Enjoying a Taste of Tucson at SAVOR Culinary Festival

When Henk and I decided to visit Tucson, Arizona this winter, it was primarily for its dark desert skies and the opportunity to visit some of the area’s many astronomical observatories. What we soon realized was that our January visit also happened to coincide perfectly with the city’s premier food and wine event: the SAVOR Culinary Festival, a food festival/fundraising event that takes place at Tucson’s Botanical Gardens every year. So of course, we put this item on our list of must-do’s while in the city, and would recommend that anyone visiting the city in January should do the same. Here’s why.

A UNESCO-designated City of Gastronomy

Tucson was the first U.S. city to be named a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO in 2015, and is still only one of two cities in the United States with that honour (the other being San Antonio, Texas). Part of the reason for this is that the food offerings in this southern Arizona city are rooted in centuries-old cultural traditions and influences from Native American, European and Mexican peoples. Firstly there are the Indigenous foods that have been wild-harvested and cultivated here for thousands of years, augmented with the introduction of new plants and animals brought here by the Spanish centuries ago, and finally the more recent additions of a diverse range of spices from not just the Mexican table but also new immigrant communities who have made Tucson their home.

The result? A dynamic, diverse range of culinary options where food-lovers are sure to find something that inspires or intrigues them. Sometimes it’s a unique dish that can only be found in Tucson, like the Topopo salad which is interpreted differently by every Mexican chef or home cook and whose origin is still up for debate.

Or it might be a fusion of exotic street food with American brunch staples, like the ‘bubble waffle’ Henk and I discovered at Teaspoon, whose owner brings a little of her own Asian heritage to the breakfast plate.

Regardless of whether you are a visitor to Tucson experiencing the city’s food scene for the first time, or you are a local who is always on the lookout for the next new thing, there’s no better way to sample this city’s cornucopia of flavours than at the SAVOR Culinary Festival.

SAVOR Culinary Festival

Run by the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, SAVOR doubles as both a sip-and-sample food and wine festival for the public, AND a fundraising event for the organization. Partnering with them is Tucson Botanical Gardens, which has been the venue for this Festival for the past 11 years, as well as one of its beneficiaries. The marriage is a perfect one, because the Gardens provide a scenic backdrop for visitors to enjoy while nibbling and noshing on appetizer-sized plates presented by some of the region’s most respected chefs, restaurants and beverage providers. It’s well worth paying the extra for the VIP ticket, as well, since this gives visitors earlier admission than the general tickets, and a few signature perks, including a welcome cocktail, and a SAVOR wine glass on a lanyard. (FYI, this lanyard is a brilliant way to hold your glass while freeing up your hands to better sample those little plates of goodies. I think every cocktail party should have the same thing!)

Navigating the Festival

There’s really no right or wrong way to make your way through the grounds of the SAVOR Culinary Festival. Whether you choose to systematically hit every booth or sampling station in a linear path, or hop around the garden following your nose, maybe even re-visiting a station that you loved for a second time (shhh don’t tell anyone!), you are the boss of you here.

Want to sample some wine, cider or hard iced tea between bites or pair with specific dishes? Go for it. Want to group your culinary sampling by sweet following savory or vice versa? Go right ahead. Have dessert first if you want to. After all, you’re a grownup, and this event is definitely only for those over drinking age, so you can make up your own rules. With more than 60 stations serving up everything from chocolate chip cookies to tex-mex BBQ ribs with mac ‘n’ cheese, you can decide how to enjoy your own ‘menu’, discovering new chefs or beverage providers along the way.

SAVOR proved to be an educational experience for Henk and I, too: for one thing, despite its desert climate, Arizona does support excellent wineries (120 in fact), something we were surprised to learn. But after sampling some of the vintages from Copper Horse Winery near Willcox, (including a Sangiovese varietal) the proof was in the glass.

Being in a desert botanical garden, we also got to enjoy the fruits of the Prickly Pear cactus a number of different ways, both as jam and as a great alternative to mix with tequila in a margarita.

The Perfect Pairing: Botanical Gardens + Food and Wine

Tucson’s Botanical Gardens acts as both venue and partner for this fundraising event, and because SAVOR takes place in late January, the temperature is perfect for an outdoor afternoon event here. Plus the Gardens have their own intrinsic appeal, and showcasing its beauty is of course part of the objective of the Culinary Festival, something you get to enjoy, food and drink in hand, as you stroll from one exhibit space to another. One of the highlights for us was the Cactus Garden which, although not large, is beautifully curated and laid out with an attractive collection of plants of different colour and texture.

The Butterfly and Orchid Pavilion was another treat, even if trying to photograph these fluttering splashes of colour is next to impossible. (We did catch a resting Blue Morpho butterfly when it wasn’t looking, however!)

Art, Music and a Miniature Railroad, Too.

Music and art play a role at the SAVOR Culinary Festival, too, with many artists painting or performing music on-site throughout the venue. It’s a great opportunity for visitors to see and interact with more representatives from Tucson’s cultural community, adding another dimension to the event.

But one of the more unexpected permanent installations here is the miniature railway, the Great Garden Express, that is tucked into one area of the Gardens.

During regular opening hours at the Botanical Gardens, the trains run  from 9am – 2pm, chugging their way between mature trees, ‘sky island’ woodland scenery and even an 8-foot tall waterfall, along an extensive circuit complete with elevated trestles and miniature replicas of some of Arizona’s most famous landmarks.

It’s a particular treat for kids who visit the gardens, but equally appealing to the kid in all of us, especially judging by the train engineers who seemed to be in their element living out their childhood fantasy of running a railroad.

A VIP Experience to SAVOR

With limited time (read ‘mealtimes’) to take advantage of during our visit to Tucson, there was no way Henk and I could really do justice to its City of Gastronomy reputation by hitting up dozens of restaurants. Instead, the SAVOR Culinary Festival proved to be a great way for us to sample some of what earned this city its foodie stripes. Like a ‘tapas tour’ highlighting offerings from many of the city’s best chefs and restaurants, Henk and I got to taste some of their signature ingredients and flavours that have put this city on the culinary map – all in a beautiful al fresco venue at Tucson’s Botanical Gardens.

I can’t think of a better VIP (Very Important Pairing) when it comes to showcasing the variety and calibre of Tucson’s culinary scene.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR VISITING SAVOR CULINARY FESTIVAL IN TUCSON

DATES AND TIMES: The Savor Culinary Festival is a one-day affair that happens every January. Visit the SAVOR website to find details on this year’s date, participating chefs/restaurants, ticket bookings, etc. You will also find information on where to park, free shuttles, etc. (If you plan on sampling the prickly pear margaritas, craft brews, ciders and wines, definitely leave the driving to others.)

ADMISSION: In 2025, general admission tickets cost $125, VIP tickets (which allowed early entry and a few extra loot bag goodies and tastings) cost $160. If that seems a bit steep, remember that this is a fundraising event, with proceeds going to help the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, Local First Arizona, and the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Tickets sell out, so book early if you are interested.

Special thanks to Visit Tucson and SAACA who hosted Henk and I at the SAVOR Culinary Festival.