Top Picks: 

1. Savaya Coffee at the Flin (best Tucson coffee IMO) 

2. Barista Del Bario (co-listed under food because their breakfast burritos are incredible)

3. Ren Coffeehouse (the bakery location specifically!) 

Honorable Mentions: Presta @ the Mercado; Cafe Lucce; Cartel Roasting Co; Exo Roast Co; Raging Sage; Yellow Brick Coffee

Tea (my FAVE TUCSON SPOT): Scented Leaf (tons of flavors of iced tea on tap + vibey inside) 

Top Mexican: 

1. Tumerico (vegan, and it's the BEST) 

2. Taquería Juanitos

3. Aqui Con El Nene (classic street tacos) 

4. Rollies Mexican Patio

5. Seis (the Mercado San Agustin location specifically!) 

6. Boca (get the chips and salsa)

Breakfast: 

1. Barista del Barrio (their chorizo breakfast burritos + horchata cold brew are to die for) 

2. Baja Cafe

Markets that also have good food: 

1. 5 Points Market & Restaurant

2. Time Market

3. Flora's Market Run

Other: 

A little of everything: JoJo's; Cup Cafe @ Hotel Congress 

Italian: Ceres 

Top Picks: 

1. Boxyard on 4th Ave (all outdoors) 

2. Hop Shop 

3. Borderlands Brewing Company (nice outdoor seating area, live music sometimes) 

4. The Graduate (more fancy, has cool views of Tucson; don’t recommend the food here)

Honorable Mentions: Crooked Tooth Brewing; Pueblo Vida Brewing Company  

For the young folk: 

• University Ave – Gentle Ben’s, No Anchovies, Illegal Pete’s, Frog & Firkin

• 4th Ave – The Hut

• Downtown – Playground 

TOP PICK: Seven Falls @ Sabino Canyon 

• Check the reviews on AllTrails to make sure it has water before you go

• Be prepared for stream crossings - in April, we crossed about seven times but I was able to avoid getting my shoes wet for all seven!

• There are three different ways to do this trail. The first way - Seven Falls via Bear Canyon Road - is free but the parking lot is small and it fills up EARLY on weekends. This way puts you at 7.0 miles round trip. The second way is to park at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area ($8) and start your hike from the parking lot. This way puts you at ~8.9 miles round trip. The third way is to take the Bear Canyon Tram from the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area to the trail head. This costs $16 (round trip) but shaves 1 mile off the hike (so ~8 miles round trip). 

Gates Pass for sunset

Sonoran Desert Museum 

Mt Lemmon (hiking, views) 

Sabino Canyon (hiking, paved trail, tram ride) 

Tumanoc Hill (hiking; paved, steep hill but good view of Tucson from up above)