South Tucson

It’s no secret that some of the best Mexican restaurants in southern Arizona call South Tucson home. On your way to filling your belly, take the time to look around at what this island within Tucson’s city limits has to offer.

Completely surrounded by the city of Tucson, just about a mile south of downtown, lies a little “pueblo within a city,” South Tucson.

The first thing you’ll notice about South Tucson, which measures about 1.2 square miles, is the vast array of public art – mostly in the form of huge, colorful murals. Many of the murals adorn the walls around the major thoroughfare, South 6th Avenue, and the city’s “restaurant row” on South 4th Avenue. Students and staff from the city’s Las Artes Arts and Education Center created much of the artwork, which also includes masterpieces from internationally renowned artist David Tineo.

When tummies start rumbling, head over to South 4th Avenue, home to some of the area’s most famous and historic Mexican restaurants. It’s worth your time to stroll down the winding street, smelling the incredible aromas wafting from the restaurants. Ornate lampposts, flowering shrubs, tiled murals, and decorative arches add to the cultural ambiance.

The performing arts are well represented here, too. El Casino Ballroom and Latin American Social Club, opened in 1947, has hosted world-renowned performers such as Tito Puente, James Brown, and Fats Domino, and remains a favorite venue for touring musicians and personal milestone events. Ballet Folklorico Tapatio, which performs authentic Mexican dances nationwide and in Mexico, and Dancing in the Streets, a classical dance troupe, call South Tucson home, too.