Sonoran Restaurant Week is back! Expect lots of deals and delicious meals during this 10-day foodie experience

Tucson diners will have 10 days to explore restaurants across the city and surrounding communities during Sonoran Restaurant Week, returning September 4 through September 13. More than 120 restaurants are expected to participate, giving residents options for affordable breakfasts, lunches, brunches and dinners from downtown to the foothills, Oro Valley, Marana, Mount Lemmon and the Sonoita area. The event offers a practical way to try a new neighborhood restaurant, revisit a local favorite or plan a special meal without paying full menu prices.

Produced by Tucson Foodie, the event features prix fixe menus priced at $15, $25, $35, $45 or $55 per person. Each participating restaurant creates a set meal at one or more of those price points, with the food costing at least 20 percent less than the same courses would normally cost. Tax, tip, drinks and items ordered from the regular menu are not included. Diners do not need a pass, coupon or promotional code. They can simply ask for the Restaurant Week menu after being seated, although some restaurants may offer their menus only on particular days or during specific meal periods.

The range of offerings stretches from casual, budget-friendly meals to elaborate multi-course dinners. Real Good Brunch, for example, plans a $15 option featuring a chori-papa burrito and its Hint of Mint classic lemonade. At the other end, BATA will serve a $55 four-course dinner with dishes including tartlet and malawach with labne, roasted summer vegetables with mole, a choice of roasted pork or mushroom with chili soubise, and fermented cherry bomb sorbet. The event’s selections include everything from Sonoran dogs to beef short ribs, making it possible to build a schedule around familiar comfort food, regional flavors or an entirely new cuisine.

Several restaurants that opened in Tucson this year are joining the event, adding an opportunity to see what newcomers are bringing to the local dining scene. NEX, on Fourth Avenue, is led by chef Mateo Cancio and combines Sonoran influences, seasonal cooking and a cocktail program that includes both zero-proof and spirit-based drinks. Its three-course menu includes sun-roasted carrots with crispy onions, goat cheese, salsa macha, yogurt and herbs; squash mole fettuccine made with white Sonoran wheat and Parmigiano-Reggiano; and chocolate cake with orange drizzle.

Also on Fourth Avenue, 1989 Bake House has developed a following for New York style cookies and fudgy brownies while combining Mexican and Sonoran flavors with European pastry techniques. Its Restaurant Week offerings include a 24-ounce latte or matcha paired with a choice of Mexican sprinkle cookie or Mexican hot chocolate cookie, as well as cajeta pancakes finished with cajeta and sea salt. Holy Focaccia, another recent addition to the downtown scene, serves wood-fired focaccia and scratch-made food from owners Rachael Colasanto and Zakaria Boucetta. Its prix fixe menu had not been posted when the information was published, so diners will need to check for the finalized offering.

The full roster reaches well beyond the city center. Downtown participants include BOCA by chef Maria Mazon, BATA, CORBETT’S, CRUDA Mariscos & Oyster Bar, La Chingada Cocina Mexicana, Penca, The Coronet, Ursa, Charro Steak & del Rey and Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink. Midtown choices include Feast, Locale Neighborhood Italian Restaurant, Kon Tiki Restaurant & Lounge, Kintoki Sushi House & Bar and Miramonte. In the foothills, diners can look for Flying V, Contigo Latin Kitchen, Fiamme Pizza Napoletana, Reforma Modern Mexican and Wild Garlic Grill. Other listed options include Kneller’s Delicatessen & Appetizing, Postino, Arizona Inn, Mojo Cuban Kitchen and Rum Bar, Sonoran House Sam Hughes, Tanque Verde Ranch, La Olla Mexican Cafe and Nana’s Kitchen in Marana.

Some participating restaurants have already posted menus, while others are still finalizing their plans. Sawmill Run Restaurant on Mount Lemmon has a $45 menu available, and menus are also listed for Kneller’s at $25, Postino in a $25 to $35 range and Flying V at $55. The event also extends into southern Arizona wine country, with Rune Wines in Elgin and Sonoita among the participating locations. Because new restaurants and menus may continue to be added before September, organizers recommend checking the official website rather than relying on an early list.

Restaurant Week will include special dinners separate from the standard prix fixe menus. The schedule begins with Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine on September 4 and continues with Penca on September 5. On September 6, Flying V at Loews Ventana Canyon will host a brunch takeover from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a whole hog barbecue dinner at Bashful Bandit BBQ at 6:30 p.m. Sunshine Wine will host a dinner with Queen of Cups Wines on September 8, BOCA by chef Maria Mazon follows September 9, and Bacio Italiano will team with Vertigo Wines on September 10. Cielos is scheduled for September 11, Nana’s Kitchen will host a dinner with Rombauer Vineyards on September 12, and Wild Garlic Grill closes the series September 13. Several of these events have limited seating and require reservations or tickets. The broader event will also launch with a kickoff party at The Treasury 1929.

With more than 120 restaurants involved and both weekends included, reservations may be useful, particularly for popular dining rooms and special events. Diners can search the Sonoran Restaurant Week website by neighborhood, cuisine, price point, meal and dietary need, then save favorites to a personalized schedule. The event is presented with support from Visit Tucson, The Treasury 1929, Don Julio and Rombauer Vineyards, among other sponsors. Restaurants that want to participate can apply through the same website, while diners should continue checking back as menus and additional restaurants are posted.