Arizona’s Mexican food scene goes way beyond chain restaurants and fast-food tacos. Family-owned spots across the state serve recipes passed down through generations, bringing genuine flavors from different regions of Mexico right to your plate.
When locals crave real Mexican cuisine, they skip the tourist traps and head straight to these beloved neighborhood gems where the owners know their regulars by name and the salsa is always made fresh.
1. El Charro Café – Tucson
If you’re hunting for Arizona’s oldest Mexican restaurant still run by the same family, El Charro Café is your destination. Founded in 1922 by Monica Flin, this Tucson landmark invented the famous chimichanga according to local legend.
The Flin family continues operating this beloved spot nearly a century later. Their carne seca, a sun-dried beef specialty, gets prepared on the rooftop using traditional methods that haven’t changed in decades…