Downtown Lowdown
The DL: Toasting the Downtown food scene
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Saint HouseA trio of house-made ceviches with taro chips from Saint House.
Saint House, 256 E. Congress, is the newest addition to the expanding downtown dining scene. With a focus on rum beverages and food from the rum-producing regions of the world, it offers a completely different type of cuisine.
Owned by the culinary minds behind 47 Scott and Scott & Co., Saint House opened last week with a bang. Their two previous endeavors helped usher in the downtown renaissance, and set a high standard for food and drink. Their newest place does not disappoint.
The food takes its cues from the Caribbean and Central America. Tacos, ceviche, and a variety of appetizers and entrees are served up featuring different meats and (amazing great for Tucson) seafood. Vegetarian and vegan options are imaginative and flavorful, without relying on many of the easy and uninspired dishes non-meat-eaters too often find at restaurants. Even at a soft opening, when new restaurants usually work out the final kinks, the food at Saint House was mouthwatering and the service left nothing to be desired.
The drinks live up to the reputation of Scott & Co., which has garnered praise from papers of record across the country for their creative cocktails. The current tend of small brews and craft mixed drinks has mostly stayed away from rum. Many of the rums that we're familiar with tend towards the overly sweet and uncomplicated, but rum is so much more diverse. The bartenders at Saint House craft amazing concoctions with different types of rum, from appetizers with hints of grassiness to the Corn n' Oil, a drink with seemingly endless layers and complexities. The drinks more than live up to the reputation of Scott & Co.
Saint House is just the latest of many downtown successes, joining Proper, Diablo Burger, Penca, Thunder Canyon and other notable restaurants, both new and established. More will open over the next few months, like Gio Taco, Good Oak Bar, World of Beer, and Pizzeria Bianco to name just a few.
The people behind all of these ventures believe in downtown. Mostly locals, they see the undeniable signs that Downtown Tucson is poised to become the hottest center in the Southwest.
Editor's note
In the Downtown Lowdown column, the Downtown Tucson Partnership's Caitlin Jensen keeps you up to date with the latest business moves and things to do in Tucson's city center. Downtown's heating up, and the Lowdown will help you keep tabs on Tucson's temperature.
Downtown events this weekend
Friday
- Dig In! Library Plaza Planter Project
- Walken in His Shoes
- Parallel Lives
- End of Summer Hootenanny
- Friday After Dark at Zen Rock
Saturday
- AHS Mexican Heritage Panel Discussion
- Arizona Beer Dinner
- Saturday Jazz Showcase
- Metal Fest II
- Parallel Lives
- Power Saturdays w/ Powermix
