Cress Restaurant, Photo Credit: L’Auberge de Sedona
Thanks to the world-class resort hotels found in Sedona, the desert city is blessed with a sophisticated dining scene that ranges from the casual to the sublime. Here are the five best places to eat in Sedona:
Cress Restaurant on Oak Creek. Consistently named a top Arizona restaurant, the elegant dining room situated near the rippling creek, attentive servers and innovative cuisine make this a memorable experience. The Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant inside L’Auberge de Sedona balances sophistication with its rustic setting while the seasonal menu focuses on locally grown ingredients.
Dine inside or out on tables splendidly set with linens and fresh-cut flowers while ordering from the full bar or the wine list, which received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Cucina Rustica. When you step into Cucina Rustica, you’re entering another world: a culinary experience set in the hills of the Tuscan countryside. The restaurant’s earthy colors envelop you and servers are eager to please.
Whether you visit the small bar for drinks and appetizers or head to one of the stunning dining rooms, the relaxing atmosphere enhances each exquisite dish. The farm-to-table practice delivers fresh and seasonal flavors.
Che Ah Chi Restaurant. Whether you dine inside or outside on the wine bar terrace, incredible views of the pinnacles and spires of Boynton Canyon will permeate your fine dining experience. Dishes that showcase contemporary American cuisine, with a pinch of the Southwest, are paired with an award-winning wine list.
Tucked inside Enchantment Resort, the distinctive restaurant boasts expansive windows that look out on the picturesque canyons.
Silver Saddle at the Cowboy Club. Enjoy the romantic yet rustic decor of the Silver Saddle at the Cowboy Club in uptown Sedona. Sit back in a comfortable suede booth in front of a beautifully appointed table. The floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace is like you’d find in the Old West.
The restaurant specializes in creating and executing high desert and American Southwest fare. To get a flavor of the cuisine, try the nopalitos cactus fries served with prickly pear sauce, rattlesnake meatballs in green chilies or elk chops.
Elote Café. Sedona locals and visitors will stand in line for up to an hour to get a table at Sedona’s favorite modern Mexican restaurant. While you wait, order sangria, a cocktail or a blood orange limeade and some popcorn and sit by the pool.
Former Scottsdale star chef Jeff Smedstad starts with local and organic ingredients to create delicacies such as huitlacoche soup made with corn truffle, lamb adobo and smoked pork cheeks. It is no wonder the loyal fans are lining up.
