We’re getting a big breakfast at the Buendía Breakfast and Lunch Café on North First Avenue off of Grant Road.
It also feels appropriate to go savor these dishes during Sonoran Restaurant Week. Co-owners Julio and Jael García walked us through their kitchen, where they make traditional food with a deliberate dash of joy, or ‘alegría.’
When we asked Julio García how he’d describe what’s driven him in his restaurant career, at his core, he said it’s about keeping family first, and creating the warm feeling that comes once you’re home.
“That’s the concept,” García said in our conversation in Spanish. “Show what we have in our own home and share with families from right here in Tucson.”
Julio and his family, both front of house and behind the counter in the kitchen, know people’s daily lives can get hectic. García said he’s seen firsthand the power a home-cooked meal has to brighten someone’s day.
“It’s curious,” he said. “Literally, I’ve seen people cry when they try the coffee, and hear the music. That’s what we want to offer: an experience.”