When Sunset magazine released its of where to eat in the West on Tuesday, Sept. 10, Tyler Fenton’s innovative downtown restaurant was the only ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ eatery to make the cut.
The restaurant, which chef-owner Fenton opened in spring 2022 in a historic 1930s downtown warehouse, is in prestigious company. The list includes three California Michelin-starred restaurants — in Oceanside, in San Francisco and in Santa Barbara — and Denver’s , helmed by the two-time James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya.
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“That’s pretty amazing company to be in consideration with,†Fenton said Thursday, giving much of the credit for the honor to his staff.
“They are amazing and they do the work everyday so this award is very much in recognition of their contribution,†he said. “I get most excited when we get an award because I think it’s very validating for the team as a whole.â€
The Sunset nod was Bata’s second national accolade this year after Wine Spectator in June gave it an Award of Excellence and its fourth since opening in spring 2022. Bata, which Fenton owns with his siblings, Zach and Courtney, had been open just six months when Bon Appétit named it one of the magazine’s best new restaurants of 2022
In March 2023, Time magazine name-dropped Bata as part of its “World’s Greatest Places 2023†story. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ was one of only seven U.S. places on the list, which cited the city’s UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation and diverse restaurant scene as a driving factor.
Bata specializes in locally-sourced dishes.
Fenton said the national attention, which he attributed to efforts by Visit ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ to spotlight ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurants on the national stage, usually brings a boost in business. Soon after the Bon Appétit mention, the guest count at Bata nearly doubled.
“As a ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ kid I’m always happy seeing the city get the recognition it deserves,†Fenton said. “Our goal is to serve people great food and make them happy, and the more people we can do that for the happier we are and the happier our staff is and the more successful we get to be.â€
In addition to Bata and its sister Barbata in the basement at 35 E. Toole Ave., the Fentons’ stable includes and its downstairs at 101 E. Pennington St. and at 7262 N. Oracle Road on the northwest side.
Early next year, Fenton hopes to open an outdoor sister restaurant at Bata once he builds out the backside of the property. Plans call for an outdoor kitchen and seating area, as well as an active garden.
Bata occupies one of the old warehouse spaces lining the railroad tracks in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Fenton said he is still working on a name and finalizing what the concept will look like, but he’s considering a more casual, laid-back version of Bata. Ideas he and his staff are spitballing include an outdoor world barbecue concept that would take you into the culinary and cultural world of barbecue from around the globe.
“It would look like a backyard party in South Africa, Mexico or the U.S.,†he said.
He hopes to have the project finished in six months and open while the weather is still nice, he said.
To learn more about Bata, visit .
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Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
This award-winning ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurant has opened a basement bar
