by Debra A. Perry
We hear that oh so often! Well, if you live in Corona de Tucson (CdT), you are in luck! We have 4.03 eating establishments that you can choose from: Argenziano’s, Road Runner Grill, Charquitas, and Tay’s Brew House!
Argenziano’s is a family owned and operated business that first opened in Corona de Tucson on April 10, 2003 … and yes, “the food is to die for!” Ray and Debbie Argenziano had previously operated a pizza joint in Tucson for 20 years before coming out to CdT. For the first 13 years, Argenziano’s in Corona de Tucson was a rock-solid Italian restaurant offering lunch and dinner.
But, in the last couple of years when son Dominick and daughter-in-law Annie took over, they have jazzed up the menu to offer new seasonal and specialized items to present to customers. Italian food is still the main feature of the menu, along with the local favorites of Chicken Parmesan and Seafood Soup. Recently, a friend of mine and her husband had the Prime Rib Special and declared it the best prime rib she had ever had! And, we can find it right in our back yard! Dominick and Annie have been updating the place as of late, to include new sound clouds to quiet the noise, new bar, new flooring, and soon we will see new tables and a waiting area. Argenziano’s employs an average of 24 employees, and is one of the largest employers, if not the largest employer in CdT. They have regulars who travel as far away as Oro Valley and Benson. Should one get thirsty, Argenziano’s is the only eating establishment in town to offer a full-service bar, with an assortment of basic cocktails, beer and wine. And, yes, they are popular and well worth the wait, if any!
Mike Jaber is the new owner/operator of Road Runner Market and Grill, taking ownership in 2013. Road Runner Grill got a complete makeover at the end of 2013 and opened its grill up again in January 2014. Everything was remodeled with a new prep bar, and the menu was updated as well. One of the nice things about the Road Runner Grill is that is has such flexible and amenable hours, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and they deliver in CdT beginning at 3 PM! Not to mention, they open relatively early, and close relatively late. They offer a robust menu of splendid breakfast burritos, a large assortment of hot and cold sandwiches, and awesome pizza! There are a few tables to sit at if you need to pull up a table. And, because the market is co-located, you can get practically anything to drink in the refrigerated cases, to include milk, sodas, beer, and wine to go with your order.
Charquitas is CdT’s newest eating establishment. Located next door to Ace Hardware, Charquitas is a food truck/trailer offering a wide range of Mexican food dishes. Carlos Bustos brought the food truck to Corona de Tucson in September 2017. Since then, business has been booming. It’s always getting positive reviews on the Corona Facebook Forum! Their most popular item is the Super Fries … of which Ace employee Aubrie Nix says, “They are the best things ever!” Charquitas regularly employs two employees per shift, and food is cooked fresh on site. If you prefer to sit down while you eat, Ace has opened a brick and mortar side room for customers to go in and take a seat. Charquitas has a soft opening of 10 AM and close nightly around 8 PM.
From early morning to midday, we have Tay’s Brew House! Tay’s opened its doors on August 11, 2017 right next door to Danzone here in CdT. The owner, Natasha Herzig, says they are a law enforcement family, which is fitting since Tay’s Brew House is pro-military, pro-law enforcement, and pro-first responder and pro-customer! They currently have three employees. They have extremely flexible hours, opening as early as 5 AM during the weekdays, and 7 AM on the weekends. Their most popular coffee products are their mocha’s and macchiato’s, but since we are now in the fall season, they are featuring pumpkin spice coffee creations. In addition to be a coffeehouse, Tay’s Brew House offers Blue Bell ice creams and as well as pastries, which is a nice addition to be able to purchase in Corona de Tucson! Natasha says opening Tay’s Brew House was her way of giving back to the community. And, on the horizon, she will be opening a new BBQ restaurant right next to Tay’s! It’s scheduled to open around the beginning of the New Year – how exciting!
Finally, so what’s that .03 of a restaurant also located in CdT? It’s the food truck roundup at Danzone on the second Monday of every month! Jay Janicek brings the food trucks out to Corona de Tucson, so we can have a variety of food options to choose from. So, next time your kid asks you, “Ma, what is there to eat?” In CdT … now you know!
