Chef Biography
Suzana Davila was born in Guaymas, Sonora, in northern Mexico, where her father Luis Davila owned and operated the first drive-in restaurant. He advised his daughter not to get involved in the restaurant business, too much work and long hours.
In the 1980’s, she found herself in Tucson as a model (think Calvin Klein) and an interior designer, with an inexorable sense of style. In 1986, and still having that itch for a restaurant, she bought a little 20 seat lunchroom cafe, so she could do what she loved, cook ! It didn’t take long to fill the place for breakfast & lunch daily. Three years later, a space opened up around the corner, on the site of the old Santa Rita Hotel. She moved her Cafe Poca Cosa to the new location, and brought her father Senor Luis Davilia, one of America’s gastronomy treasures, out of retirement to run Little Cafe Poca Cosa along with her daughter, Shanali. Today, 26 years later, Chef Suzana has one of the top rated Mexican/Southwest restaurants in Arizona and the Great Chefs team still talks about her unusual margaritas that no one has matched!