The Grill at Hacienda Del Sol

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Century of History on the Plate

The Grill at Hacienda del Sol sits inside one of Tucson's most storied properties — a guest ranch resort that began its life in 1929 as the city's first private school for girls. The adobe buildings, hand-carved ceiling beams sourced from nearby Mount Lemmon, and the library that survived a devastating 1938 fire all remain part of the setting today. When the resort was revived in 1995 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grill opened in 1997 as its flagship restaurant — and it has been earning recognition ever since, including a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence that speaks to the seriousness of the wine program.

Southwest American Cuisine, Thoughtfully Composed

Executive Chef Ramon Delgado leads the kitchen with a menu that draws clearly from the Sonoran Desert landscape around it. Breakfast arrives with mountain views every morning of the week — think Green Corn Tamales with eggs and guacamole, a Tucson Omelet of green chiles, avocado, and queso fresco, or a classic Hacienda Huevos Rancheros on charred tomato salsa. Sunday adds a full brunch service. The dinner menu shifts into more formal American cuisine territory: Prosciutto-Wrapped Sea Scallops with honey-sumac beurre blanc, a Mesquite-Smoked Prime Strip Steak, Australian Rack of Lamb with roasted turnips and pan jus, and a rotating Chef's King Salmon Fillet that changes weekly. An on-site organic Chef's Garden — developed in 2010 in collaboration with Dr. Andrew Weil — supplies herbs, vegetables, and fruits that find their way into the kitchen year-round.

The Setting

The Grill's dining room is elegant without being stiff, framed by the same Talavera tile, artisanal woodwork, and desert vistas that define the wider resort. Breakfast and dinner service offer some of the best mountain views in Tucson, and the picturesque sunset backdrop has made the room a favorite for romantic dinners. Guests consistently note the warmth of the service — genuine rather than performative, which is harder to achieve than it sounds. The resort has earned Tucson Weekly's recognition for "Dining with a View" and "Place to Dazzle out of Town Visitors" in 2025, a fair summary of what The Grill delivers to anyone sitting down for the first time.