If you had dined at Caruso’s when the restaurant first opened, you could’ve ordered a full meal for just $1.35. That’s how long the Italian restaurant has been operating here in Tucson — we’re talkin’ about the late 1930s!

Caruso’s first opened in 1938 on Fourth Avenue about a block away from where it is now. A monsoon storm thought the restaurant needed to be moved to higher ground so it washed the building away. Coincidentally, gusty winds from a storm in 2023 knocked down the iconic neon sign (they’re working on getting it restored).