Discover Award-Winning Margaritas in Marana

Every year, the Southern Arizona Arts & Culture Alliance, in partnership with Tucson Originals Restaurants, puts on the World Margarita Championship. This event brings together mixologists and chefs from around the region, who compete to create the best signature margarita or the best bite.

PicturedMarco Teran serves up a specialty margarita at the bar inside Nana's Kitchen. They are also well known of their selection of bourbon and other spirits.

CreditNatalie Moe/HappilyPink.com

In 2024, three Marana restaurants participated in the competition, with Bisbee Breakfast Club, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, and Nana’s Kitchen vying for the title of Best Signature Margarita.

Nana's Kitchen

2024 People's Choice Winner - Signature Margarita

2024 Judge's Choice Runner-Up - Signature Margarita

Nana’s Kitchen is known for its authentic Sonoran-style Mexican dishes, extensive selection of hard-to-find spirits, and atmosphere that makes you feel like family.

Their award-winning margaritas are always a highlight! Nana’s Kitchen won first overall in the People’s and Judge’s Choice at the 2022 and 2023 World Margarita Championships with their Mango Tamarindo and Sonoran Passion margaritas, respectively.

At the 2024 World Margarita Championship, their “Marco’s Secret” Agua Fresca Margarita won First Overall in the People’s Choice category, and runner-up in the Judge’s Choice category!

The margaritas are created and perfected by Marco Teran, who co-owns and co-founded the restaurant with his brother, Javier, and mom, Maria. Learn more about the restaurant's origins here!

PicturedTacos, enchiladas and local brews are among the specialties at Nana's Kitchen.

CreditNatalie Moe/HappilyPink.com

The Marco's Secret Margarita

The Marco’s Secret margarita was inspired by an Agua Fresca, a refreshing, sweet drink that is a summertime staple across the Southwest and all over Latin America.

Agua Frescas were Marco’s favorite drink from his childhood, and he wanted to recreate that refreshing and unique taste in a margarita where you couldn’t taste the alcohol, and only taste the refreshing fruit.

The margarita is made with watermelon, cucumber, lime, and habanero, and is rimmed with mint, Tajin, and other spices. Marco says that the flavor of the pepper enhances the fruit flavors. The margarita was being tweaked and refined all the way up to the competition, which paid off come competition time! The margarita gives a similar taste to a Mexican-style gummy candy coated in chamoy and chili lime salt.

You can try the Marco’s Secret Agua Fresca Margarita this summer at Nana’s Kitchen, in addition to their Sonoran-style Mexican dishes. Right now, you can get $5 off the margarita!

In 2023, Nana’s Kitchen won the very first Taste of Marana STANDOUT Award, recognizing their success at the World Margarita Championship. Read more about it here!

CreditNana's Kitchen

Bisbee Breakfast Club

2024 Judge’s Choice Winner – Signature Margarita

Bisbee Breakfast Club is one of Southern Arizona’s go-to places to start the day, with breakfast, brunch, and lunch classics, South of the Border offerings, and their takes on morning cocktails.

They have been a participant at the World Margarita Championship for many years, and this year, won First Overall in the Judge’s Choice category with their “Desert Refresher” Cucumber Lemonade Margarita!

CreditBisbee Breakfast Club

Desert Refresher Margarita

The Desert Refresher blends the flavors of lemonade, cucumber water, and a margarita, three refreshing summertime drinks, into one. The margarita is made with tequila, triple sec, fresh-squeezed lemonade, house-made cucumber syrup, and is garnished with a Tajin rim and a cucumber slice. It’s great with a meal after a hike, round of golf, or birding expedition.

CreditTodd & Erika Button

You can try the Desert Refresher Margarita at either of Bisbee Breakfast Club’s locations in Marana, on Ina Road or in Downtown Marana, or at any of their other locations throughout Southern Arizona! Bisbee Breakfast Club is open until 2:05 PM every day, and you can come in all the way to 2:05 and still be served.

CreditBisbee Breakfast Club

Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice was a new participant at the World Margarita Championship this year! They are known for their delicious Italian Ice treats, ice cream, and gelatis (a mix of ice cream and Italian Ice), in many flavors, perfect to cool off with on a hot summer day.

Several of their flavors pair well with tequila to create a delicious frozen margarita taste, as if you were sitting on a tropical beach. They served their mango, mango strawberry, and watermelon flavors of Italian Ice at the World Margarita Championship, and there was a tequila sponsor so that attendees could add tequila to their desired taste.

You can stop by Jeremiah’s in Marana at Twin Peaks Rd. & Silverbell Rd. for a refreshing frozen treat in 23 different flavors, and what you do with it afterwards is up to you! They even have a Piña Colada flavor for rum-lovers out there. To be clear, none of Jeremiah’s drinks come with alcohol in them, that part is on your own.

PicturedA gelati from Jeremiah's Italian Ice makes a great summer treat, with or without alcohol!

CreditJeremiah's Italian Ice

Also, be sure to check out these other places to enjoy a refreshing margarita in Marana, and stay tuned, you might even see them participating in the World Margarita Championship in the future!

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.