Tucson food guide: Fourth Avenue, downtown and Mercado San Agustin

Tucson is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and two other guides cover why that matters and where to find the city's Mexican food. This one is about getting around: a stretch from the University of Arizona through Fourth Avenue to downtown that you can cover by streetcar and on foot, with a market, a public plaza and a long list of places to sit down. Hours and market days change, so check before you go.

What is Fourth Avenue?

Fourth Avenue is a long, low-rise street of old storefronts that runs north-south between downtown and the university area. It has many shops, along with cafes, restaurants and bars. It is the city's alternative district, with vintage stores, bookshops and music venues, and the food matches: vegetarian restaurants, coffee houses, pizza by the slice, sandwiches, burgers and ice cream. The street holds fairs in spring and winter that bring large crowds and street food. Check the event dates and plan for closures.

What is Mercado San Agustin?

Mercado San Agustin is a public market with a courtyard, a bakery, a coffee roaster, a taqueria and other small food and shopping businesses, and hours vary by business. It sits right on the Sun Link streetcar route, so you can ride from the university to the Mercado without a car. Check each outlet's hours, since they differ.

When are the farmers markets?

A Santa Cruz River Farmers Market meets at the Mercado, and the Heirloom Farmers Market at Rillito Park is a big Sunday market. Days, seasons, hours and locations change, so check the markets' own pages. Go early on Sunday for the best selection, and look for Sonoran heritage ingredients such as tepary beans, mesquite flour and local chiles.

How does the streetcar help?

The Sun Link streetcar runs between the university area, Fourth Avenue, downtown and the Mercado. It is a convenient way to avoid parking, especially on weekend nights and event days. Check the service hours and fares on the operator's page, since service patterns change. Stops are within a few blocks of most restaurants in the corridor.

What should you eat?

• Sonoran hot dogs, wrapped in bacon, topped with beans, onion, tomato and sauces, described in another guide.
• Tacos, burritos and tamales from the many Mexican kitchens.
• Prickly pear and mesquite desserts and drinks.
• Pastries and breads from the Mercado bakery.
• Cold brew and coffee drinks at the roasters.
• Craft beer from the local breweries along the route.

How do you eat near the university?

The university area has inexpensive pizza, sandwiches, burgers and cafes aimed at students, and menus are open late. Game days and graduation weekends crowd everything, and the first weeks of each semester are busy. For a quieter meal, go during summer or spring break, or walk toward downtown.

When is it too hot?

Summer afternoons are very hot, often above a hundred degrees. Eat outdoors in the morning or after sunset, and use shaded patios. The streetcar is air-conditioned. Winter and spring are mild and pleasant, which is why they are the busiest seasons for outdoor events.

What about dietary needs?

Fourth Avenue has long been friendly to vegetarians and vegans, and many menus mark gluten-free dishes. In Mexican kitchens, lard and meat stock are common in beans and rice, so ask if you do not eat meat.

What about prices and tipping?

Tucson is generally less expensive than Phoenix or Scottsdale. Arizona adds a transaction privilege tax to restaurant meals, so the check is higher than the menu price. A tip of 18 to 20 percent is customary at table service, and counters often have a tip jar.

How do you plan an evening on foot?

Start at Fourth Avenue for an early dinner, walk or ride the streetcar downtown for a drink or a show, and finish at the Mercado or a late cafe. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water. On festival weekends, expect closed streets and large crowds, and consider parking at the edge of the district and riding in. Weekday evenings are calm and the restaurants are easy to enter.

What should you know about the weather?

Tucson has two rainy seasons, a monsoon in summer and a gentler one in winter. Summer storms can be sudden and strong, with flooding on roads, so avoid driving through running water. Winter nights can be cold, especially after sunset. Dress in layers and check the forecast before an outdoor meal.

How do you remember what you tried?

A day riding the streetcar from market to street to plaza can be a blur of flavors. Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. A rating for each hot dog and each pastry helps you pick where to start next time.

Eating your way across Arizona? The Food in Arizona page links every town we cover.

More guides to read next:

• Tucson, UNESCO City of Gastronomy: what to eat and why it counts
• Tucson's 23 Miles of Mexican Food: Barrio Viejo and South Tucson guide

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.