A Taste of Arizona's Most Popular Foods

Arizona’s food scene is a glorious mix of Native American, Mexican, and Southwestern influences, delighting the senses.

Arizona Invented the Chimichanga

Arizona is famous for inventing the chimichanga - a deep-fried burrito packed with delicious fillings like meat, beans, and cheese. Toss on some salsa and guacamole, and you'll have a dish you won't forget soon. I mean, you had me at deep-fried. The rest is just showing off!

READ: What Happened When Canadians Asked: "What Foods Are Uniquely AZ?"

Legend has it that the chimichanga was accidentally invented in Tucson when a chef dropped a burrito into a fryer, let fly a Spanish expletive, and inadvertently created culinary genius. It's the perfect example of serendipity-meets-creativity, which is very Arizona.

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The Sonoran Hot Dog - An Arizona Favorite

You've never truly had a hot dog until you've had a Sonoran hot dog. Sure, you may have had a hot dog from a street vendor in New York, supped on a Chicago Dog with delicious, unique toppings.

But trust me. The Sonoran Hot Dog elevates the classic hot dog with a bacon wrap, beans, onions, tomatoes, and jalapeño sauce to a whole new level.

READ: These Arizona Restaurants are TV Famous

Explore the Flavors of Arizona

You'll notice our list is heavily influenced by Sonoran cuisine. Once you've had the flavors and textures of food in Arizona, you'll make it your baseline for flavor worldwide. Taste carne asada, green corn tamales, and soups like menudo, and polish it off with delicious, pillowy sopapillas for dessert.

Arizona's food culture is all about bold flavors and deep traditions. How many things on our list of favorites have you tried? What did we miss?

Sources: Visit Arizona | Food Network | Arizona Highways

Top 25 of the Most Popular Food in Arizona

Food in Arizona is a cornucopia of flavors and textures. You'll find delightful influences of Sonoran Mexican cuisine blended with Native American favorites.

Once you've sampled the delicious fare in the Grand Canyon state, you'll make it your baseline for delightful food everywhere. Which is your favorite from our list of top 25 Arizona favorites?

Gallery Credit: Val Davidson/TSM

10 Best (And Coziest!) Soups In Cochise County

As the weather gets chilly, there's nothing like a cozy and delicious bowl of soup from our local restaurants. Here are some of our favorites.

Gallery Credit: Val Davidson

LOOK: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Tucson by diners

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Tucson using data from Yelp.

Gallery Credit: Stacker