3 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Tucson

Chimichanga is a wrapped, deep-fried flour tortilla filled with a variety of ingredients such as shredded chicken, beef, rice, beans, onions, and cheese. Although the dish is especially popular in the Mexican regions of Sinaloa and Sonora, most people believe that chimichanga was either invented in a Tucson restaurant or in a Phoenix restaurant in the early 1920s. Regardless of its origins, chimichanga is a widely known favorite throughout Mexico and the United States up to this day, with numerous regional variations. It is recommended to serve chimichangas with salsas, sour cream dips, or guacamole.Expand

Cheese crisp is an American dish originating from Arizona. It consists of a flour tortilla that is topped with shredded cheese in its most basic form. The tortilla is placed in a butter-brushed pan which is put under a broiler until it develops a crisp texture. Cheeses such as Cheddar, Oaxaca, or Monterey Jack are typically used in the preparation of the cheese crisp. There are numerous variations, so the dish can also be topped with a variety of ingredients such as onions, carne asada, cilantro, jalapeños, bell peppers, and shrimp. It is believed that the cheese crisp was popularized by El Charro Café in Tucson.Expand

Peanut butter cookie consists of hand-rolled dough that is then flattened with fork tins, giving the cookies their characteristical waffle pattern. It is believed that the dough is marked to help cookies bake more evenly, but some claim it can also be a warning sign to people with peanut allergies. The dough usually consists of butter, peanut butter, eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and salt. Today, the cookies are so popular that there is even a National Peanut Butter Cookie Day, celebrated on June 12.Expand