’s worth heading over to Fifth Street for this long-time Best of Tucson winner. The dining room isn’t likely to wow you, but there’s magic happening back in the kitchen and sure, you could…
Best Florist
Roses are red, violets are blue, we love Inglis Florist and so should you! Whether you’re looking for a dozen roses for your sweetheart or a congratulatory bouquet for that new baby, Inglis will put the petal to the medal. The Butterbrodt family has been running this locally owned business for more than four decades…
Best Tamale
Sometimes it’s hard, in a city with such love for the tamale, to admit when the new boy on the block could be better than the places your grandparents took you when you were young. Tucson Weekly readers understand that yes, Tucson Tamale Co. has something special going on. Give the Blue Tamale a try—filled…
Best Place to Get a Glass of Wine
By the glass, flight or bottle, Armitage is a damn classy joint to enjoy the fruits of the vine up at La Encantada. Sure, they have beer and cocktails as well, but if you’re not drinking wine in a perfectly appropriate glass, possibly with one of Armitage’s delicious appetizers, then you’re doing it wrong. Come…
Best Pet Supplies Store
If Wilco (the Dog) could talk, she’d tell you all about how much she loves PetSmart: The low-to-the-ground toy racks, the wide variety of food and the fun classes that (sort of) taught her how to behave. Whether you favor a skink or a skunk, you’ll find what you need to feed it, play with…
Best Alternative Health Center
Peaceful Spirit has two locations, and offers their services to several Tucson hotels and resorts, but it’s the locals who voted these guys the best and most likely because it truly is a wellness center that offers more than basic massage—they have acupuncture, chiropractic care, bio-feedback, life coaching, stress management and more. Can’t we just…
Best Radio Station for Music
When they say “real people, real radio,” they mean it. KXCI is celebrating three decades of providing an alternative to the corporate programming that has assimilated all the radio stations here (and just about everywhere else) with a major milestone: A new transmitter that has boosted the station’s signal across the valley. Congrats to Randy…
Best Bulk Tea Selection
There are seemingly infinite places to purchase tea, from the cooler at your local convenience store to the aisles of Whole Foods, but if you want the best possible experience, why not trust a store that sources its teas directly from the Chinese growers and is dedicated to promoting the culture of Chinese tea? Seven…
Best Ice Cream
HUB’s homemade ice cream is a many-splendored delight. Sure, you can get the classic standbys of vanilla bean or cookies and cream, but there’s no reason to settle for that when you also have offerings like mint chocolate yorkie, pistachio curry caramel, saffron olive oil cake, or drunken brunch. On a hot summer day, there…
Best Place to Get a Salad
Nearly every restaurant in town, with the exception of In-N-Out, has at least one salad on their menu, but why settle for some garden salad and a dressing pouch when you can venture into a universe of seemingly infinite greens-and-other-stuff possibilities at Choice Greens. We might not still entirely be sure what hearts of palm…
Best Brunch
While the Blue Willow doesn’t serve a brunch per se, we love the fact that many of the breakfast dishes are available long after sunset for really late risers. The menu features a wide array of options-check out Best Breakfast for details-and when the weather is right, the outdoor patio is a delightful place to…
Best Upscale Cuisine
It’s nice to think that Tucson’s best upscale restaurant is in the heart of the city and offers a unique experience for both residents and visitors. Chef/owner Suzana Davila has created a stylish space to enjoy her seasonally-oriented take on Mexican food, but while the price point and atmosphere might make you feel somewhat under-dressed…
Best Hair Salon
After more than three decades in business, Gadabout has become synonymous with style and pampering. Need a makeover? A spa day? Just to look your best? The talented staff at Gadabout will make your day. Just put yourselves in their hands and they’ll take it from there. Runners up: 2. The Coyote Wore Sideburns 3.…
Best Torta
elguerocanelo.com Tortas are a Mexican sandwich served on a bread called telera, filled with meat and usually lettuce, avocado and some other healthy goodness. What makes a good torta? Well, it has to be stuffed. So stuffed that whatever meat and fillings are inside leak out of the edges and onto your plate. They do at…
Best Place to Sing Karaoke
What makes a place the best place to sing karaoke? Is it bringing friends together over libations and singing songs you’d never admit in public that you love? It’s more than that because you have the Best Western Royal Sun—a little place that takes us back to the 1970s in its woody darkness and deep…
Best Place to Donate Your Time and/or Money
The way a city shows it cares is often with the care of its animals. That’s why if you talk to some people who are accustomed to moving to different cities, perhaps cities they worry may not be politically welcoming to them, they search out the Humane Society. Yes, an odd barometer, but they discover…
Best Annual Festival
Food? Music? Art? The Fourth Avenue Street Fair brings in all of our hometown’s favorites. With Fourth Avenue vendors and restaurants alongside guest food trucks and performers, the Street Fair is a tradition that cannot be missed. From face painters to beer booths, the fair has something to offer just about everyone. Occurring in both…
Best Radio Station for News
To be fair, where else are you going to go? There are other stations that have news-like content featuring talk show hosts (no judgment, well, maybe a little), but the NPR and Arizona Public Media programming on KUAZ is available, interesting and intelligent. Plus, a couple times a day, you can hear the dulcet tones…
Best Burger
There are more and more places to get a burger in town than ever before, but in this poll, Sam Fox’s ode to meat and buns (and $10 and above price points) still reigns supreme. Opening in 2008, Zinburger has built up a history here in town, and the well-seasoned Angus beef burgers are still…
Best Local Coffee Roaster
This category seems to be a lock for Raging Sage until they decide to withdraw their name from consideration or something. Not sure why they would or that we’d let them, because the Campbell Avenue roaster provides not just delicious beans for your brewing enjoyment (and for your tasting enjoyment elsewhere, since RS provides beans…
Best Place to Get a Sandwich
So many choices! It seems like if you’ve got food that can fit between two pieces of bread, you’ll find it in a sandwich at Beyond Bread. Annie’s Addiction features hummus, cucumber, sprouts and tomato in between slices of rustic; Bart’s Bag has turkey and brie on a baguette; Max’s Muffalotta is a whole lotta…
Best Central Restaurant
We love Kingfisher. The food—from the fresh seafood to the famed burger—is outstanding. We love the summer road trips that allow the kitchen to experiment with regional cuisines. We love that they shake up the menu from time to time (and are especially fond of that new Cubano that’s on the lunch menu). We love…
Best Vegetarian/ Vegan
Blue Willow isn’t an exclusively vegetarian or vegan-oriented restaurant (unlike the second and third place vote-getters) but there are certainly a number of options for those so inclined and all of those choices are created to be delicious on their own, not as some sort of consolation prize for those who don’t want meat on…
Best Home Furnishings
Need a new bed? Building a home office? Want to treat yourself to a new easy chair? Whatever you need, Copenhagen has a vast selection across a range of styles, so you’re sure to find something that’s going to suit you. It’s sleek, it’s stylish, it’s Copenhagen. Runners up: 2. Tres Amigos Furniture 3. Sam…
Best Tortillas
We are a tortilla-loving people. Don’t move to Tucson and talk about those other brands you bought at the grocery store in Idaho. We will mock you. Instead we want you to get to know us. We want to hear you talk about how you decided to go exploring one day and went on a…
Best Signature Cocktail
With the wide variety of well-crafted cocktails available in Tucson, especially downtown, picking a favorite isn’t the easiest task, especially considering there’s so much personal preference involved, but you wouldn’t go wrong with the Ghost Orchid (which might be inspired by the film “Adaptation” or more likely, the flower) at Congress. It does have a…
Best Place to Get Your Pet Groomed
Every happy hound deserves the occasional doggy spa day, complete with a warm bath, luxurious massage and heavenly pedicure. (OK, maybe that’s more appealing to a person than a pet.) When it comes time to make sure Fido looks his best, PetSmart is the place to go. Make a reservation if you’re organized enough, but…
Best Auto Repair
It’s a challenge finding a place to get your car fixed. Who the heck can you trust with a legit estimate or to actually fix whatever problem you’ve got going on in the first place? What on earth is that weird noise that sounds like a prairie dog caught in the carburetor? What is a…
Best Backpacking Trail
Every Arizonan knows that the trick to surviving the sweltering desert heat is simple: water. With the Seven Falls trailhead visitors have (yep, you guessed it) seven different bodies of water to choose from. The 7.8-mile trek reaches an elevation of 3,250 feet after an approximated three hours of hiking. For anyone looking to embrace…
Best Café Hangout
Maybe it’s the location—on the outside it seems like just another urban Fourth Avenue joint. However, once inside, it’s obvious why Tucson Weekly readers named Café Passe as the best Café Hangout. The courtyard’s large mature trees offer shade and comfort, even during the height of our sweaty summers. Hangout means the space offers a…
Best Art Classes
Learning how to draw or paint, especially nature art, perhaps the grounds and surroundings of the Desert Museum offer art students a special place and access to a beauty they wouldn’t find anywhere else. There is a nature art certification program, but the museum’s Art Institute also offers a catalog of classes every semester with…
Best Restaurant for a Cheap Date
A slice of pizza might not be the most romantic meal ever and you probably should avoid the garlic knots altogether, but Brooklyn’s spot on Fourth Avenue means whatever you have planned next in the bustling heart of downtown Tucson will be a short walk away after a tasty plate of food shared between two…
Best Local Clothing Designer
If you can get something beautiful to wear made from sustainable materials, know that those who made it were treated well, have it sold to you by someone who appreciates your body just as it is and then feed some needy Tucsonans in the process, that’s just about the perfect retail experience and now, you…
Best Vietnamese
There are many great Vietnamese restaurants in town, but Miss Saigon is a Weekly reader favorite probably because of a great menu, incredible pho and some delish bobo fruit slushies. There are now three locations—the original on Campbell is a fave, but the downtown spot is great for those who want some good Vietnamese food…
Best Jewelry
There aren’t many of these places left in Tucson, let alone the rest of the country—high-quality locally owned jewelry stores. There are a lot of places to choose from for all those sparkly rings and things, but perhaps that’s what Tucson Weekly readers were thinking: when it’s time for that special watch or that beautiful…
Best Bar Menu
Let’s just get down to business: The bar menu at Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails is ridiculous. Clearly not in a bad way, but in an incredibly delicious there’s-so-much-delicious-stuff-to-choose-from-here way (Nikkel Style Hamachi with edamame yuze puree, anyone?), but if you want to really live the dream, stop by between 4 and 6 p.m. any day…
Best Foothills Restaurant
Standards are high in the Catalina Foothills restaurant world. Restaurants have come and gone, even ones that were long time Tucson favorites, so it’s definitely not as simple as opening your doors in a fancy shopping center, serving food with somewhat high prices and waiting for the money to roll in. Vivace’s classic Italian menu,…
Best Place to Take Friends Visiting Town
One of the best reasons to take visitors to the museum is the drive—best to go west on Speedway and over Gates Pass. The views of the saguaro-covered hills are jaw-dropping, especially for cactus newbies. Once at the museum, they start to understand why we’re so crazy about our Sonoran Desert. And that is what’s…
Best Place to Buy a New/Used Car
Who else was going to win this category? Whether you’ve purchased a car from the guy’s many, many dealerships or not, the first name in the car biz around here’s likely to be Click for a while. And while the guy’s political opinions and those of the Weekly’s staff don’t always jive (ok, rarely), at…
Best Radio Talk Show (Host)
Even a schedule change, moving his show out of drive-time and into a time slot that is seemingly only convenient for the unemployable and the retired, can’t keep Jon Justice from winning his sixth Best of Tucson award in this category. This year, we’ll try to actually get him his certificate within a time span…
Best Casual Dining
It’s funny to think of HUB as an old standby, given that it opened just a few years back, but it’s become such a landmark that it’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t there. And while downtown’s ever-growing restaurant scene offers plenty of options, HUB continues to stand out by offering comfort food…
Best Art Museum
We’ve seen so much great stuff at the Tucson Museum of Art lately, from Scott T. Baxter’s photography of the ranchers of Arizona to those great sketches from the settling of the West to the Latin American folk art and celebration of Frida Kahlo. And we were delighted by the wonderful display of Mat Bevel’s…
Best Sandwich
Given that longtime Tucsonans have been chowing down on the eegee’s original grinder for decades, it’s no surprise to see this Italian masterpiece rising to the top. Whether you go with the deluxe style or D-lite style, the basics are all there: ham, salami, provolone, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions, peperoncini, spices and that eegee’s house…
Best Chinese
Where does one start? Maybe the Sizzling Rice Soup. Maybe the House Special Ho Fun. It’s probably the Crispy Duck and that long list of seafood specialties on the menu. Either way, this place really serves the vote of confidence it’s getting from Weekly readers. Tucson has an appreciation for Chinese food. Maybe that goes…
Best Westside Restaurant
There are some notable differences in aesthetics and atmosphere between Teresa’s Mosaic Café and Pat’s Chili Dogs, but both reflect the joys of the Westside. Teresa’s had its moment of fame when the restaurant’s namesake had a huevos rancheros “showdown” with Bobby Flay, but since the cameras left town, the Silverbell stop somewhat hidden behind…
Best Burrito
We’ve said this before (in a Best of Tucson blurb, no less), but the best burrito is the one you have based on a quick Google count. It appears there are 16 area Nico’s locations, so we have to assume some of the reason Nico’s keeps winning this category is a matter of proximity. Yes,…
Best Bartender
What makes Tucson love Barb Trujillo? She slings drinks like the best of them and her veteran status helps, too, but most who’ve gotten to know the bartender know and love her for her great smile and bright eyes that come with every drink. We love traditions in Tucson. We love holding on to what…
Best Sports Bar
Trident is a bit old school as a sports bar, more of a place that’d you go anyway that happens to also be showing the sporting events you care about instead of a joint where giant screens dominate everything. Yes, the screens are in the right spots and they’ve got a solid section of beverages,…
Best Plant Nursery
The 20 or so acres of Mesquite Valley Growers Nursery out on Speedway has been winning this category for ages and it’ll take a very special place to knock them off this particular pedestal. MVGN (maybe we’re the only ones calling it that) has all of the plants and a staff that can both tell…
Best Bowling Alley
What more could you ask from a bowling center than what you can get from Lucky Strike? They’ve got a convenient location in the middle of everything, solid prices on American beer, pizza, freshly-sprayed shoes and a set of well-maintained lanes. Lucky Strike is going to celebrate 60 years in business in 2015 and what’s…
Best Bike Riding
We get closer and closer all the time to a fully-realized path around Tucson, but even now, let’s take a moment to appreciate the fact that there are miles and miles of well-maintained paths to enjoy. Recommended: the southern portion of the Loop along the Julian Wash Greenway. Doesn’t really go anywhere terribly exciting, but…
Best Caterer
Feast, who have returned to the top spot this year, might have won this category based on their Build a Grill Platter, a beautiful spread of food that you can customize to your event’s needs. Want some grilled shrimp on top of the array of colorful veggies and roasted garlic, all perfectly seasoned? You got…
Best Fine Art Gallery
It’s not surprising Tucson Weekly readers picked Diana Madaras’ gallery as a fine art fave. The longtime Tucson artist is a great example of building an amazing life as a working artist able to brand her work perfectly from the two gallery spaces she showcases her own work, as well as other artists. The colors…
Best Local Visual Artist
For a very long time, the visual artist who represented Southern Arizona (at least in the popular sense) was Ted DeGrazia, with his images showing up on all kinds of souvenirs that visitors took with them as they traveled to their various homes around the world. While DeGrazia’s famous images will be a part of…
Best Downtown Restaurant
Tucked away on Pennington Street and Sixth Avenue, Café Poca Cosa is a local favorite, evidenced by wins in the Best Mexican and Best Upscale Cuisine categories. Friendly servers present a handwritten chalkboard menu which changes from day to day. They read off the entrées for the day boasting not only an impressive memory, but…
Best Local Chef
Janos was Tucson’s celebrity chef before there were such things, a genius working with local ingredients prior to it being fashionable to be a locavore. Plus, with Wild Johnny’s Wagon, he was doing food trucks before those were a thing. Thirty-one years ago, Janos rolled into town after a trip to France and Tucson’s food…
Best Place to Get Pierced
As far as getting impaled with a small, hollow needle goes, Enchanted Dragon promises to make the experience quick, efficient, and as painless as possible. With four different locations in Tucson, the shop is well versed in the art of piercing. The staff has often been commended for their honesty when it comes to customer…
Best Carne Asada
Sure, El Charro is known for its carne seca, but they’ve been in this game long enough that they can do everything on the standard Sonoran Desert Mexican Food Menu well, including the carne asada. Throw their perfectly-seasoned steak in a few soft tacos or as an element of one of the restaurant’s very-large combo…
Best Beer Selection on Tap
One of the more recent additions to the Tucson community, Tap & Bottle features a rotating list of 20 beers on tap and six wines by the glass. The ambience of the establishment is meant to make its patrons feel at home, only better (you know, because of the beer). If your craft beer knowledge…
Best Strip Club
In order to properly research this one, we recently popped into Curves to find out what makes it Tucson’s best. The lovely young lady we spoke with told us it was simple: “We’ve got the most beautiful girls, the nicest staff and the best dancers.” Who are we to argue with a girl with such…
Best Preschool
When working moms, dads and everyone in between gather together for cocktails or water-cooler talk, it’s not uncommon for someone to ask if anyone has advice on a preschool. That hunt for the place to take the baby to preschooler for quality care when at work is part of the American dilemma—a place you can…
Best Car Wash
Eight tentacles up! Whether you want to get the dust off your car with a basic wash (with choice of scent, natch) or clean all that baby vomit off your plush seats with a full-on detail job, Octopus car wash is the place to go. Hand waxing, seat shampooing, carpet cleaning: No job is too…
Best Bookstore for Used Books
Some of us are now taking our grandkids to Bookmans for those special excursions to the children’s book areas—seriously some of the best children’s and juvenile book selections in town. A couple of generations, which means that clerk behind the counter at Grant Road and Campbell Avenue? Yeah, you probably went to school with him.…
Best Bike Shop
There’s something extraordinary about being exactly what your name says you are, but in this case, ordinary is a good thing. Tucson is a bike town and there are bike shops galore to prove that fact. But sometimes you don’t need a place that caters to every bike whim; you just need a local place…
Best Custom Cakes
Nadines has been loyally serving the great people of Tucson for nearly three decades and has, no doubt, created thousands of delicious cakes for countless happy customers. Whether you’re looking to celebrate a birthday, office party, wedding, or just a Tuesday, Nadines has a cake for you. Baked with immaculate detail using kosher products, Nadines’…
Best Local Actor
Joe Cooper a Tucson Weekly reader fave? Hell, yes. If you happen to be a Gaslight Theater regular then you know who Cooper is—OK, so no insult to Mr. Cooper, but he’s the older guy in the ensemble who just happens to seem like he’s having the best time in the world. Cooper has been…
Best Smoothies
We deeply miss the Saturday Night Live character Stefon, played by Bill Hader, but before he disappeared into our memories, he mentioned “a guy who still thinks Jamba Juice is still good for you” as one of the highlights of a nightclub called “Maaaarrrryyyy.” While no one should still be under the illusion that a cup full…
Best Eastside Restaurant
Zona 78 could undoubtedly do well in the Near Foothills (a neighborhood name we just made up) on Tanque Verde by selling their basic menu: salads, pastas, pizzas and some other smart uses of their wood oven. However (and thankfully), Zona takes it a step further, using local ingredients when possible, throwing one-off pop-up dinners…
Best Middle Eastern
We finally split up the African and Middle Eastern categories (no, we’re not sure why we didn’t do that before either), so Zayna gets to take the title in this inaugural honorific. You might have missed Zayna driving down Speedway, but this space has hosted several great restaurants (Feast and the late, lamented La Fonda…
Best Place to Get Something Framed
You know that old concert poster in your closet that you keep meaning to get framed? It’s time you took care of it. You’ll never end up regretting having something nice to hang on the wall. So get it out and head over to Michael’s, where the friendly staff with have all kinds of great…
Best Carnitas
Carnitas is a bit of an underdog of the meat choices at Mexican restaurants. Sure, not in the realm of somewhat adventurous choices like cabeza or lengua, but despite our country’s general love affair with pork, the default option for most diners is beef, whether carne asada, carne seca, barbacoa or even machaca. Carnitas only…
Best Billiards
Access to several high quality pool tables is a big part of the Fox and Hound chain’s raison d’être, so it’s good that they do this well. You’ll have to remind yourself to stay focused on your game, however, since you’ll likely get distracted by the numerous TV’s (and then possibly by the third beverage you…
Best Upscale Bar Ambiance
Befitting its location in St. Philip’s Plaza, Union Public House is a classy joint with great libations for your hanging and drinking needs. If a place has artisan flatbreads on their bar menu, you already know that the aesthetic is going to be a bit classier and then when one is topped with manchego, young…
Best Public School
Chalk one up for public education! While the charter school revolution and private school tax credits in Arizona have allowed students to flee public education for greener-on-the-other-side establishments, University High is still there on the campus it shares in midtown with Rincon, turning out the best and brightest of our city’s teenagers. At very least,…
Best Comic Store
No surprise here that year after year, Heroes and Villains continues to be a Best of Tucson® favorite with Weekly readers. Part game store and part comic-book paradise, they have a great crew of employees who seem to know every title, character and storyline, even beyond DC and Marvel. Even if you’re not a comic…
Best Campground
Located deep in the Santa Catalina Mountains just northeast of Tucson, Rose Canyon Lake is a serene paradise and a great way to cool off from the hellish heat of summer. If the drive up to Mount Lemmon isn’t enough to tantalize you, the lake offers fishing opportunities, the tall trees will trick you into…
Best Delicatessen
Whether you’re looking for your great steak or something exotic, you’ll find it at Dickman’s Meat and Deli, which calls itself a “family owned, old fashioned meat market.” It’s all about quality cold cuts, steaks, pork, bacon, sausage, chicken, seafood and all sorts of other stuff: rattlesnake, venison, kangaroo and a whole bunch more. If…
Best Local Actress
Tarreyn Van Slyke’s name appears approximately a thousand times in our archives, glowing mention after glowing mention for her work at the Gaslight or a few other stages, so it makes sense that she won the first (we think?) Best of Tucson Local Actress award. However, nothing good lasts forever and like many Tucsonans in…
Best Movie Theater
The Loft has more going on in any given month than most movie theaters have happening in a year. Not only do we get the groundbreaking indie films (that typically do not feature giant robots fighting giant aliens or whatever), but you also get classics on the big screen (as they were meant to be…
Best Birthday Party Place
When your child’s birthday rolls around, the panic of the parent ensues. How many kids are we going to invite and which ones? Then, how are we going to entertain this unruly mob of 1st graders? The Children’s Museum has the whole thing under control, offering a number of birthday party options, including the mind-blowing…
Best Modern Cuisine
Who can even say what “modern cuisine” means in 2014, but while Feast offers interesting and innovative dishes, what makes the place great isn’t really a sense of the operation being particular “modern.” Not to say it isn’t, however. More that Doug Levy is a man who makes the most of the opportunity to serve…
Best Resale/Vintage Clothing
Going “thrifting” is something of an art that requires patience, time and determination. However, with Buffalo Exchange’s high standard for resale, the process is much easier. The buyers are selective so everything you see has undergone inspection and passed a strict set of requirements, therefore transforming what could be a mundane swap meet into a…
Best Chile Relleno
Dear Little Café Poca Cosa’s chile relleno, little friend, you are loved. It’s the kind of love that makes vegetarians happy they are vegetarian. It’s the kind of love that produces a collective sigh of relief that yes, indeed, there are people out in the world who really know how to make a chile relleno.…
Best Club for Live Music
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Club Congress. Actually, let’s take that a step further and tip our hat to the people who bring the shows to Congress, because while it’s a great space surrounded by Tucson history, it’s really the wide variety of shows—shows that generally come to towns our size—that make the space…
Best Wine/ Liquor Store
Yes, it’s a chain, but dammit, they do have everything. They aim to keep a selection of local beers on their growler station, so that has to be another mark in the “pro” column, right? Well, at least if you live on the eastside, you have a slightly better excuse to visit the Park Place…
Best Real Estate Agent
Buying a house can be a stressful experience, but no one is better at making it a fun-filled adventure than the dazzling Michelle Hotchkiss. She has a sharp eye for one-of-a-kind properties, particularly of the mid-century-modern vintage, and can connect your family with whatever you need. When it comes to navigating the multiple listings, Michelle…
Best Games Store
Ringing in their fourth year in a row at this title, Heroes and Villains is unstoppable. With a plethora of calendar events including Free Comic Book Day, New Comics Wednesday, and Friday Night Magic, the store is acclaimed for its atmosphere and impeccable selection. The staff is praised for their patience, friendliness and willingness to…
Best Day Trip Out of Town
There are people in Tucson who wish they lived in Bisbee, envious of the hills, the old bars and what sometimes feels like a few more ghosts on the narrow streets. Maybe that’s why many an artist calls this place home, getting the inspiration they need from this old mining town. There’s also a deep…
Best Desserts
If you can bake it, they’re gonna serve it: Beyond Bread offers scones, brownies, cookies, lemon bars, key lime tarts and so much more. And now they’re baking pies at the new Back Dough spot behind the Speedway location. When your sweet tooth is demanding attention, Beyond Bread is the place to give it some…
Best Local Author
Yes, we’re a little bummed that our own occasional freelancer Todd Miller didn’t win out and Ms. Jance doesn’t live in Southern Arizona all year (hey, we all want to get out of town sometimes), but the fact that she’s probably sold two billion books at this point certainly deserves recognition. Just don’t spoil the…
Best Specialty Foods
Located at La Encantada, AJ’s is the perfect liaison between grocery store and five-star resort café. The gourmet market has all of the goods one could ask for in a grocery store with the added ambience and air of sophistication. Featuring a full bakery/hot foods area and accompanied by a wine cellar, AJ’s is the…
Best Fun for the Whole Family
Past generations fell in love with the museum when they first saw the museum’s mascot, George L. Mountainlion. Maybe it’s this loveable cat of our desert that keeps generations coming back, or maybe what’s the best for everyone is the desert adventures it offers from the beginning—minerals, a timeline of the universe, the dinosaur swamplands…
Best Northwest-Side Restaurant
Wildflower first opened over 15 years ago as the original Sam Fox concept aiming to provide diners on the Northwest side a fresh take on American cuisine. These days, the spot manages to still be innovative, yet comforting under the leadership of Omar Huerta, who undertook an extensive remake of the menu earlier this year.…
Best Tanning Salon
With several locations around town and more than 25 years in business, Maui Beach Tanning has helped many a Tucsonan keep a golden glow. Maui uses Tan America UV beds and Norvell formulas to help customize the exact hue you are looking for. Technicians are knowledgeable about how and when to tan and can recommend…
Best Enchiladas
The Guadalajara Original Grill offers a bunch of enchilada options on the large menu, from the vegetarian option, Enchiladas Espinacas y Calabacitas (stuffed with spinach, zucchini, diced tomatoes, mushrooms and onions) or the meat-eaters options, like the Tres Banditos (chicken mole, pork chile verde and a straight up chicken enchiladas) or the Mexican-flag-themed Plato Bandera…
Best Cocktail Menu
This place has been celebrating all things Polynesian in its own Tucson way since 1963. For many a Tucsonan that means a deep and meaningful intimate relationship with the Scorpion. For some, this drink is a happy hour rite of passage, and that’s fine with us. If you don’t want such a kick, you can…
Best French
Ghini’s has held on to the top spot in this category since 2010, which makes sense since the Prince Road café next to a Safeway manages to transport diners to the South of France in exchange for a very reasonable fee. Stuffed crepes, croque monsieur or madame, or just sliced baguettes with sweet cream butter…
Best Sex Toy Shop
Whether you’d like a sexy corset, some flavored lube or a toy to enhance your love life, you’ll find it at Fascinations. It’s a sex-positive, shame-free environment where you can browse without feeling like some kind of crazy perv—unless, of course, feeling like some kind of crazy perv is your thing. (We’re not judging.) The…
Best Independent Bookstore
Tucson is one lucky city. As the corporate book palaces have closed here and there or struggle to survive, their independent bookstore cousins continue on. Bookmans is an example and reminds us it’s not only good to recycle and reuse, but that books and reading are something to celebrate. Inside you’ll have several experiences, find…
Best Dog Park
We love our dogs here in Tucson almost more than we love some of our peers so it only makes sense that we would devote an entire section of a park to them. Conveniently divided by big and small breeds, the park offers a chance for pups to roam free and make friends without you…
Best Diner
It may be attached to the Gaslight Theatre, but Little Anthony’s is more than just the place next door that brings theatergoers good eats and drinks during shows. It’s a diner of fun in its own right—the 1950s diner ambiance makes you think Frankie Avalon could step out from behind the counter ready to regale…
Best Neapolitan Pizza
This category got a lot more competitive right before this issue came out, as the fast-casual pizza market blew up all of a sudden between Fired Pie, Pionic, Pizza Studio, Pieology and perhaps 17 more between writing this and you reading it. However, Fox Restaurants creation Sauce will likely be around for awhile, offering a…
Best Tea Service
Located in the heart of the historic Sam Hughes neighborhood, Seven Cups is a quaint little shop offering not only a variety of teas, but also sweet and savory Chinese and Japanese snacks. The shop is known for its tea that is hand selected directly from China every year. The shop staff is well versed…
Best Kids’ Clothing Store
While the ideal is to buy clothes for the young ones locally, considering that generally kids outgrow clothes before wearing them out, you have to appreciate a bargain. Target offers the opportunity to get something cute at a decent price. Runners up: 2. Little Bird Nesting Company 3. The Children’s Place
Best Outdoor Seating
Located within the walls of Old Town Artisans, La Cocina offers a lush oasis right where the Spanish settlers originally built the presidio that would be the birthplace of Tucson. Joanne Schneider, who created the landmark Bentley’s House of Coffee and Tea, has transformed La Cocina into a live music oasis that also offers nonprofits…
Best Tattoo Artist
After getting her degree in illustration from the UA, moving to Los Angeles to work in the animation industry, and training as a tattoo artist at Red Sky Studio, Lisa Cardenas has perfected her craft and now operates her own studio, Haunted Hands, downtown. With her impressive portfolio of both tattooing and artwork, Cardenas promises…
Best Fish Tacos
Best fish tacos? OK, yes, they are good. This is a shrimp place, meaning a place that makes shrimp in the best possible ways, so they have to make some beautiful fish tacos. Their marlin fish is a little smoky and cooked to perfection. Why stop there. There are traditional beer-battered fish tacos too—equally delicious…
Best DJ
Somehow, Herm seems to be working multiple gigs at a time most days, spinning tracks for folks working out at Breakout Studios, providing the soundtrack to a bride and groom’s first dance or doing things his own damn way at a local club. While he’s probably scrolling through tracks on his Macbook right now somewhere…
Best Greek
It’s telling that OPA! includes the word “fun” in their name, since the essence of Greek food is seemingly connected to some sort of celebration. People are (joyously) yelling things, food is getting set on fire (intentionally) and there’s always some sort of shared dish in the middle for everyone to enjoy (your meal starts…
Best Spectacle for Charity
First of all, let’s just collectively agree to stop complaining about the minor inconveniences of traffic on the day of the Tour. If you’re complaining, you’re probably the sort of clown who complains about bikes all year long (also not cool), but just think of the giant piles of cash from visitors who come here…
Best Local Blog
Before there was that other food-centered media mag, there was Tucson Foodie, Adam Lehrman’s blog creation that’s all about, well, yeah, food and only food. At Weekly World Central, the fact that Tucson was a foodie paradise wasn’t a mystery, but what’s worked for Tucson Foodie is what everyone knows really works now—niche and taking…
Best Golf Course
With 81 holes to play among three golf clubs, Dove Mountain promises the perfect escape all golfers are looking for. Surrounded by beautiful Southwestern scenery, the course ranks among the finest of them all. The club boasts luxurious amenities, superior service, and the promise of camaraderie between golfers. After hosting the World Golf Championships Accenture…
Best eegee’s Flavor
Unedited tweets about Orange Dream, May’s flavor of the month: “people tweeting about wanting to party or drink or smoke or something but all I want is an orange dream eegee that’s literally it” “Can Orange Dream and Watermelon eegee’s just be year round flavors already?” “I want a large orange dream eegee with plenty…
Best Local Comedian
Lucinda Holliday is perhaps one of Tucson’s biggest and most colorful personalities. She has thrived in local venues including The Graduate, Joshua Tree/Back Pocket, Rita’s Rendezvous, Hours, IBT’s, Colors, The New Moon and PULSE TUCSON. Holliday performs all across the country donning her drag attire and bringing crowds to their feet. In addition, she also…
Best Thick Crust/Chicago-Style Pizza
Earlier this year, Rocco’s brought in a whole new group of pizza-loving patrons in response to coverage the eatery received after Anthony Rocco DiGrazia posted a sign on his restaurant’s front door that read “We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Arizona Legislators,” in response to SB 1062, an attempt by Arizona lawmakers to…
Best Playground
Reid Park, considering it’s the semi-official Central Park of Tucson, should probably have the city’s best playground, and maybe there are parks with better equipment for the kids to jump and climb on, Reid Park will always win out due to all the culture happening nearby. The ramadas are full of families celebrating their special…
Best Place to Eat Gluten Free
For those who eat gluten free, it’s no surprise the tamale has made the world a better place for centuries. If you’re forced to eat gluten free and find restaurants that have what you need, Tucson Tamale Co.’s selection leaves you satisfied, not deprived. When the company first started, it seemed on track to take…
Best Tattoo Parlor
Tucson has a reputation for its embracing street art, murals, and overall liberalness when it comes to expression. Whether you want to permanently display your love for Tucson with a cacti sleeve or declare your allegiance to UA with a portrait of Wilbur, Black Rose Tattooers would be more than happy to expertly oblige. Their…
Best Guacamole
When the recent fire took siege at the Original Guadalajara Grill on May 29, the community found itself experiencing The Great Tableside Guacamole Depression. Have no fear; the grill is scheduled to reopen in early October and the community will once again rejoice with the revival of the best guacamole in town. We will be…
Best Local Brewery
Arguably one of the greatest hidden gems of Tucson, Barrio stays true to its Warehouse District influence surrounded by the industrial side of downtown and even taking on its appearance. Tucsonans rave about the more-than-a-dozen microbrews on tap along with their burgers and fish tacos. Ever found the train going through downtown to be a…
Best Indian
Sometimes the proliferation of the Indian food buffet has made people think that this cuisine is a one-trick pony of tandoori chicken, garlic naan and something made with lentils. Yes, there are great Indian restaurants in Tucson and yes, many of them have some delish buffets that we all love. But Saffron has something special…
Best Farmers Market
There was certainly some drama surrounding the St. Philip’s Farmers Market in the past year as FoodInRoot took over the collection of vendors from Heirloom Farmers Markets. Heirloom then opened up a new thing at Rillito Park, so hey, more farmers markets! Despite the changes, St. Philip’s is still the grand dame of these things…
Best Thing About the University of Arizona
Sure, all those contributions to the space program are cool and the Biosphere is a great place to tour, but what is the UA really known for? Ever since the early days of Lute, it’s been UA basketball. There may have been a few rough transitional years there, but Sean Miller has assembled a new…
Best Local Sportscaster
Over 25 years of broadcasting Wildcat sports means that Brian Jeffries has been there for a lot of the biggest moments in our city’s athletic history, so that’s enough to be beloved in Tucson forever. While Jeffries does stay busy on air, he also oversees all of the university’s on-air sports broadcasting, but almost certain…
Best Hike
It’s hard to believe that this kind of stunning wilderness can exist so close to our buzzing metro center, but Sabino Canyon offers dozens of hikes along desert trails spotted with cacti and mesquites. If you’d like to take a dip, you can wander up to Seven Falls to enjoy cool fresh water, and if…
Best Food Truck
As the name suggests, this particular food truck is pure genius. Offering an array of menu items ranging from savory to sweet, Planet of the Crepes will not disappoint. The crepe with manchego cheese, fig jam and toasted almonds is a must have. They also offer gluten free and vegan options for any of their…
Best New York Style Pizza
It should come as no surprise that a pizza joint named after part of the city itself would sweep this category. New Yorkers claim it’s something in the water that makes their pizza so great, but even in Tucson, Brooklyn Pizza Company is doing it right. Since 1996, this pizza palace has been creating pies…
Best Veggie Burger
Anyone who has ever tried a veggie burger has likely had the nightmarish experience of tasting a bad one, the sort that has the texture of wet cardboard and a somewhat similar flavor, but Zinburger has been turning out Clint’s Almost Famous burgers for years, complete with smoked mozzarella, avocado, pea shoots and tomato. Sure,…
Best Restaurant With a Kids’ Menu
There’s nothing super thrilling on Little Anthony’s kids’ menu (titled “The Little Be-Bopper”). The usual suspects are there: chicken nuggets, grilled cheese strips, PB&J, burger, hot dogs, etc., but hey, you have to give the people what they want. What really makes Little Anthony’s a perennial favorite for the kids is the atmosphere, the ability…
Best Place to Eat Lunch Downtown
Tucson has corazón and if you need proof then do lunch at Little Café Poca Cosa. This is open for debate, but part of the city’s heart must run through this small downtown establishment. Tucsonans take pride in being quirky and open-hearted, which is why it’s funny to read Internet reviews that warn folks that…
Best Antiques/Kitsch/Collectables
In the era of eBay, if you’re thinking of something from the past you’d like, you can probably find it online, whether that’s crystal owls with rhinestone eyes or Tito Puente albums. However, Copper Country (yes, the place with the buffalo in front) offers the opportunity to find the item you never knew you wanted,…
Best Huevos Rancheros
There’s a reason Teresa’s holds on to a win in this category year after year. There are innumerable ways to screw up this simple dish, but the excellently prepared eggs topped with the restaurant’s signature rich and spicy tomato sauce always tastes great. And yes, it doesn’t hurt to be able to enjoy the dish…
Best Lowbrow Bar Ambiance
The Shelter calls itself a “go-go boot-wearing, martini drinking, swanky, groovy lounge”—and after more than a half-century in business, it comes by its retro style honestly, without so much as a splash of phoniness or pretention. The cocktails are fun, the beer is cold, the music will bring back memories and you can always play…
Best Italian
The top three in this year’s Best Italian voting serve offer wildly different experiences: Roma, a lunch counter inside of an incredible market; Caruso’s, the distinctly old-school red-sauce joint; and Vivace’s, the fine dining experience at the edge of the Catalinas. Each have their place, for certain, but Vivace likely won out in this year’s…
Best Financial Institution
Tucson Federal Credit Union, founded in 1937 by some teachers and once housed in the basement of Tucson High, is about as local as it gets, so when their ads use the tag “Better Than a Bank” (sorry for getting that jingle stuck in your head, by the way), yeah, that’s almost certainly true. We’re…
Best Tucson Icon
While some publications have lately suggested that Gabby Giffords is becoming a Mean Girl, we think her courage and strength continue to serve as an inspiration. No one would have blamed Gabby if she had quietly retired, but in the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, she and her husband, Mark Kelly, have dedicated themselves…
Best Local TV News Anchor
Having spent nearly 30 years as one of KGUN 9’s television anchors, Guy Atchley is an Arizona legend. He has received several awards for his news stories and even had cameos as a reporter in “Jericho Fever” and “Runnin’ at Midnite.” Atchley travels all over Arizona to do work for his series “Guy Atchley’s Arizona,”…
Best Outdoor Recreation Store
Here’s what’s great about Summit Hut, besides the fact that they carry whatever you might need for your outdoor life: the staff is remarkably helpful whether you speak the language of hiking/camping/rock climbing/etc. or if you’re just looking to get started. Yes, there are other places to buy this stuff, but Summit Hut carries items…
Best French Fries
While many of you voting for our local sandwich/frozen drink chain in this category might have done so with the caveat that eegee’s ranch dressing would need to be involved, these crinkle cut sticks of fried potato goodness pull off the crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside ideal you want from fries. Plus,…
Best Local Dance Company
Ranking among the caliber and fame of Juilliard and Alvin Ailey, the UA School of Dance runs with the best of the best. Beginning with its fall show, Premium Blend, and ending with Spring Collection, the program draws in students and audiences from all over. The students in this program are masters of their craft—their…
Best Wings
More commonly known as WOB, Wings Over Broadway is a Tucson hotspot. Offering several flavors of delicious wings, WOB promises to be exactly what you and your taste buds are looking for. Come for the wings and stay for the beer; there’s a familiar neighborhood vibe at WOB. If that doesn’t give you enough incentive,…
Best Toy Store
Maybe it’s children who make the mistake of thinking toy stores are just for them, special places that bring them joy. Ha, foolish youth. Toy stores are for grownups, too, and Yikes is probably one of the best examples of helping big people embrace that playful spirit they sometimes forget. Hell, it might be safe…
Best Seafood
When you’re looking for seafood, you’ll want to head to Kingfisher. The oyster bar is spectacular (especially during the discounted happy hour), the seafood chowders and soup are rich and flavorful, and the salmon, sea bass, scallops and other entrées are just as good as you’d find in a coastal village. Kingfisher remains the king…
Best Barbershop
There’s a little of the future and the past at work at HiEndTight. Yes, all the barbers have Instagram sites that allow you to check out their past work, but they also can do a smooth hot-towel assisted shave. Sure, you can get a haircut somewhere on every corner and there are even some sports-themed…
Best Menudo
Menudo doesn’t have to be pigeon-holed as the post New Year’s Eve hangover cure tradition. Menudo is good for every occasion. And what better place to partake than a local old-school establishment like El Molinito. The menudo at Molinito is of the white variety and is served, like many places in town, only on Saturday…
Best Margarita
Sure, why wouldn’t Tucson’s (arguably) most famous Mexican restaurant also sell its most famous margarita? They pour a fine house margarita (quick note: unless you’re currently living in a sorority house, don’t let the word “frozen” cross your lips during your drink order), but with a mind-dizzying array of tequilas, juices and other additions to…
Best Japanese
When it’s time to experience a bento box, there’s no better place to give it a try than Yoshimatsu. With all the Godzillas, anime superstars and maneki-neko in the place, you’ll feel transported to Tokyo. The food is both healthy and tasty, whether you’re looking for sushi or teriyaki chicken. And the little shop lets…
