One of the staples of pure nostalgic Americana is the concept of a food court. Usually attached to a mall of some kind, they were a key facet of the then-modern shopping experience. In the age of online shopping, among other things that pull us away from the storied shopping adventure, the pervasiveness of the food court has dwindled. There is a glimmer of their former glory though, and it is arguably more than compelling. American Eat Co. is one of the coolest new homes to several restaurants and bars in Tucson and is positioned a stones throw south of downtown.
Nessa Lopez, one of the bar managers says “It’s mostly word of mouth. We do stuff on Instagram, but people will come from the east side of Tucson and say ‘Hey, my friend was here. I wanted to come check it out.’ When I ask how they heard about us, did you see us on social media? They usually tell me ‘no,’ their friend just came one time and said it was awesome.” This drawing power is thanks to the robust bevy of gastronomic delights, all of which are local and independently owned.
This local-owners-only food court boasts not just a downright cool assortment of food options, but also houses two different bars. It’s a very real one stop shop for an easy evening out. After grabbing a colorful Monster Sonoran Dog Taco and a signature Market Bar drink, you can head into the south east corner to find a pretty well stocked arcade. The seating area is full of comfortable, dark wood tables and booths, and is wide open to everything the food and beverage hotspot has on offer.
American Eat Co. also has an equally awesome outside patio on the south side, in addition to a cornhole patio adjoined to the larger of the two bars called Market Bar. Market Bar is separated from its cocktail crafting neighbor by a coffee shop and a raspado bar, and is spacious enough to regularly host live music. “We have some pretty big events here, like Cinco de Mayo, St. Patty’s Day, and now our new Rodeo Weekend event. Those are the three biggest events we have here, but we’re not limited to those. We also have live music on Friday’s and that has been really successful” Nessa says.
American Eat Co is the answer to those indecisive friends or spouses whose default answer when asked what sounds good for dinner is “I don’t know, whatever’s fine.” Nessa says, “you know when you ask your partner, ‘Oh, what do you want to eat?’ and they say, ‘I don’t know.’ Well, there are 7 different places to eat here, go find something.” One person can tuck into some divine pizza from Walter’s, the other can head over to Fat Boy Sandos for some Japanese inspired sandwich options, or flap over to The Coop for some delightful fried chicken. The long tables in the middle of the dining room also comfortably accommodate larger parties (and larger appetites) and special events can allow for reserved tables.
The reservation option is now something of a requisite according to Nessa. “We kind of have to start taking reservations now. We just get so packed on the weekends that people get a little heated when one of their seats gets taken. We just want to make it fair to everyone so they can enjoy themselves.” All told, this 7-concepts-deep gastronomical wonderland is worth a visit, or three. It may take a few trips to try all the spots, then a couple more just to make sure you know which one’s your favorite. But maybe scarf down one more Monster Dog and Coop tender, you know, just to be safe.
Want to find more restaurants and bars in Tucson? Check these spots out!
written by: isaac stockton | photographed by: isaac stockton