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You'll find lots of American comfort food in this part of the country: barbecue restaurants, steak houses, and burger joints predominate. If you're looking for something different, Sedona and Flagstaff have the majority of good, multiethnic restaurants in the area, and if you're craving Mexican, you're sure to find something authentic and delicious (note that burritos are often called "burros" around here). Sedona is the best place in the area for fine dining, although Flagstaff and Prescott now boast a few upscale eateries. Some area restaurants close in the slower months of January and February, so call ahead. Reservations are suggested April through October.
Ease into plush banquettes at this quiet, lace-curtained restaurant for classic French- and Southwest-inspired dishes. Rack of lamb is the house specialty, and the Dover sole is a real find, far from the white cliffs, when available on the seasonal menu. Cherry or banana flambé for two, prepared tableside, is an impressive dessert. There's a well-selected wine list, too. Service is formal, but resort-casual attire is acceptable.
This cheerful Mexican restaurant, with light-wood booths and colorful designs, eschews heavy Sonoran-style fare in favor of the grilled dishes found in Guadalajara. The fish tacos are particularly good, and you can substitute grilled vegetables for the rice and beans if you prefer a lower-carb meal.
This deservedly popular downtown spot serves modern comfort food to local professionals and visiting foodies. Signature entrées include steelhead trout with jalapeño chimichurri, pineapple pork belly, and duck-leg confit. For cocktails and lighter fare (or if the wait is too long), check out the sister bar next door, the Annex—it's just as hip and delicious, and the patio is a great venue for live local music.
On the L'Auberge de Sedona resort property, Sedona's most formal—and most expensive—dining room promises a quiet, civilized evening of indulgence. The menu, a fusion of American cuisine with French influences, is offered as a seven-course meal, and can be paired with selections from the resort's 1,200-bottle wine cellar. Among the house favorites are the filet mignon and the coq au vin. The lavish Sunday brunch is well worth the splurge—or have cocktails and lighter fare creekside at the bar.
At this popular Italian restaurant, owned by top-rated chef Lisa Dahl, expect to find delicious homemade soups and specialties like potato gnocchi with a vodka sauce and pollo piccata (chicken in a lemon, capers, and Chardonnay sauce). Any pasta dish can be made gluten-free with corn fusilli. Renaissance reproductions and café seating give the impression of a Roman piazza. Make reservations for a table, or sit at the bar—good food but far less romantic.
Fresh flowers and innovative cuisine that even the staff struggle to characterize are this attractive café's hallmarks. Local ingredients pepper the menu, giving a Sedona twist to Continental fare; favorites include pecan-crusted, Sedona-raised trout with Dijon sauce and mesquite-crusted rack of lamb. Appealing vegetarian plates are also available, and scrumptious desserts include a phenomenal crème brûlée and a marzipan-filled poached pear with caramel sauce.
Ease into plush banquettes at this quiet, lace-curtained restaurant for classic French and Southwest-inspired dishes. Rack of lamb is the house specialty, and the Dover sole is a real find, far from the white cliffs. Cherry or banana flambé for two, prepared tableside, is an impressive dessert. There's a well-selected wine list, too. Service is formal, but resort-casual attire is acceptable.
