2020 will bring three new restaurants to Marana.
Serial Grillers, Bisbee Breakfast Club and Chuy’s Mesquite Broiler are opening outposts in the northwest side town of about 45,000.
Serial Grillers likely will beat the other two to the punch when it hosts its grand opening Feb. 6 for the restaurant at 5660 W. Cortaro Farms Road, off Interstate 10. It will be the fourth location of the restaurant, known for its craft beers, pizza and sandwiches named after made-for Hollywood serial killers.
Bisbee Breakfast Club is set to open at 13858 N. Sandario Road, off Interstate 10 in Marana’s downtown area. This will be Bisbee’s fifth Tucson location since opening in 2011 at 4131 W. Ina Road — the restaurant’s first venture outside of its namesake Bisbee birthplace.
Bisbee Breakfast Club also has a Mesa location and plans to open in Chandler in March, said owner Terry Kyte, whose family owns and operates the restaurants. There is no opening date set for Chuy’s, which will open next door to the Sandario Road Bisbee Breakfast Club. Chuy’s owners, who also operate restaurants in Catalina and Oro Valley, could not be reached for comment.
Chuy’s, which had been on West Ina Road near Interstate 10 for years before closing in 2017 to accommodate the years-long Ina Road widening project, recently closed its location at 6741 N. Thornydale Road.
Owner Travis Miller said Serial Grillers’ Cortaro opening will coincide with the kickoff of Arizona Beer week and the opening of the restaurant’s new sister venture Boulevard BBQ, which is going into Serial Grillers’ original location at 5737 E. Speedway.
Serial Grillers last summer moved down the boulevard to the much larger building at 5975 E. Speedway that was home for 50 years to the popular Chinese restaurant Lotus Garden, which closed at the end of May.
10 Tucson restaurants new to 2020 gem show visitors
10 Tucson restaurants new to 2020 gem show visitors
Alexandria's Pearl, 1535 N. Stone Ave.
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Koshari, $12, at Alexandria's Pearl is a big mound of fideo pasta, chickpeas, rice, lentils and crispy onions that you pour vinegar and chile sauce on top of. For some reason, it reminded me of Cincinnati Chili.
Alexandria’s Pearl, owned by two University of Arizona engineering students and brothers Mahmoud and Ragy Elkanany, serves up Egyptian cuisine.
The menu features popular dishes from Egypt and the Middle East — koshari and fatta, for example — in addition to burgers and sandwiches.
Alexandria’s Pearl is open from 12 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Hours are subject to change.
Visit alexandriaspearl.com for more information.
Boxyard, 238 N. Fourth Ave.
UpdatedA food hall made out of boxcars, Boxyard offers four different eateries — Nhu Lan Vietnamese, Indian Twist, Bronx BX BBQ and Percheron Mexican Grill.
Boxyard also has a number of beers on tap, in addition to a full cocktail menu.
Hours for each spot are different, though Boxyard is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Visit tucne.ws/boxyard for more information.
Carnitas Los Gordos, 4545 E. 22nd St.
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We ate these carnitas tacos while sitting inside the belly of this giant pig bus. Only at Carnitas Los Gordos. Only in Tucson.
Located in a pink bus, Carnitas Los Gordos is easy to spot.
The rolling restaurant features carnitas dishes, made from family recipes passed down through generations. Among the menu items are burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
Carnitas Los Gordos is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Visit facebook.com/carnitaslosgordoz for more information.
Charro Vida, 7109 N. Oracle Road
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Above are bandera enchiladas, one of many dishes from Charro Vida, located at 7109 N. Oracle Road.
Hailing from the family behind the popular El Charro Cafe, Charro Steak and Charro Del Rey, Charro Vida offers a blend of Mediterranean and Sonoran foods, many of which are plant-based and sustainable.
“It’s an opportunity to take our flavors and put them in the center of the plate,” Carlotta Flores told the Star before the restaurant opened last year.
Charro Vida is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Visit charrovida.com for more information.
Chef Wang, 356 E. Grant Road
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Dong-Bei cold noodles, $10.98, at Chef Wang featured wheat noodles in in a sweet pork broth.
This midtown Chinese restaurant is run by Baoge Chen and Chef Hongquan Wang, who are from Shenyang, China, in the Dongbei region.
Dongbei is known for its stews, in addition to its meat pies.
Other items on the Chef Wang menu include Sichuan hot pots, noodles, skewers and seafood.
Chef Wang is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Visit chefwangaz.com for more information.
Churrasco de Brasil, 150 W. Wetmore Road
UpdatedAlums of Fogo de Chão, the Brazilian chain that’s said to have popularized Brazilian barbecue, are business partners in Churrasco de Brasil, located in the Tucson Mall parking lot.
Here’s how it works: Diners flip over a card when they’re ready to begin, prompting servers to visit the table. Offerings include at least a dozen types of beef, chicken, lamb and pork.
Churrasco de Brasil is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 3 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
Visit churrascodebrasil.com for more information.
Divine Bovine, 1021 N. Wilmot Road
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Our favorite burger on the menu was the Divine Bovine, $10.50, which had a housemade tomato jam, bacon and cheddar cheese.
Owned by Ben Rine who once co-owned BrushFire BBQ, Divine Bovine offers more than a dozen kinds of burgers, all made with high-end ingredients. Burger patties include a mix of brisket, chuck and short rib.
Also on the menu: Chicken, triple fried fries and buckets of beers.
Divine Bovine is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Visit divinebovineburgers.com for more information.
Istanbul, 2945 E. Speedway
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Turkish manti, $16, are housemade dumplings bathed in a yogurt and tomato sauce with green beans on the side.
Istanbul serves up a menu of Turkish and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, from Turkish spaghetti and falafel to kebabs and lamb shanks.
Last year, chef and owner Kamran Esar told the Star that his family and friends will all be involved in the restaurant. His father has 45 years of experience as a butcher in Turkey.
Istanbul is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Visit istanbultucson.com for more information.
Maru Japanese Noodle Shop, 1370 N. Silverbell Road
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I dressed up my curry udon at Maru Japanese Noodle Shop, $8.50, with ingredients from the toppings bar, like dried seaweed, pickled ginger and more.
The folks behind Yoshimatsu brought this casual noodle shop to Tucson’s west side last year, with a focus on ramen and udon noodles.
Beyond the noodles, Maru also offers smaller bites such as takoyaki balls — made with octopus — and onigiri.
Maru Japanese Noodle Shop is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Visit marunoodle.com for more information.
Selena's Salvadorian Restaurant, 2513 N. Campbell Ave.
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Selena’s pupusas are made from fresh corn masa and stuffed with cheese, beans, loroco flowers and more.
Luis Gonzalez and his family began making pupusas — corn masa often filled with cheese, beans or chicharrones — years ago at food festivals. Now they have a brick and mortar spot.
The menu includes several varieties of pupusas, in addition to tamales.
Selena’s Salvadorian Restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Visit facebook.com/21pupusas for more information.
