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On Tuesday, Yelp introduced its comprehensive list of the top 100 U.S. restaurants of 2024.
The review website's data science team conducted in-depth analyses of user reviews, and the final rankings were determined by expert Community Managers.
Coming out on top as number one is vegan and vegetarian Latin eatery Tumeric in Tucson, Arizona:
'Vegetarian Mexican cuisine even a meat-eater could love? Vegans and carnivores alike are raving about Tumerico’s inventive plant-based fare, which racked up 5-star reviews this year and snagged the #1 slot on Yelp’s Top 100 Southwest Restaurants list in 2023. This is “not vegetarian food that happens to be great—it’s great food that happens to be vegetarian,' says Yelper Kate S.
James Beard Award semifinalist Wendy Garcia is the chef-owner and culinary wizard behind the popular Tucson cafe. 'When I opened Tumerico, I wanted people to try traditional Mexican food, but vegetarian and vegan,' says Wendy, who grew up on a farm in Hermosillo, Mexico, making salsas, tamales, and other favorites from handed-down recipes. 'It’s all about those recipes I made with mom, dad, and grandma—tamales, chilaquiles, enchiladas, barbacoa—whatever Mexican dish you can think of, we can make [a vegetarian version] at Tumerico.'
Take, for example, the flavor-rich salsas and jackfruit carnitas—secret ingredients Wendy substitutes for meat in her Cuban Tacos and Al Pastor Tacos—that Yelpers say taste 'like the real deal.' She entrusts only 2 prep cooks with the salsa recipes, the soul of every dish. And her mole sauce is a Yelper favorite—Wendy’s takes 4 hours to prepare from dark chocolate, local mesquite flour, cashews, and spices.
The chalkboard menu changes daily based on what’s in season—for example, salsa made from Tucson-grown chiltepin chiles and pitaya (Mexican dragon fruit) or nopalitos (made from prickly pear cactus, available May to September). 'I like to use what we have,' says Wendy, who sources produce from the Heirloom Farmers Market in Rillito Park. This strategy delights Yelpers like Nicole B., who says she loves being able to 'try something new every time I go in.'
From a folding table and a cooler of her tamales at a local farmers market, Wendy grew her following and, in 2016, opened Tumerico on 6th Street (followed by a 2nd location, Tumerico on 4th). Wendy’s tamales (filled with jackfruit carnitas, green olives, carrots, jalapeno, potato, and red chile salsa) are an homage to her grandmother. 'I love my customers. I love my regulars,” she says. “It’s all about making them feel like family—like home.'
Wendy also owns Tucson’s La Chaiteria, #68 on this list.
Most popular/most photographed dishes: While the menu rotates, some items are always available, including Cuban Tacos (jackfruit carnitas with garlic cilantro sauce, cashew crema, and salsa); Al Pastor Tacos (2 tacos with plant-based carnitas, pineapple, and adobo sauce); and the Ropa Vieja Plate (plant-based carnitas with cilantro sauce and mushrooms).
Yelpers say: 'I was hesitant to try this place since I saw it was vegetarian and vegan—I really love meat—but WOW. This place is good. I got the Ropa Vieja Plate and the Tamale Plate. I’ve had so many tamales, but this was easily one of the top 3 I’ve ever had. I’m not sure how the masa could be so good without any lard mixed in. The vegan carnitas were super flavorful, as well. The person who took my order was really patient and recommended both dishes to me.' —Yelp Elite Brandon L.
Other Arizona spots recognized on the recently released list are De Babel in Scottsdale, Worth Takeaway in Mesa, Buendia Breakfast & Lunch Cafe in Tucson, Baja Cafe in Tucson, . Cocina Madrigal in Phoenix and Sirens’ Cafe & Custom Catering in Kingman.