Miramonte
If you're looking for a place in Midtown that feels a little like stepping into a stylish 1960s cocktail party, Miramonte is your spot. Opened in fall 2024 at 3352 E. Speedway Blvd., this modern American restaurant comes from the team behind Contigo Latin Kitchen and Locale — so they know what they're doing. Co-founder Deborah Tenino wanted a place that could be everything to everyone in Midtown's diverse neighborhood, from a casual burger night to a more elevated dinner out, and the menu pretty much delivers on that promise.
The food leans into elevated comfort classics — think brick chicken with perfectly crispy skin, a beurre blanc-dressed grilled fish, and a really fun Asian-inspired steak and noodle salad with glass noodles that you won't find many places around town. For starters, grilled artichokes, house-made onion dip, and fresh-baked cornbread set the tone nicely. Seafood lovers can go deep with oysters, scallops, shrimp, and even California white sturgeon caviar. Save room for Marianne's Key Lime Pie — the house signature dessert.
The space itself is gorgeous, with a long teak bar as the centerpiece, wooden booths, marble tables, a floor-to-ceiling fireplace, and views of the Catalinas. Five martini variations on the menu fit perfectly with the Mad Men vibe. Night owls will appreciate the late-night menu starting at 9 p.m., with bites like shrimp cocktail and a classic cheeseburger.
Uptown Burger
Don't let the word "burger" fool you into thinking this is just another fast-casual joint. Uptown Burger, tucked into a Foothills shopping center at 6370 N. Campbell Ave., is the brainchild of Daniel Scordato — the same guy behind the fine-dining institution Vivace just up the road. The result is a gourmet burger experience with a focused, no-nonsense menu and some seriously premium ingredients.
The beef is Piedmontese — a leaner, extra-tender Italian breed that regulars rave about — and it's cooked to order. The Sonoran Burger is a fan favorite, piled high with roasted poblano, Oaxaca cheese, jalapeño cream, grilled corn, Cholula relish, and avocado on a brioche bun. If you're skipping beef, the Nashville Chicken sandwich (crispy chicken, coleslaw, pickles, Nashville glaze, and Münster cheese) gets equally enthusiastic reviews. Sweet potato fries are consistently praised, and the soft-serve gelato makes for a simple but satisfying finish. Drinks include craft beer, wine, alcohol-infused milkshakes, and fresh lemonade.
Bashful Bandit Barbecue
Old-school Tucsonans will remember the Bashful Bandit as a legendary dive bar and biker hangout on Speedway. When it closed in 2021 after four decades, folks wondered what would come next. The answer turned out to be pretty great: Tucson native Toby Kyte transformed the beloved space into a Central Texas–inspired BBQ joint with a strong Sonoran soul, and it's been drawing crowds since opening in December 2023.
The vibe is pure backyard party — you'll smell the smokers before you even park the car, and you can watch the pit crew at work as you walk in. It's counter-service style, which keeps things relaxed and unpretentious. Brisket is the cornerstone (Kyte learned Texas barbecue in Texas, and it shows), but the mole-espresso–basted chicken and the house-made Chile Relleno Sausage — stuffed with poblano and Oaxaca cheese — are can't-miss items. Sides like borracho beans (simmered in beer with chopped brisket) and smoked jackfruit round things out, along with local draft beers and Maya Tea's prickly pear and black teas. The outdoor patio is one of the nicest within shouting distance of Speedway and Dodge.
Biergarten Tucson
Tucson doesn't have a lot of traditional German restaurants, which makes Biergarten Tucson a genuinely exciting addition to the scene. Married couple Silke and Andre Linke moved from Neu-Ulm, Germany — sold their house and everything — to open this place at 2320 N. Silverbell Rd. on the west side. That's the kind of commitment that tends to make for a passion project worth trying.
Silke comes from a deep hospitality background. Andre spent years in the German film industry but always had cooking in his blood. Together, they set out to bring authentic German flavors to Tucson — and they're not watering it down for American palates. The menu is deliberately traditional: schnitzel, spaetzle (described charmingly by Andre as "kinda noodles, but the German version"), and hearty, unfamiliar dishes you won't find at most Tucson restaurants. The expected crowd-pleaser is the Jägerschnitzel — hunter's schnitzel topped with mushroom gravy and spaetzle. Plates run $25–$35, a gluten-free menu is available, though vegan diners may find slim pickings. Beer, naturally, is a focal point.
The space seats nearly 90 between the dining room, bar, and a sunny outdoor patio designed to capture that classic Biergarten social energy. Hours run 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 p.m. on weekends.
Seafood lovers can go deep with oysters, scallops, shrimp, and even California white sturgeon caviar at Miramonte.
Uptown Burger's Sonoran Burger is a fan favorite, piled high with roasted poblano, Oaxaca cheese, jalapeño cream, grilled corn, Cholula relish, and avocado on a brioche bun.