Culinary Dropout
Cool, British-style gastropub chain with quirky decor, serving inventive cocktails & comfort food.
About Culinary Dropout
Culinary Dropout is a British-style gastropub in Tucson, part of a restaurant chain with locations in several American cities. The Tucson location is at the Grant Road Lumber Yard, where the menu combines American comfort food with inventive cocktails in a setting known for quirky decor. It is listed locally in the fine dining category and offers several ways to enjoy the restaurant, including dining in, ordering online, making reservations, arranging catering, or planning a group gathering.
The menu covers a broad range of dishes, beginning with antipasti such as grilled asparagus, marinated olives, Marcona almonds, house smoked salmon dip, pimento cheese, and a chef-selected board of thinly sliced meats, cheeses, and snacks. Starters include soft pretzels with provolone fondue, spicy tuna crispy rice, barbecue pork belly nachos, Wagyu pigs in a blanket, crispy Brussels sprouts, white truffle deviled eggs, bacon wrapped shrimp, hot wings, and the house potato chips served with onion dip. These offerings reflect Culinary Dropout's balance of familiar pub fare and more elaborate combinations.
Salads, sandwiches, and entrees give the menu plenty of room to move from lighter dishes to substantial plates. Salads include a classic Caesar, Shrimp and Avocado Louie, Strawberry and Spinach, Chopped Chicken, and Asian Crunch. Sandwiches range from turkey pastrami on a pretzel roll to a shaved prime rib dip, the M.A.C. Burger, the Pub Burger, and crispy chicken katsu. Entrees include 36-hour pork ribs, fried chicken with a buttermilk biscuit and gravy, meatloaf, Mongolian short rib, steak frites, beer battered fish and chips, roasted salmon, and a spicy vegan curry made with vegetables, black rice, and shiitake mushrooms.
The cocktail program is a significant part of the experience, with drinks such as the Giddy Up Espresso Martini, Endless Summer Margarita, Paloma Spritz, Old Fashioned American Spirit, Tijuana Spa Water, and Dropout Classic Mule. The menu also includes wine, draught beer, canned and packaged selections, shots, and a nonalcoholic section called Minimal Consequences. That section features drinks such as a Juicy Watermelon Spritz, Sicilian Lemonade Stand, Society Crush, and Vida Verdita. Weekend brunch adds another dining option, while happy hour provides a separate menu. Dessert and kids menus are also available, along with catering and matchday favorites.
Culinary Dropout Tucson also presents live music, including a Saturday Soundcheck offering, giving the restaurant a role beyond the dining room. Group dining is available for gatherings, and catering orders should be placed at least 24 hours in advance. Guests can use self-parking, with complimentary valet service offered on select nights. Reservations can be started by selecting the Tucson location through the restaurant's website, and the site also provides online ordering and catering options. In Tucson, Culinary Dropout brings its combination of comfort food, cocktails, live music, and distinctive gastropub styling to the Grant Road Lumber Yard.