Every vacation offers a new and exciting chapter to our autobiographies, filled with the adventures we enjoyed and the memories we made. But a Sedona vacation? Well, we at Sedona.Org believe this is a vacation that deserves its own book, with each chapter detailing all the fun and joy you experienced during your Arizona adventures. And perhaps the best chapter of all will be the one that documents all the meals you devoured while under the spell of the magic of our red rock town and because we want to make sure this is the most well rounded chapter of all, we have compiled this ultimate Sedona dining guide for our guests perusal, offering a full list of the best restaurants in town!
Mornings Filled with Memories
If you are like us, many of your vacation memories are detailed recounting of the meals you enjoyed, many of which will be the morning meals found in the restaurants we have listed below.
The Coffee Pot Restaurant, 2050 W State Route 89A, 6 AM- 2 PM
Every visit to Sedona must include at least one meal from the Coffee Pot Restaurant, resting in the shadows of Coffee Pot rock. Open every day for breakfast and lunch, this very reasonably priced diner offers an extensive menu of breakfast favorites, including the largest selection of omelets in the state—101, to be exact! We can’t stress enough that THIS will be the breakfast you will remember forever and if you want a more concrete memory of your visit to the Coffee Pot, those uniquely shaped mugs in which you are enjoying your coffee? They are handmade and are for sale.
Indian Gardens Café & Market, 3951 N State Route 89A, 8 AM- 4 PM
Secret gardens tucked away in quiet areas are something else you can enjoy during your stay in Sedona and the Indian Gardens Café & Market is the perfect example. Offering a small market at which you can pick up a few things to help stock your Sedona.Org kitchen, it is their café that will make you a fan of farm fresh food and beautiful settings. Each table outside is in its own garden niche, surrounded by low bushes and flowering plants, making you feel as if you are enjoying a private morning (or midday) meal all on your own. The menu is filled with a combination of Southwest favorites (breakfast burritos) and country cooking (biscuits & gravy.)
The Rascal, 2250 W State Route 89A, 7 AM- 10 PM
We had to think long and hard about adding this modern diner to our breakfast list, especially as it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, but because they also offer brunch, so here it is. If you are staying in one of our pet friendly sanctuaries, the pet friendly patio will make this your favorite breakfast spot, and their dedication to your dog’s comfort goes as far as to provide cold-filtered water for every pooch that walks onto the patio. The menu features everything from a morning parfait to a toasted bagel topped with truffled egg salad and smoked salmon, ensuring that everyone in your traveling party will find something that appeals.
Ready for Lunch?
No matter how large the breakfast you just enjoyed may have been, after a morning filled with hiking, shopping, or even hanging out at Slide Rock, you will be ready to enjoy an equally hearty lunch, something all the restaurants below will provide.
Sedona Memories Café, 321 Jordan Road, 10 AM – 2 PM
Speaking of memories, the ones you will make at Sedona Memories Café may feel a bit more urban in nature. This bakery/deli is known for providing sandwiches piled high with your favorite meats, and its menu is a simple one, listing a variety of breads, meats, and cheeses for your dining pleasure. You get to choose the combination that makes you happiest but do yourself a favor and at least consider the special of the day!
Senor Bob’s Burgers, Hot Dogs, & More, 2015 W State Route 89A, 10 AM – 6 PM Most Days
For those days you just want something casual, quick, and delicious, you can’t go wrong with a visit to Senor Bobs! Their menu isn’t fancy but is filled with your favorite lunch foods, some prepared with a unique twist including nacho fries, a Bob-a-loo sandwich made with pork and pickles, and their Senor-an Dog, topped with jalapeños, pico de gallo, refried beans, cilantro aioli, and crumbled bacon! Even better, the cost of this charming spot offering an outdoor patio is so reasonable, you will be able to save a little something extra to put towards all the art and souvenirs you won’t be able to avoid purchasing.
Butterfly Burger, 6657 AZ-179 Suite B1, Open at 11:30 AM
You may not have expected the elevated tastes found at Butterfly Burger, but this chef driven restaurant never fails to surprise. Featuring the culinary creations of Chef Lisa Dahl, every burger offers something unique and extraordinary and after your first bite you may never be satisfied with ordinary burgers ever again. Seriously, try the Butterfly Burger, topped with Manchego Cheese, Peppered Bacon, Guacamole, and Chipotle Aioli. It will change your life, especially when washed down with a boozy burger!
When the Dinner Bell Rings
For our tour of the dinner menus of Sedona’s best restaurants, we are going to break the category down even further, beginning with family friendly restaurants that parents are going to feel comfortable visiting with their sometimes feral children. (We are parents too, we get that even the most well behaved children will have moments in which their behavior is less than stellar!)
Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits, 241 N State Route 89A, 11 AM- 9 PM
Can you really say you were in Sedona if you didn’t visit the Cowboy Club at least once? The Cowboy Club Grille & Spirits offers a long history that is intertwined with the history of Sedona, with its earliest incarnation, the Oak Creek Tavern being the IT spot for celebrities visiting in the 50s and 60s. Today, its menu is a creative one, filled with burgers, entrees, and wild game dishes that will make you remember simpler times. Open every day for lunch and dinner, it doesn’t matter which meal you attend at the Cowboy Club, it just matters that you try it at least once. Its Lil’ Buckeroos menu is designed to appeal to immature palates, but its adult menu is as sophisticated as a fine dining restaurant, without featuring inflated prices. Try the Elk Chops and be swept away!
Moondog’s Pizza and Dinner, 2481 Route 89A, 11 AM-9 PM
Pizza is a meal that everyone can get behind, being the one that ends squabbles and promotes peace, especially when that pizza comes from Moondog’s Pizza and Dinner. Offering a pretty large delivery area, tired travelers can spend an evening at home relaxing and recuperating from the day’s adventures. The restaurant itself is a cheerful space, featuring warm red walls and lots of wood table and chairs, each table offering enough space to hold the largest pizzas for hungry diners. The menu is a large one covering not just pizza, but calzones, burgers, subs, chicken, and pasta, so if for some obscure reason you don’t like pizza, there is sure to be a meal that you will fall in love with.
Maria’s Restaurant & Cantina, 6446 AZ-179 #212, Open Various Hours
We’re surprising ourselves by the realization that until now we haven’t mentioned a single Mexican restaurant. We will be remedying that shortly, with its own category, but for the moment, we want to concentrate on Maria’s Restaurant & Cantina. Offering traditional Mexican fare in casual surroundings, it is impossible to be unhappy when sitting at heavy wood tables with a bowl of chips and salsa in front of you! The menu offers no surprises, filled with spicy and cheesy goodness, just don’t ask us to choose our favorite, because EVERY dish should have its day and depending on our mood, our favorite changes on a daily basis!
Special Occasion Restaurants
Sedona is a magical town and if you are celebrating something special, a meal at these special occasion restaurants will give you something more to celebrate!
Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante, 2321 AZ 89A, 5 PM – 9 or 10 PM
Offering a Tuscan ambiance in the heart of Sedona, Dahl & Di Luca features white tablecloth topped tables, an extensive wine menu, and classic Italian dishes, this special spot was also voted one of the nation’s top romantic restaurants. If you really want to up the romance value, their prixe fixe menu elevates your dining experience.
Elote Café, 350 Jordan Road, Closed Sundays & Mondays, Open 5 PM-9 PM
Local celeb chef Jeff Smedstad has made a career out of traveling the deep south of Mexico and bringing variations of the best meals from those regions back to the US. Elote Café is an award-winning restaurant that has never delivered even a so-so meal, every bite is guaranteed to be your favorite. Named after a popular Mexican street food, (elote is actually on the menu if you want to sample it) the meals are farm to table and locally sourced whenever possible. The Duck Carnitas are something everyone should try, and if you are interested in trying out some of the recipes you may have tried during your meal to remember, Chef Jeff offers a featured recipe on his webpage, allowing guests to try his best work at home.
Che ah Chi, 525 Boynton Canyon Road, Open Various Hours
Serving breakfast and lunch from 6:30 to 3:30, and then closing until 5 PM and opening again for dinner, Che ah Chi also offers live music in the evenings for a dining experience you will love. Mangalista Pork Chops, Braised Elk Osso Bucco, and Venison Mole are just a few of the elevated dining options offered at this restaurant that overlooks the canyon. Sitting in the shadow of the red rocks, be sure to save room for their “Journey of Flavors through Chocolate,” taking a tour through life’s sweetest treat that will make you fall even deeper in love with the candy.
Savoring the Spice
The best part of any vacation is being able to enjoy a taste of the region and in Arizona that cuisine, is, of course, Mexican food. We were raised on quesadillas in a nation where most people are still eating grilled cheese sandwiches and once you sample this delicacy (assuming you haven’t already) we think you will want to make the cuisine of Mexico a regular addition to your own menu at home. Here are a few restaurants to try.
Javelina Cantina, 671 AZ-179, Open at 11 AM Every Day
Offering a dog-friendly patio overlooking the red rocks, the menu of Javelina Cantina is as joyful and welcoming as the restaurant itself. Vegans love this flavorful spot providing an extensive list of vegan and vegetarian dishes and if you can’t figure out which margarita you want to try, order a flight of them, and try them all! Their Chicken Mole Enchiladas are truly special and their Vegetarian’s Choice combo dish is hearty and filling enough that even die-hard carnivores won’t miss the meat.
El Rincon Restaurante Mexicano, 336 AZ-179, 11 AM – 8 PM
Authenticity matters to us in Sedona and the authentic flavors of El Rincon shine through every bite. A Sedona tradition since 1976, this restaurant features a menu that blends Mexican favorites with native Navajo food, presenting a taste that is unique to the region, one that will be your next obsession. Located in the heart of Tlaquepaque Arts Village, the serenity of its surroundings is embedded in the ingredients that make up every meal on the menu, and because there isn’t a meal that isn’t prepared with attention to all the details, we aren’t recommending a single dish, we recommend them all.
Come Home to Sedona.Org
There will be some nights when you want to stay in, feeling the need to rest, relax, and explore the amenities of your Sedona.Org vacation escape, and our fully equipped kitchens will ensure that no one needs to skip a meal! Make your own restaurant quality meals on professional style appliances and bring back the joy in cooking; reserve your favorite escape today, and take this Sedona dining guide with you on your next stay!
