15 Places to Eat Across Marana

Tag along with local food and lifestyle writer Natalie Moe as she explores restaurants, food trucks and more in Marana!

PicturedNewton Pho
CreditNatalie Moe

Natalie's Picks for Where to Eat in Marana

Over the years, I’ve explored and supported the growing culinary scene in Marana, AZ. As someone who grew up in Southern Marana and graduated from Marana High School, I’ve had the opportunity to experience many of these eateries firsthand.

From comforting breakfast spots and casual street food to upscale date night restaurants and hidden gems, this guide covers 15 of some of the best places to eat in Marana. Whether you're craving a quick bite or a full dining experience, there's something here for everyone.

While this is only a sampling of my favorite spots, I hope you will find this list helpful.

PicturedNatalie enjoys an award-winning margarita at Nana's Kitchen
CreditNatalie Moe/HappilyPink.com

Southern Marana

Boba Cucue

8225 N Courtney Page Way Suite 125, Tucson, AZ 85743

Boba Cucue is Marana’s newest boba shop! Everything about this shop is adorable: the merchandise, cat decor, and even the cat-shaped lids on the cups. Enjoy a variety of milk teas, fresh fruit teas, and sparkling beverages. You can’t go wrong with the Rose Milk Tea (swap the boba for the lychee jellies) or the Galaxy Rainbow Soda.

PicturedRose Milk Tea at Boba Cucue
CreditNatalie Moe

La Carreta del Rorro
5505 W Cortaro Farms Rd., Tucson, AZ 85742

You can find La Carreta del Rorro near I-10 and Cortaro Farms, where Ramon Bringas serves his sought-after Sonoran dogs. Ramon sources the freshest ingredients, from using the best bacon to making his own pinto beans. The pillowy buns are freshly baked by Lona’s, formerly El Triunfo Bakery.

Beyond these details, additional ingredients shine through on these Sonoran dogs: housemade jalapeño sauce, mayo ratio, caramelized onions, raw onions, and beautifully diced tomatoes – I love it all! On top of his iconic Sonoran dogs, he also offers a menu filled with tacos, quesadillas, and burritos.

PicturedRamon Bringas's sought after Sonoran Dog at La Carreta del Rorro
CreditNatalie Moe

Nana’s Kitchen
8225 N Courtney Page Way Suite 129 Suite 129, Tucson, AZ 85743

For more than 15 years, this family-owned restaurant has been serving Mexican cuisine in Marana. The Teran family is recognized for their multi-generational recipes, such as the carne con chile prepared with chile powder sourced from the small Arizona town of Elfrida, and fresh green corn tamales crafted from corn on the cob from Elotes Elfrida in Tucson. The restaurant also specializes in soup; the white menudo with the bolillo bread is my favorite!

From the bar, you can expect superb margaritas, which should be no surprise considering the fact that Nana’s Kitchen is a consecutive, three-time winner of the World’s Best Margarita Championship held in Tucson.

If you prefer something less sweet, Marco Teran’s creative bar program extends to a curated whiskey list and collaborations with local breweries.

Nana’s Kitchen is also a recipient of the ‘Taste of Marana Standout Restaurant Award!’ Read more about their story and achievements here.

PicturedNana's Kitchen
CreditNatalie Moe

Newton Pho
5730 W Cortaro Farms Rd Ste 100, Tucson, AZ 85742

In January 2023, Newton Pho opened its doors to serve its Vietnamese cuisine in Marana. One of its signature menu items is pho, a Vietnamese soup that consists of a beef broth, thin rice noodles, protein, and fresh herbs. From the proteins, meats tend to be most popular, but you can also find a few seafood and chicken options as well.

My current favorite is the #36 Newton Pho Dac Biet because it’s filled with several meats: Vietnamese meatball, beef flank, tendons, trip and eye round rare. As soon as you take a bite of the tendons, they melt like butter.

Pictured#36 Newton Pho Dac Biet
CreditNatalie Moe

Two Hands Corn Dogs
3930 W Ina Rd, Tucson, AZ 85741

As Marana’s newest business, Two Hands Corns Dogs is serving its famous Korean-style corn dogs! Here’s how it works: pick your filling (I recommend the cheese and sausage) and then choose your outer corn dog style. After you select your filling, the stick is freshly spun in batter and then cooked until it reaches a golden crisp. Once finished in the fryer, it’s immediately seasoned and drizzled with the toppings of the specific style.

If you go with another person or two, I recommend ordering the combination of the two drinks (includes slushies), three corn dogs, and kimchi fries or dirty fries. For anyone unsure of what to order, I’d go with the crunchy and spicy Potato, the sweet and savory Injeolmi, and the Classic.

PicturedTwo Hands Corn Dogs
CreditNatalie Moe

Northeast Marana

Cayton’s Restaurant at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain

6501 W Boulder Bridge Pass, Marana, AZ 85658

This clubhouse restaurant offers scenic views of the surrounding Sonoran desert and golf course, which was designed by legendary champion Jack Nicklaus. The sunset views are unobstructed and breathtaking.

As far as the restaurant’s cuisine goes, you can expect rustic menu items– like the steak frites, their signature burger, or short rib melt. Don’t forget to save room for one of the best milkshakes!

While Cayton’s is open to the public, a reservation is required. Please make a reservation here.

PicturedBurger and Fries from Caytons at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain
CreditNatalie Moe

Core Kitchen & Wine Bar
15000 N Secret Springs Dr, Marana, AZ 85658

For a special date night or birthday experience, Core Kitchen & Wine Bar is sure to impress. As you make your way down the lobby’s cavernous hallway, you will soon approach a grand staircase that will lead you down to the restaurant’s warm and inviting interior. To the left, you can watch the orchestration of the chefs in their designated roles. To the right, is a quaint bar where handcrafted libations are prepared by a team of talented mixologists. Straight ahead, is a fireplace that makes quite the statement. On most of the walls, you will find floor-to-ceiling windows that boast views of the Tortolita Mountains that surround the property.

Beyond the elevated aesthetic, chef de cuisine Christian Dyson and his team prepare American fare with a southwest twist. I’d recommend the Avocado Cactus as a starter–an avocado filled with yellowfin tuna tartare that’s in the form of a barrel cactus. You also can’t go wrong with the tableside Mexican street corn bisque or the grass-fed tenderloin. The menu is complemented by an extensive wine list.

Valet is required and may be paid by card. Reservations are strongly encouraged, and they can be booked here.

PicturedCore Kitchen & Wine Bar's Avocado Cactus
CreditNatalie Moe

Dove Mountain Brewing Company
12130 N Dove Mountain Blvd, Marana, AZ 85658

For anyone looking to experience local beers, look no further than Dove Mountain Brewing Company. As soon as you step foot into the brewpub, you can’t help but notice the bustling crowd of happy chatter. The rustic-industrial aesthetics highlight exposed brick walls that are accented with metal and wood details.

When you sit down, you will find that Dove Mountain Brewing Company offers an assortment of 40+ beers on tap that are from Arizona, with a larger focus on the greater Tucson area. This enables you to experience the talents of the various brewmasters that exist in the Grand Canyon State. To go with your pint, consider ordering a bite from their pub-style menu–sandwiches, salads and shareable appetizers.

If you’re looking to take something with you, you can shop their retail shop for local bottled beer and wine. Growlers are also available for purchase.

PicturedDove Mountain Brewing Company
CreditNatalie Moe

The Highlands Bar & Grille
4949 W Heritage Club Blvd, Marana, AZ 85658

I consider The Highlands Bar & Grille to be a bit of a hidden gem to those who don’t live in The Highlands at Dove Mountain community. Considering you have to go through a gate guard to access the clubhouse, most would probably drive past it. But this full-service restaurant and bar is worth the detour for the picturesque views alone.

On the patio, you’re offered panoramic views of the Tucson, Catalina and Tortolita Mountains! As you can imagine, this is especially beautiful at sunset as the restaurant overlooks the city lights of Tucson. And during the day, you can enjoy watching the golfers play on the course.

You can expect an approachable and relaxed menu that is prepared with high-quality ingredients. Something that I like is that they regularly change their specials to offer something different than their regular menu. But from the regular menu, I’d recommend the Superfood Salad with Salmon on the lighter side, and the Lemon Caper Halibut for something heavier. If you’re looking for something more casual, they also offer pizzas, bar bites and a variety of sandwiches.

Reservations aren’t required, but I would recommend them because it is a gated community.

PicturedLemon Caper Halibut from The Highland Bar Grille
CreditNatalie Moe

Vero Amore - Dove Mountain
12130 N Dove Mountain Blvd #104, Marana, AZ 85658

Tucson-native brothers, Aric and Josh Mussman, and their mother, Suzanne Kaiser, opened this second location of Vero Amore with the goal to serve Neapolitan-style pizza in Marana. To achieve their goal, Vero Amore’s pizza is prepared with Italian-imported ingredients and daily house-made mozzarella, then baked in a thousand-degree wood-fired oven.

Beyond their renowned pizza, the 2008 establishment offers Italian-inspired pasta and salads. Some of my favorite dishes include the Prosciutto Caprese, Shrimp Fra-Diavolo, and Toasted Ravioli.

Vero Amore is also a recipient of the ‘Taste of Marana Standout Restaurant Award!’ Read more about their story here.

PicturedNeapolitan-style pizza from Vero Amore
CreditNatalie Moe

Northwest Marana

Al Gusto Coffee Company
Check Weekly Schedule

Al Gusto Coffee Company was a business created out of 2020. During lockdown, Aldo Boccaccio started to share videos of his daily coffee rituals and homemade coffee recipes with his friends and family on his Facebook page. Shortly after he started posting on his Facebook page, he found it took off rather quickly, as his growing followers were invested and interested in his coffee drinks.

This eventually led to the idea of his mobile coffee shop, Al Gusto Coffee Company, so he could share his barista creations with his community. Now, he serves his hot and iced drinks that are made with high-quality premium coffee beans. For those who prefer something less sweet, enjoy the single-origin coffee.

View his weekly schedule in Marana here.

PicturedAl Gusto Coffee Company
CreditNatalie Moe

Bisbee Breakfast Club
13864 N Sandario Rd, Marana, AZ 85653

Bisbee Breakfast Club has been a breakfast favorite for locals and visitors alike! In 2005, the original Bisbee Breakfast Club opened its doors in the small, historical mining town, of Bisbee Arizona. The success led to the opening of restaurants in Tucson and Marana.

House favorites include the Copper Queen Skillet and Miner Burger. Both pair well with their freshly brewed house coffee or the BBC Bloody Mary. My personal favorites are the fluffy blueberry pancakes, or the Wingdinger, which includes hash browns, two eggs, a butter-brushed biscuit and spicy sausage gravy!

Seating is first come, first serve since they do not take reservations.

PicturedBisbee Breakfast Club
CreditNatalie Moe

Dirty Dough (mobile)
Downtown Marana (select days)

Founded in Arizona, Dirty Dough offers a variety of nine cookies, one of which is a weekly rotating flavor. From these indulgent cookies, you can expect a large-portioned cookie that is served warm and stuffed with a different filling. Each cookie is also decorated at the time of order.My favorites are the Raspberry Toaster Tart, a vanilla-icing topped sugar cookie that is oozing with raspberry jam; the Cookies n Creme, an Oreo-loaded vanilla cookie with white chocolate chips and a creme filling; and the classic– The Stuffed Chocolate Chip.

The mobile truck can be found outside of R&R Pizza Express at 13905 N Sandario Rd, Marana, AZ 85653 on select days. You can also visit their brick-and-mortar at 8340 N Thornydale Rd #150, Tucson, AZ 85741 in the Bashas’ shopping center.

PicturedDirty Dough Mobile
CreditNatalie Moe

Snow Mountain Creamery
13905 N Sandario Rd. Marana, Arizona

Snow Mountain Creamery has served Marana its 16 rotating flavors of hand-scooped ice cream for nearly 15 years. Truthfully, I grew up eating at R&R Pizza Express when I was in high school, but I had no idea they added the Snow Mountain Creamery, even after making multiple visits throughout the years!

In addition to the 16 rotating flavors of Blue Bell Ice Cream, you can also expect milkshakes, banana splits and sundaes. This is the perfect way to end your meal after grabbing a bite from R&R Pizza Express or Taqueria Plaza’s

PicturedSnow Mountain Creamery
CreditNatalie Moe

Taqueria Plaza’s
13865 N. Sandario Rd. Marana, AZ 85653

For 12 years, Taqueria Plaza has been a beloved food truck serving the Marana area. They now have a permanent space with indoor seating, next to Main Street Grocery. The service is quick, and the food is outstanding. On one of my first visits, I initially bought one carne asada taco and I loved it so much that I went back to order three more things.

I loved the carne asada because the meat was high-quality and flavorful. The taco’s minimal toppings of cabbage and pico del gallo allow you to fully appreciate the meat. The pollo asado was also quite juicy and flavorful. In addition to the double-tortilla tacos, you can find burritos, tortas, Sonoran dogs and more. I would recommend any of the tacos and the Sonoran dog.

PicturedTaqueria Plazas
CreditNatalie Moe

This itinerary/blog post showcases local businesses in our community. We feature partners that serve food and drink, offer recreational opportunities, places to stay, and shopping. We value accuracy, fairness and balance in our advertising and marketing. We would love to showcase your business to our visitors. These advertising and marketing opportunities (social media, articles, website, and ads) are open to all businesses within Marana and the designated two-mile “Pima County Tourism Partner Zone” around the town limits that meet this criteria. If you want to be featured on our website or in social media, please contact us at MaranaInfo@Maranaaz.gov.

Natalie Moe

Author

Natalie Moe

HappilyPink.com

Natalie J. Moe is the founder and creative force behind the food and travel blog, Happily Pink. What began as a simple passion project to share her travels and experiences has blossomed into a multifaceted career, encompassing creative writing, food photography, food styling and recipe creation. When not working on Happily Pink or supporting the restaurant industry, this Tucson-native and Wildcat alumna enjoys running outside in the Sonoran sun, attending the symphony, and cherishing quality time with her supportive husband, Alex, and her beloved cats, Gigi and Jean-Pierre. Visit HappilyPink.com for more of her adventures.
Visit Website