Sedona is one of nature’s gifts—a town of mesmerizing beauty attracting visitors from all over the world. Long known for its majestic red rock landscapes, Sedona is also a culinary destination boasting talented chefs and acclaimed restaurants lauded by both tourists and locals alike.
For a convenient home base located steps from Uptown Sedona, a walkable center of restaurants and shops, book a stay at Amara Resort and Spa. This tucked-away boutique resort on the banks of Oak Creek recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation including an expanded bar and an upgraded spa with a 24-hour fitness center. It’s also home to SaltRock Kitchen which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a setting overlooking a courtyard with cozy fire pits, a sparkling infinity pool, and striking views of the Cleopatra Red Rock Formation. Here, beverage expert Daniel Chavez mixes up excellent craft cocktails (like his Media Noche with Naran Mezcal and Green Chartreuse topped with a cabernet wine float) and executive chef Consuelo Vega delights guests with her delicious fare (try her seared scallops on a bed of farro with onion soubise and fresh corn).
Award-winning chef Lisa Dahl is a pioneer in shaping Sedona’s emergence as a culinary destination, and her flagship restaurant, Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, continues to shine 26 years after opening its doors. With its elegant dining room, romantic patio, and fine dining menu of Italian specialties such as ravioli in truffle cream sauce and grilled rack of lamb, it’s a beloved local icon, and reservations are a must. In 2003, Dahl opened Cucina Rustica to introduce the Village of Oak Creek to the rustic cuisine of Umbria and Tuscany; think risotto primavera, pasta Bolognese, and Lisa’s Lucious Lasagna. In 2013, Pisa Lisa made its debut with wood-fired pizzas, gelato, and Italian pastries. Stop here for a crave-inducing tomato bisque, the famous Killer Kale salad, and wonderful Neapolitan-style pizzas like Da Dorothy, named after Dahl’s mother, layered with provolone, mozzarella, fennel sausage and picante peppers. Two years later, Dahl opened Mariposa, arguably one of the most beautifully designed restaurants in the country, with glorious red rock views to match. Dahl drew inspiration from her time spent in Argentina and Chile, so you’ll want to start with flaky mushroom empanadas before feasting on a juicy grilled ribeye with chimichurri and a side of shrimp scampi mashed potatoes. Her most recent addition is Butterfly Burger which opened in 2019, a chic upscale home for Dahl’s “Burger Battle” competition trophies. It’s hard to resist the boozy shakes, the Butterfly Burger stacked with Manchego cheese, guacamole, and chipotle aioli, or the Oui Oui Monsieur—it’s the best patty melt I’ve ever had.
Elote Café’s former location had no reservations and people would line up for hours (myself included) for the chance to dine on the Southwestern and Mexican-inflected menu of James Beard award semifinalist Jeff Smedstad. He changed that with his new, more spacious digs Uptown, but, to no surprise, now seats book up weeks to months in advance. Plan accordingly to savor signature dishes such as his namesake fire-roasted elote, green corn tamales with mole verde, and slow braised lamb shank adobo.
Mooney’s Irish Pub is well known for late-night fun and live bands, but with executive chef Paul Beatty in the kitchen, it’s also making its mark for elevated pub food. Fish and chips showcase beer-battered mahi with house tartar sauce and cherry malt vinaigrette; a juicy burger is draped with Guinness reduction and has all the fixins plus candied bacon and Mary Rose sauce. Tacos with tortillas made in-house are stuffed with masa-crusted swordfish, cilantro cabbage slaw, avocado crema, and a sweet pepper pico de gallo and served with sugar-cured limes. The outstanding BLT features Noble Bread, the sourdough is brushed with garlic butter, slathered with garlic-basil aioli, and stacked with lettuce, tomato, and bourbon-cayenne glazed bacon.
One of AZ’s top chefs, Jay Bogsinske (Michael’s at the Citadel, Zinc Bistro, District American Kitchen) is also back in town, now as culinary director of the Wild Thyme Group. Shorebird’s Sedona location is the first outpost of the original spot on Huntington Beach, and it has fast become a Sedona favorite. Expect a seafood-anchored menu (try the Tin’s Oysters with ponzu and the tuna tataki) along with non-fish items that are delightful, including the Overstuffed Bacon and Eggs, the crispy five-spice chicken wings, and the best key lime pie around. Bogsinske is also the namesake of Jay Bird’s Chicken, which sets the bar for spicy-crispy-juicy Nashville Hot Chicken. He’s parlayed his fine-dining experience into this fast-casual concept, using Mary’s Chickens from Pitman Farms, brioche buns, and made-from-scratch pickles, sauces, and sides. Tip: The West Sedona location is the only one with a liquor license, so feel free to spike your fresh-squeezed lemonade with vodka. Molé is the group’s first fine dining Mexican restaurant and with executive chef Roberto Madrid (Deseo at The Westin Kierland, SumoMaya), excellent cocktails (try the blood orange mezcal margarita), and beautiful red rock views, it’s the perfect trifecta. Highlights on my brunch visit included Hatch green chile cornbread, fried avocados with preserved lemon aioli, and Eggs Benedict with crabcakes and chipotle hollandaise.
In between your dining adventures, relax with Arizona wine at three special tasting rooms and wine bars. Vino di Sedona in West Sedona has garnered multiple awards for their wine selection, so order a glass and graze on tapas and charcuterie, dinner salads, and Chicago-style deep dish pizza. The wine bar and retail store has live music seven days a week, and hosts special events and wine tastings. At Art of Wine, spend an afternoon cozying up on a couch and sampling through red and white flights of Arizona wine. At Vino Zona, owner Ginger MacKenzie thoughtfully curates an all-Arizona wine list at a charming tasting room in Tlaquepaque Arts Village. It’s not uncommon to meet a local winemaker making their deliveries as MacKenzie specifically looks to support small producers.
There’s no lack of great restaurants to explore while in Sedona. Including Gerardo’s Italian Kitchen, Rascal, The Vault, Lisa Dahl’s new Pisa Lisa in Village of Oak Creek, and Wild Thyme Group’s Katsubo Omakase opening in 2022.
Written by Christina Barrueta
Photography by Luke Irvin