TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Comfort food in the Sonoran Desert, for most, means your favorite Mexican plate of enchiladas with a side of rice and beans.
But it means so much more at a place I discovered this week because the recipes were passed along with love
You can almost smell what's cooking inside Amelia's Mexican Kitchen from the street.
This location on Oracle Rd south of Orange Grove is actually the expansion, a second location and sign of success for chef José Contreras.
"It's crazy," he says, laughing when asked about the fast success.
He's always got a smile on his face and with good reason. José is running out of space on the walls and doesn't really have room for the decor with all of the praise being heaped upon what he feels is a humble location.
"This is a family restaurant. We don't have all, like, TV shows and things like that."
If they did, Amelia's would be "must-see TV".
"It is the best there is. Period. There is none better."
Larry Coyne knows. He comes here all the time from Oro Valley.
"The food is better than any other restaurant and I say restaurants. Not just Mexican restaurants," Larry told me.
Food like chili relleno, nopales with eggs and other authentic dishes.
Benjamin Sainz and Lupita Bueno had never been here before but must've heard from fans like Larry about Jose's recipes.
"It's our first time here so I'm really looking forward to this," Lupita said.
There's just one thing. They aren't his. Well, at least they didn't start that way.
"I just want to take my grandmother's recipe's to another level. So like a professional chef," José said.
"She's like my mom. So I have a lot of things to say about my grandmother Amelia."
Amelia is the namesake and the inspiration for everything that happens in this kitchen.
She helped raise Jose in Hermosillo teaching the old ways of old Mexico with flavors, colors and textures that translate to a vibrant tradition here in Tucson.
"When the people try the food, [whether they] never tried it before or [if it] reminds them of something from the past when they were 5 years old or 8 years old from Nana's house. It's something where I feel I'm doing the things right."
I had to try for myself and I wasn't disappointed.
In a landscape filled with fantastic food across the Old Pueblo, José stands out.
Not just for his James Beard Award designation as one of this year's best chef's in the Southwest, but because he cares about his culture, his traditions and his family; and it shows.
Lupita agrees.
"I definitely highly recommend this place. I'm definitely coming back."
Check out Amelia's Mexican Kitchen
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Dan Spindle co-anchors Good Morning Tucson on KGUN 9 and is an award-winning storyteller whose work has earned him honors from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmys, the Associated Press and the Utah Society of Professional Journalists for both anchoring and reporting. Dan is passionate about history and loves to explore the Grand Canyon State. Share your story ideas with Dan by emailing dan.spindle@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or X.
