It’s that time of year again. For three days, downtown Tucson will be bustling with vendors serving up tasty, authentic dishes from all over the world.
From West Africa to the Caribbean, this year’s Tucson Meet Yourself festival — affectionately known, of course, as Tucson Eat Yourself — is jam-packed with all kinds of delicacies that are sure to make your taste buds very happy.
And there’s a new option this year called Taste of the Festival. Those who buy a pass for Taste of the Festival will have the opportunity to enjoy five exclusive small plates from participating vendors.
The Taste of the Festival pass is $25 in advance and $30 during the festival. For more information, visit the Tucson Meet Yourself at .
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Yakup Koz serves up a cone at the Marash Turkish ice cream booth during the 2022 Tucson Meet Yourself. The festival celebrates the many different cultures that exist in Tucson through music, dance, folk arts and food.
With more than 50 vendors this year, it can be a bit overwhelming to figure out what you’re going to chow down on. We’ve compiled a list of all the vendors you can expect to see, so you can plan ahead of time to ensure you don’t miss something delicious.
Tucson Meet Yourself takes place at Jácome Plaza, 101 N. Stone Ave., from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday Oct. 17, to Saturday, Oct. 18 and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19. The weekend also will feature events including car shows, pop-up exhibits, demonstrations, folk artists and music.
A Picantear
Helen Oberling, a Peruvian chef with over 20 years of experience, started A Picantear as a way to reconnect with the flavors and traditions of the dishes prepared by her family. Some of the traditional Peruvian meals on her menu will be papa a la huancaina (boiled potatoes covered in creamy and spicy yellow sauce), papa rellena de res carne molida (stuffed and fried potato filled with Peruvian-marinated ground beef) and sandwich de chicharrón. For those with a sweet tooth, A Picantear will also have desserts like alfajores (cornstarch-based cookies filled with dulce de leche and coated in powdered sugar) and arroz con leche.
Order of Ahepa Greek Food
This booth has been at Tucson Meet Yourself since 1974, raising money for local charities and to help provide scholarships for students in the Greek community. It will be serving up classic Greek dishes like gyros, spanakopita, dolmades and baklava.
Alafia West African Cuisine
At this booth, expect to see dishes like egusi and fufu plates with barbecued meats, jollof rice with grilled chicken, ginger juice and peanut stew.
Arizona-Palestine Solidarity Alliance
Taste authentic Palestinian food made fresh by community members. Falafel and salad, aqras Za’atar (Za’atar patties), mtabbal (roasted eggplant hummus) and aqras sabanech (spinach pie) will be on the menu.
Boriken Modern Puerto Rican Cuisine
Chef Carlos and Jackeline Garcia run Boriken, using heirloom recipes to serve up Puerto Rican meals. You’ll be able to order boricua nachos — made with plantain chips and roasted pork — or an empanada sampler that comes with three different variants. They will also be offering chicharrónes de pollo con yucca frita, and Puerto Rican sodas.
It is also participating in Taste of the Festival. Their small plate will consist of sorullitos de maiz — deep-fried cornmeal fritters that have a crispy exterior and soft interior.

Tucson Chinese Dance hosts a traditional and Classical Chinese dance class during the 2024 Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival.
Che Café Empanadas Argentinas
At this booth, you’ll be able to choose from all kinds of empanadas. On its menu this year are beef, chicken, spinach, sweet corn, and pizza empanadas.
Churros El Rey
Churros El Rey makes each of their churros from scratch, deep frying them to golden perfection and coating them in cinnamon sugar. You can get traditional churros, or try one that’s filled with a rich dulce de leche. You can even get a churro sundae.
Churros Inzunza
It uses its family recipes to craft delectable treats. You can expect to find vegan and gluten-free churros, as well as choco flan, fried plantains, cinnamon rolls, coconut horchata, and more.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, where they will be offering strawberry horchata.
Club Colombia
This booth has participated in almost every Tucson Meet Yourself. They specialize in Colombian food like empanadas, arepas, papas choreadas (a steamed potato topped with a sauce made from onions, tomatoes and spices), tropical juices and Colombian coffee.
Cocina Oaxaqueña
José Toledo, an El Espinal native, learned about Oaxacan cuisine from his grandmother and mother. In fact, his recipes, including his signature mole, were passed down from generation to generation in his family. Now, he’s sharing his love of Oaxacan food with Tucson. You’ll be able to try dishes like tamal Oaxaqueño, enmoladas, quesadilla de flor de calabaza, and aguas frescas.
CreSer: Culture & Resource Center for Women & Families
At the booth, you can expect to see different Latin dishes such as tamale plates, frijoles caseros, Spanish rice, and handmade flour tortillas.
It is a participating food vendor with Taste of the Festival, collaborating with the Chinese Chorizo Festival and offering a Chinese chorizo taco with a freshly made flour tortilla.
David’s Outdoor Kitchen BBQ
This booth has all your barbecue and soul food cravings covered. For the festival this year, it will be offering BBQ ribs, brisket, fried catfish, fried shrimp, mac and cheese bites, collard greens and hush puppies.
Eatgypt
Come to this booth to try Egypt’s ultimate street food, koshary. This vegan dish is made up of rice, pasta, lentils, crispy fried onions and chickpeas, topped with a vinegary tomato sauce. It will also be serving bamia (an Egyptian stew), baklava, and karkade (a drink made with hibiscus, lemon juice and sugar).
It is a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of bamia.
Elif’s Kitchen Kumpir and Gozleme
The owners of Elif’s Kitchen have joyful memories of helping their mothers make flatbreads and stuffed breads for the wintertime. At their booth, they will be offering gozleme stuffed with various fillings, kumpir (stuffed cooked potatoes), and baklava.
Empanadas El Dominicano
You may have seen this food truck on Broadway and Rosemont, bringing a piece of the Caribbean to Tucson. They are cooking up all their favorites, including their various empanadas, fried pork chops, arroz con pollo, fritos con salami, and tropical drinks. I especially recommend its ground meat empanadas and plantains and its morir soñando drink, which tastes like a refreshing, creamy lemonade.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of smoked tuna empanadas.
Espressoul Café
Eris Movahedi is the mastermind behind Espressoul café, where she makes vegan espresso lattes, matcha lattes and refreshers. Take it from me, it’ll be worth standing in line to try one of her creative drinks. One of my all-time favorites is her Honey Bear drink, which is a honey cinnamon latte. Her signature lattes will be on the menu for the festival, so you’ll be able to sip on a baklava latte while you explore all the performances and other dining.
Food 2 Door Catering
Shadi and Kiana, two lifelong friends, decided to start a catering company in hopes of sharing authentic Persian food with the community. Food 2 Door’s festival menu this year includes kashk bademjan (an appetizer made of sauteed eggplants, onion, garlic and dried mint), and corn on the cob. It will also be selling saffron and pistachio ice cream, baklava and saffron sharbat — a beverage made of rose water, saffron and chia seeds.
Herculean Chicken
Get a taste of Taiwanese street food at Herculean Chicken, known for their Taiwanese-style fried chicken. Its popcorn chicken and funky-shaped cutlets have captured the hearts of Tucsonans for years now. It will be selling popcorn chicken, fried cutlets, chicken skewers, waffle fries and Taiwanese soft drinks.
La Fondita Chilena
This year, La Fondita Chilena is bringing Chilean food back to the festival, honoring the legacy of the Grupo Chileno booth that came before them. It will be plating up authentic Chilean dishes such as empanadas, humitas, and torta de Durazno (a layered cake filled with caramel-like majar and topped with sweet peaches).

The Polish Folk Ensemble and Wat Buddhametta food vendors get high traffic in Jácome Plaza at Tucson Meet Yourself.Â
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of cheese empanadas with Chilean pebre.
Los Chiquilines Aguas Frescas
You can never go wrong with horchata! Los Chiquilines makes refreshing aguas frescas in flavors like jamaica, limonada, sandÃa, tamarindo, horchata, mango and piña.
Los Poblanitos
After meeting while volunteering for Tucson Meet Yourself, Gustavo and Aylin fell in love. After spending years in Mexico and experiencing the food from Puebla, Gustavo’s home, the two decided to come back to where their story started. At its booth, it will be serving up authentic Puebla dishes like enfrijoladas (enchiladas with beans topped with vegan Chinese chorizo), tlacoyos (corn masa cakes stuffed with split peas and topped with salsa), tamale poblano, taco arabe, and dulce blueberry tamale cheesecake.
Malta Joe’s Baked Goods
Malta Joe’s, a Tucson staple, is known for pastizzis — a Maltese pastry made with phyllo dough and filled with savory filings. At his booth, you’ll be able to get pastizzis with filings like ricotta cheese, split pea and curry; pizza; the Malta dog (a hotdog wrapped in phyllo dough) and blueberry cheesecake.
Mama Carey’s
This booth puts soul in everything it makes. You can expect classic soul food dishes like fried catfish, collard greens, mac and cheese, cheese steak, hot links, and chicken strips.
Moreno’s Roasted Corn
Stop by and try roasted corn prepared with butter, mayonnaise, lemon, salsa and cotija cheese.
O’odham Ladies
These women make Indian fry bread using a recipe that has been handed down to them from their elders. The best part of their popovers: they can be savory or sweet. You’ll be able to get popovers topped with powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon, or red chile and beans.
They are a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, where they will be offering a saguaro fruit popover.
On the Fly Kitchen

Matthew Crutcher and Gloria Coronado put together alebrije masks at the Scoundrel and Scamp + Borderlands Theater booth during the Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival last year.Â
This chef-driven mobile kitchen is known for its bold flavors and creative comfort food. Some of their southern delicacies include cauliflower wings, fried catfish nuggets, fried chicken wings and fried okra.
Pam’s Kitchen
Pam’s Kitchen is bringing Sunday dinners to Tucson Eat Yourself. At this booth, they make Jamaican dishes using their mother’s recipes. Curry chicken, jerk chicken, curry goat and oxtail are all on the menu.
Patricia’s Cuban Kitchen
Born and raised in Cuba, Patricia Espinosa came to live in Tucson and continued to make Cuban food to bring back memories of her childhood. Her event menu features ropa vieja, empanadas, plantains, ham croquettes and guava pie.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of papas rellenas.
Lajkonik Polish Folk Ensemble
The Lajkonik Polish Folk Ensemble has been cooking up Polish dishes at Tucson Eat Yourself for decades now. You’ll find all of your favorites, from kielbasas and pierogis to potato pancakes.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of golabki, traditional Polish cabbage rolls.
Pupuseria Rosita’s
Try all kinds of Salvadoran pupusas at this booth. Cheese, pork, bean, spinach, and squash are fillings offered.
Purple Tree Truck
This acai truck will make an appearance at this year’s festival. Expect to see various smoothies, acai bowls, ginger shots, and dairy-free milkshakes on their menu.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a pitaya cup with dragon fruit, bananas and strawberries.
Ricuras de Venezuela
This booth specializes in authentic Venezuelan cuisine, honoring their mother’s legacy by using her recipes. It will be serving arepas, cachapa, specialty plates with chicken or shredded beef, and papelon con limon (a lemon drink).
Salima’s Bakery
The family behind Salima’s Bakery is bringing rich flavors from Uzbekistan and the Republic of Georgia to Tucson Eat Yourself. Their menu includes hachapuri (a flatbread with cheese and spinach), walnut cookies with caramel, baklava, pilav rice with carrots and beef, and cinnamon rolls.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of piroshki — a fried boat-shaped bun stuffed with seasoned beef and tender potatoes.

Don Nguyen, left, and Son Tran grill skewers of chicken and pork for a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich during the 2019Â Tucson Meet Yourself Folk Festival.
San Xavier Cooperative Farm
Come taste the Sonoran Desert. This Tohono O’odham booth is dishing up farm-to-table food, using naturally-grown and ethically-harvested ingredients. It will have popover flights, cholla bud and cheese tamales, mesquite cookies, lemon saguaro seed scones, yellow watermelon lemonade, and more.
They are also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a ciolim tostada made with cholla buds.
Sema Foundation
The nonprofit organization shares delicious Turkish food. Its event menu includes doners (Turkish wraps), grilled chicken, kofte kabap, various gozlemes, baklava, and Turkish tea.
Senae Thai Street Food
This Thai food truck has made its way to the festival. At Senae Thai Street Food, Chef Dee cooks up authentic Thai food inspired by recipes from her mother and grandmother. The menu includes Thai tacos and Thai iced tea.
Sonoran Delights
Who doesn’t love a good raspado? Sonoran Delights will be selling raspados, sour rasapados with chamoy and Mexican candies, fruit sundaes, pepihuates, Tosti Lokos, and coctel de elote.
Sumaj Bolivian Street Food
This Bolivian food truck brings people together with authentic flavors and passion. At Tucson Eat Yourself, you’ll find traditional dishes like salteña (Bolivian-style baked empanadas), rellenos de papa, cheese empanadas and mocochinchi — a chilled drink made with dehydrated peaches and cinnamon.
Takoyaki Balls
Since 2015, these octopus dumplings have been a festival favorite. Along with the dumplings (Takoyaki), it will also be serving gyozas, Japanese curry rice, beef and rice bowls, and Yakisoba noodles. It will also have taiyaki, a popular dessert that’s made with pancake mix and sweet beans.
The Makan Bowl
Experience the vibrant flavors of Singapore at the Makan Bowl. You can expect to see items like satay plates, fried bee hoon (stir-fried rice noodles) and achar (Singapore slaw) on their menu.
Tucson Afghan Community
For their fourth year at Tucson Eat Yourself, Tucson Afghan Community will offer signature Afghan plates, kabobs, vegetarian plates, khajoor (golden fried cookies) and doogh, a yogurt-based drink with cucumber, mint and salt, among other items.
Tucson Eat Yourself Sonoran Hot Dogs
This Sonoran hot dog booth helps support the weekend’s events. All of the proceeds will go to the production of Tucson Eat Yourself, so it can continue to be free for all. Stop by for one of its signature Sonoran dogs and a special chorizo Sonoran dog made in collaboration with the Chinese Chorizo Festival.

Bonyang Michaels creates detailed clothing items and accessories using a hand-built machine during the Tucson Meet Yourself folklife festival in 2024.Â
Tucson Tea Company
Get yourself a sweet treat, and choose from a variety of caffeinated and caffeine-free teas, in addition to decadent French pastries.
UA Chinese Student Association
This student association will be selling classic Chinese dishes like siumai, hargow, fried rice, sesame balls and milk tea.
UA Filipino American Student Association
For over a decade, FASA has been dishing up Filipino treats at Tucson Eat Yourself. This year, it will be offering pork skewers, lumpia, mango juice refreshers, ice candy, and ube and chocolate crinkle cookies.
UA Muslim Students Association
This student group not only supports Muslim students on campus, but also shares their culture by cooking flavorful traditional food. It will have shawarma bowls and wraps, Mediterranean mint lemonade, tamr hind (tamarind drink) and baklava.

Bob Rzewuski, right, chats with his brother, Joe, as they enjoy ceviche during the 2022 Tucson Meet Yourself festival.
It is also a participating food vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small plate of basbousa — a sweet semolina cake soaked in honey syrup.
UA Vietnamese Student Association
Get fresh, traditional Vietnamese food and drinks at this booth. Chicken or pork skewers, banh mi, egg rolls, chicken or pork bun thit nuong, Vietnamese iced coffee, and limeades are all on the menu.
Wat Buddhametta
This booth has been serving up homemade Thai food at the festival for over 20 years. Its menu includes pad Thai, stir-fried rice, egg rolls, fried bananas and Thai iced tea.
It is also a participating vendor with Taste of the Festival, offering a small-plate vegetarian pad Thai and a vegetarian egg roll with special chili sauce.