If thereβs one experience that instantly makes you feel like you get a city, itβs diving into its food scene β and this Tucson Food Tour Review is all about the flavors, textures, and little local secrets that make this desert town such a dream for anyone who travels with their stomach first. I love a good bite-to-bite itinerary, and Tucson delivers in a big, delicious way. The Tucson food tour review Iβm sharing here centers around Secret Food Tours Tucson, which ended up being such a fun way to explore downtown, try iconic bites, and learn way more about local history than I ever wouldβve uncovered on my own.
Check out my guide to Downtown Tucson: Food, Murals & Local Shopping if youβre building a whole day around eating, drinking, and wandering through this artsy, colorful part of town.
I highly recommend the Secret Food Tours Tucson food tour. We had Ellie and she was a wonderful guide. If you can afford a personal tour I would recommend to try it that way unless you like the group aspect of tours. If you want to head out on your own you can stop at Rollies for a Sonoran Hot Dog, Scented Leaf for a tea, Empire Pizza and Pub for the Elote Pizza, The Monica for a tamale, and Raspaderia El Sahuaro Snack Bar for a Raspado. The tour gives so much good information about the restaurants and local history that it is worth doing if you have time. Donβt do a Sunday food tour because a lot of places close and you wonβt get all the options.
Ellie walked us through Tucsonβs mix of influences β Native, Mexican, Sonoran, Old Pueblo β and suddenly every dish felt like it had a story behind it. And you know me: give me food with a backstory and Iβm yours.
If youβre hunting down a real Sonoran hot dog in Tucson, Rollies Mexican Patio is your spot. This place is fast-casual, super colorful, and always buzzing with locals (which is how you know itβs legit). Their Sonoran dog is everything it should be: a bacon-wrapped frank tucked into a fresh bolillo bun and loaded with a cheese crisp, caramelized onions, chile verde, mustard, and mayo. Itβs messy in the best possible way β the kind of food you absolutely have to lean over the table for. Rollies also has great tacos and birria, but truly, come for the dog. Itβs a must-eat Tucson classic.
Rollies has 2 locations. The west location is downtown and has the best Sonoran hot dog. Get it exactly as it comes. I donβt like mayonnaise or mustard but got it how they offer it and it was incredible. I did a competition and also ate at a suggested restaurant for Sonoran hot dogs, BK Dogs and Carne Asada, and it was no competition. Rollies won. Donβt believe meβ¦ try the competition yourself!
I also ate at the other Rollies location. It is well out of town but I loved the rolled tacos (get the birria) and the enchiladas. They are also known for their ramen at that location. Go to the bathroom for a fun selfie moment β and yes, Iβm aware that taking photos in a bathroom is weird, but the mural makes it socially acceptable. Promise. The Sonoran dog is only offered at the west location, and itβs called a Sonoran dog because itβs wrapped in bacon β which automatically makes it superior to any regular hot dog.
If you want to do a competition of the best Sonoran dog, compare BK, the west location of Rollies, and El Guero Canelo. The bolillo bun is the Mexican take on a French roll but a little more on the sweeter side.
Honestly, if youβre doing a full Tucson Food Tour Review checklist for yourself, this stop earns a permanent spot.
The moment you walk into The Scented Leaf, it just feels inviting β cozy, bright, and full of really good tea. They have a huge selection of loose-leaf teas, tons of fun seasonal flavors, and whether youβre team fruity, floral, creamy, or βI just want something caffeine-heavy,β theyβll mix you something delicious. You can do your drink hot or cold, but since I was there in summer (aka hot-as-hell season), I went straight for the iced teas. I have never been to a tea shop quite like this one.
My favorite teas were the honey vanilla chai and the Young Grasshopper (but no coffee), and my friend loved the fruity Thai tea. You can custom-make any tea and they were super helpful walking us through all the options. Also β fun fact β if youβre spending the day downtown, you can buy your first tea, keep the cup, come back for your second tea at half off, and then swing back again to get your third tea FREE. Itβs the best little downtown hack when youβre exploring in Tucson heat.
If youβre planning a bigger Tucson adventure, learn more in my post about Best Places to Stay in Tucson β it makes it easier to map out where your food stops fit into the day.
Empire Pizza is your classic New Yorkβstyle slice shopβ¦ except Tucson gave it a twist. Their Elote Pizza is the star β imagine a giant, foldable slice topped with mozzarella, grilled corn, goat cheese, chipotle mayo, TajΓn, and cilantro. Itβs basically a love letter to Mexican street corn in pizza form, and it works so well. The vibe is casual, slightly divey in a fun way, and perfect if you want a quick, satisfying stop downtown. Grab a slice, grab a drink, and try not to think about the fact that youβll be dreaming about this pizza later.
The Monica is one of Tucsonβs trendy, beautiful, light-filled restaurants β part cafΓ©, part bakery, part bar, and the kind of place where you want to linger. Itβs one of the newer concepts from the Flores family, the same group behind the iconic El Charro CafΓ©, which has been running since 1922. The Monica was created to honor founder Monica Flin and give Tucson a fresh, downtown-friendly space with rotating menus, comfort food, and a modern twist.
The fun part? The tamales here are listed as a side β not a main dish β but donβt let that fool you. Theyβre still made by Chef Carlotta, and theyβre delicious. Think super soft masa, flavorful fillings, and toppings that make it feel elevated without losing that cozy tamale-cart vibe.
The Monica also has a great outdoor patio youβll definitely want to check out, so itβs worth visiting both restaurants while youβre in town: El Charro for the classics, and The Monica for its bright, welcoming space and modern comfort dishes. They also have a great cocktail menu and a pastry case that will test every ounce of self-control you have.
If youβre planning a short trip and want help picking the right stops, see my One Day in Saguaro National Park West guide β it pairs perfectly with a morning or afternoon of bites downtown and is easiest to do if you have a car.
If you want a standout shaved ice, go to RaspaderΓa El Sahuaro Snack Bar and get a raspado with ice cream and lechera (sweetened condensed milk). I blended the flavors and got a mangoβpineappleβpeach combo. Iβm crazy like thatβ¦ why do one flavor when you can do three?
A raspado is basically Mexicoβs version of a shaved-ice-meets-fruit dessert, but way better than anything you had as a kid. They pile super-fine shaved ice into a cup and drench it in fresh fruit syrups, chunks of fruit, crema, chamoy, or spicy toppings depending on what you order. They also have everything from mangonadas (frozen mango layered with chamoy and TajΓn) to biΓ³nicos (fresh fruit topped with sweet cream and granola). Itβs refreshing, sweet, and exactly what you want on a hot Tucson afternoon. El Sahuaro is a local favorite with tons of flavors, snacks, and treats β itβs casual, fun, and very βthis is what locals actually eat.β
After doing this Tucson Food Tour Review, I can confidently say that Secret Food Tours Tucson is a fantastic way to taste your way through the city. You get history, culture, amazing bites, and a guide who actually knows the stories behind the food rather than just pointing at buildings. If youβre a foodie, do it. If youβre not a foodie, do it anyway β Tucson has a way of converting people.
And if youβd rather eat your way through town at your own pace, you now have the exact lineup: Rollies, The Scented Leaf, Empire Pizza, The Monica, and RaspaderΓa El Sahuaro. Go forth and snack.
The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos donβt capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they donβt know theyβre in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But thatβs also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. π·
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. π·
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes Iβve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Hereβs what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
CafΓ© Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davieβs Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (itβs not ketchup, and itβs better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what Iβd skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
Thereβs a version of Gatlinburg thatβs all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then thereβs the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Hereβs everything worth doing downtown, in the order Iβd do it: ποΈ
β¨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
β¨ Walk the strip mid-morning when itβs still manageable
β¨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: donβt skip it)
β¨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
β¨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isnβt your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. Itβs more of a βhereβs what Iβd actually do if I had one solid dayβ kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. π
If someone told me Iβd spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. π
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and itβs one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it β longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
β¨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
β¨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
β¨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
β¨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. π
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