Last year was our first trip to Arizona and we’re not sure if it was because of the pandemic (it was 2021) or if it was just because we didn’t try hard enough, but we left Tucson disappointed in the food. Neither of us are “foodies” but we do appreciate fun and different places to eat. Plus Marc is vegan so we are always looking for restaurants with a mix of plant-based foods.

This year, we did it. We had an incredible time dining in Tucson and here are our favorites!

LaCo Tucson

Located in the heart of the Historic Presidio District of Downtown Tucson and tucked inside the walls of Old Town Artisans, you will find the beautiful courtyard restaurant that is LaCo Tucson. Boasting al fresco dining, a rustic Cantina, intimate pub, and live music under the stars this gem certainly offers something for everyone.

It was recently named Best Outdoor Dining so we had to check it out on our first evening in Tucson, immediately after escaping the cold of Michigan. Not only was the live music great, they also had some good vegan options.

Falora

We’re not sure how we actually came across this small place but in an absolute hunger panic after riding Mt. Lemmon, we ended up at Falora. It describes itself as “an analog neighborhood spot with wood-baked napoli pizza, artisan and hearty greens, wine, beer, and vinyl.” Not only did this place have vegan mozzarella, chorizo, and sausage, it was hands down some of the best pizza either of us have ever had. Every time we hear of someone going to Tucson (especially our vegan friends) we make sure they know of Falora.

Beaut Burger

Beaut Burger is an incredible plant-based burger joint that is the cornerstone of the MSA Annex in the Mercado District in Tucson.

The people that work here probably recognized us after a week of going there almost daily. We stopped in for a burger one of our first days in town and although it was good, we fell in LOVE with the sweet potato fries. So every time we were coming through town or headed out for a hike, we’d stop in for some friends to eat on our way.

Snooze Eatery

Snooze Eatery is a vibrant, retro restaurant serving a seasonal menu of creative breakfast and lunch fare PLUS cocktails! We had heard this was a go-to for both breakfast and brunch and now we know why. HINT: It might have something to do with the pancake flight!

We stopped in one morning for a pre-hike breakfast and got a good mix of plant-based options and traditional breakfast choices. It was incredibly delicious. Apparently this place is a chain but we won’t hold it against it.

El Charro cAFE

El Charro Café offers a wide variety of Northern Mexican and Tucson-style Mexican dishes and their insanely delicious food has been hailed by everyone from Bon Appetit to the NY Times to Nation’s Restaurant News, which named it one of America’s 50 most iconic restaurants.

A friend had suggested this place to us and we went without knowing much about it and it's history. Even though we arrived for an early lunch, we were surprised to find out there would be no table availability the rest of the night. Instead we made a reservation for another day of our trip. If you’re planning to go here then you must plan in advance!

Blue Willow Restaurant

This one seemed like a similar atmosphere to the small breakfast cafes we have in northern Michigan—nothing fancy, just good food. But unlike the traditional breakfast restaurants we see at home, the Blue Willow had a tofu scramble on the menu (perfect for Marc).

In addition to a good menu, Blue Willow also has a cute gift shop and a great outdoor section. We stopped her on our last day in town and it was nice to soak up some more sun before heading back to Michigan for the winter.

6 Vegan Friendly Places to Eat in Tucson