What to Eat in Tucson: Carne Seca at El Charro Café

Recognized as the nation’s oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family, El Charro Café has been serving Tucson the recipes of Monica Flin for more than 100 years!

Carlotta Flores, great grandniece of Monica, carries on the legacy with her family. One of those recipes that’s most famous today is the carne seca.

How El Charro Café’s Carne Seca Became a Tucson Icon

As early as the 1930s, El Charro Café’s menus included a dish called “Carne Seca Frita.” Over time, and with the help of evolving techniques, that early dish became the famous El Charro Café carne seca that Tucson locals and visitors know today.

What makes El Charro Café’s carne seca stand out is its unique preparation. The team marinates thin strips of Angus beef, then air-dries them in a meshed cage under the Sonoran sun. If you visit the downtown Tucson location, you can even spot the cage mounted above the roof.

You don’t often see meat prepared this way—and that’s because a special grandfather clause allows El Charro Café to continue using this traditional technique.

After drying for 3–5 days, the beef is roasted in the oven, shredded by hand, and grilled with green chile, tomato, and onion.

You’ll find carne seca featured in a variety of menu items, but my go-to is the classic plate with rice, beans, and guacamole.

To learn more about El Charro Café’s carne seca and explore the full menu, visit www.elcharrocafe.com.