Wikipedia

El Charro Café

El Charro Café is a historic three-location Mexican restaurant based in Tucson, Arizona. It has been owned by the Flores family since its establishment in 1922, making it the oldest Mexican restaurant owned by the same family in the United States. It is also one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the United States.[2][3] A charro is a type of Mexican horseman.[4]

El Charro Café
The original restaurant in 2007
El Charro Café is located in Arizona
El Charro Café
Location within Arizona
El Charro Café is located in the United States
El Charro Café
El Charro Café (the United States)
Restaurant information
Established1922
Owner(s)Carlotta Flores[1]
Street address311 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
Coordinates32°13′33″N 110°58′28″W / 32.2257°N 110.9745°W / 32.2257; -110.9745
Websitewww.elcharrocafe.com

History

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The restaurant was established in September 1922 by Monica Flin, one of Tucson's first businesswomen and the oldest of eight children.[5] Her parents immigrated to Tucson from France in the 1880s, and Monica's father, Jules Flin, helped build the Cathedral of Saint Augustine in the city.[6][7] Coming back from Mexico after her second husband died, Monica acted as the restaurant's hostess, waitress, and chef simultaneously to operate the one-room restaurant, with some financial assistance from her sister.[8] In first months of the restaurant, Flin had to frequently persuade the neighbor, a Chinese grocer, for provisions, make the food, have the customer pay, and then pay the grocer back for the materials.[9] The restaurant moved from its original Fourth Avenue location to the Temple of Art and Music, where the Arizona Theatre Company currently stands, and then moved to a more popular site on Broadway.[10]

Flin is credited as a possible inventor of the chimichanga in the late 1940s or early 1950s, after accidentally dropping a burrito into a deep fryer. She nearly said a curse that began with "chi", but as there were children around, she quickly changed it to chimichanga, Spanish for thingamajig.[11] In 1968, Flin relocated the restaurant to a house she inherited from her parents on Court Street, which is now a part of the El Presidio Historic District,[9][12][13] as it had to make way for urban development projects like the Tucson Convention Center.[4]

In 1972, Flin became very sick and appointed her sister, Zarina Dunn, and her brother-in-law to maintain the restaurant. They had just retired, however, and did not want to handle the restaurant. The couple's daughter (Monica's niece), Carlotta Flores, returned to Tucson from California a few years later to care for the restaurant.[5][4][9][13][10][14] Flin died in 1975, from complications from multiple falls.[15]

Flores was listed on the Forbes 50 Women Over 50 list in 2021.[1][16][17] An episode of Top Chef: Houston was filmed at the restaurant in 2022.[18][19]

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Menu items were inspired by Sonoroan and Tucson-style Mexican food. This includes Arizona cheese crisps, quesadillas, chimichangas, queso flameado, shrimp ceviche, stuffed mushrooms, quesabirria, nachos, fajitas, enchiladas, tamales, (including ones made out of hemp[20]) chile rellenos, tacos, burritos, and a burger. Soups include meatball soup, pozole, caldo de queso, and tortilla soup. Alcoholic drinks are also offered. As for desserts, the restaurant serves flan, fried ice cream, sopaipilla and churros with chocolate, tres leches cake, and Café de olla. The restaurant's signature dishes are its chimichangas and carne seca.[8][21] The carne seca's beef is sun-dried in a cage on the downtown location's roof.[22][23]

Many of the restaurant's menu items are sold on Goldbelly.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Carlotta Flores". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Kozolchyk, Abbie (January 2, 2022). "Is Tucson the best city for Mexican food in the US?". National Geographic. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Welsch, Michelle (July 5, 2022). "What Makes El Charro Café So Special". Tasting Table. Archived from the original on March 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Burch, Cathalena E. (September 14, 2022). "Tucson's El Charro marks 100 years, but nearly closed the doors at 50". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Pangburn, Joe (September 14, 2007). "El Charro celebrates 85 years of family and community". Inside Tucson Business. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  6. ^ Jarolim, Edie (March 26, 2015). "A Food & Family Force". BizTucson. Archived from the original on August 10, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  7. ^ Wright, Alexis (August 6, 2015). "El Charro Café boasts historic presence". Arizona Daily Wildcat. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "Official website". Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Whitton, Christine. "The History of El Charro Café". AZ Foothills Magazine. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Connelly, Rita (June 22, 2022). "100 years later, El Charro Café shows no signs of slowing down". Tucson Foodie. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Lacey, Marc (November 16, 2011). "Arizonans Vie to Claim Cross-Cultural Fried Food". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Burch, Cathalena E. (September 17, 2022). "El Charro is celebrating its 100th birthday! Here's how it all started". This is Tucson. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Monica Flin (b. 1887, d. 1972)". Arizona Womens Heritage Trail. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  14. ^ Covington, Linnea (August 23, 2022). "Carlotta Flores of El Charro Café in Tucson, Ariz., possible birthplace of the chimichanga, prepares for the next generation". Restaurant Hospitality. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Wiley, Rick (September 12, 2022). "Photos: Historic, family-owned El Charro Café in Tucson". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "El Charro Cafe owner named on Forbes 50 over 50 list for 2021". KGUN 9 Tucson. August 17, 2021. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Sterner, Matt (August 18, 2021). "Chef Carlotta Flores of El Charro Café joins 'Forbes 2021 Woman, 50 over 50' list". Tucson Foodie. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  18. ^ Sterner, Matt (May 20, 2022). "From Houston to Tucson: 'Top Chef' pays a visit to the city & El Charro Café". Tucson Foodie. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  19. ^ "Tucson's beloved El Charro Café to be featured on Top Chef: Houston". KVOA. May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  20. ^ Burch, Cathalena E. (July 19, 2018). "Tucson's El Charro has high hopes for its new hemp tamales". Arizona Daily Star. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  21. ^ Tran, Jackie (April 12, 2019). "Your Guide to 31 of Tucson's Most Iconic Dishes". Tucson Foodie. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  22. ^ "Best Signature Dish 2019 - Carne Seca at El Charro". Tucson Weekly. October 24, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  23. ^ Krusmark, Sofia (August 11, 2021). "Best Mexican food in Tucson? Here are 8 contenders and the top things to order when you go". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
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