I have found the best dollar-for-dollar meal in Tucson. Tucked into an unassuming storefront (albeit given away by the fresh layer of event posters plastered around the doorway), Shot in the Dark Cafe is popular with locals, and it's easy to see why.

You can eat here 24/7/365, after all and there's often some form of grassroots entertainment in tow. If not, you've at least got the free wifi access to keep you company.

On the Menu

Shot in the Dark's food options are what you'd expect from a cafe, but will inevitably exceed your expectations on the plate. They definitely exceeded mine.

There's a handful of ingredient-packed egg scrambles for less than US$7, scrumptious breakfast ideas (my favourite was the aptly named 'Potatoes Maximus': delicious fried spuds smothered in cheese, freckled with bacon and peppers and served with salsa and sour cream), and plenty of simple, a la carte items.

Fresh, flavourful coffee, either brewed or espresso-based, is dispensed without a whiff of pretension. There's also a wealthy choice of healthy, vegan- and vegetarian-friendly dishes, notably the huge salads for under $6. (The 'Skinny Greek' could tame even a hungry carnivore, packed as it is with spinach, onions, tomatoes, sliced red peppers, feta, bean sprouts, dolmas and two dressings.)

The counter also sells smokes, treats like chips, cakes and cookies, and homemade chai.

Cafe Collective

If it all sounds a bit hippie-ish, Shot In The Dark's business model will only fortify that notion: the place is owned and run by a collective of 15 locals.

But then, without them, being here wouldn't feel quite so much like hanging out in the living room of some old friends who like to cook.