The 10 Best Restaurants in Sedona

Best for Modern Mexican: Elote Café

This Sedona favorite serves dishes inspired by James Beard-nominated chef Jeff Smedstad’s travels through the Mexican cities of Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Puebla as well as Arizona. Try the braised, smoked pork cheeks with cascabel chile sauce or opt for the duck carnitas, paired with an aged tequila or mezcal. You'd be missing out by not trying the elote, fire-roasted corn with mayo, cotija cheese, and lime juice. Save room for the Cafe Elote, coffee mixed with almond-flavored tequila and Kahlua. Reservations are recommended to avoid a long wait.

Best for Ambiance and a View: Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill

The food here (think handmade empanadas, fried yucca, fresh fish, steaks with house-made chimichurri sauce) is amazing but the interior, designed by chef Lisa Dahl, is equally impressive. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame a panoramic view of the red rocks while two glass-enclosed wine vaults house more than 600 bottles of wine. Keep an eye out for decorative butterflies (mariposa is Spanish for butterfly) throughout the restaurant and on the patio.

As with Dahl’s other restaurants (Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Cucina Rustica, and Pisa Lisa), Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill features organic vegetables from Arizona farms, as well as meat and seafood from the best sources possible. Mariposa has a resort casual dresscod. That means no flip-flops, branded athletic wear, or hiking gear.

Best for a Special Occasion: Cress on Oak Creek

You can’t get any more romantic than Cress on Oak Creek at the five-star L’Auberge de Sedona resort. As you dine next to the running creek, lights flicker on tables draped with white linen, while stars twinkle between the leaves of sycamore trees overhead. Cress is open for a la carte breakfast, lunch, and dinner but the prix-fixe dinner with worth the splurge. Inspired by French, Spanish, and Italian cuisines the set menu impresses with seasonal offerings such as a salad with pink peppercorn ricotta and pomegranate vinaigrette and wagyu ribeye from Snake River Farm. Splurge on a bottle of red from Cress’ award-winning wine cellar, or end the evening with a Cognac, Armagnac, port, or dessert wine.

Best for Gastro Pub Fare: The Hudson

Relaxed and friendly, this neighborhood restaurant serves up delicious comfort food like Fireball chicken wings, burgers, chicken pot pie, and barbecue baby back ribs. For a more upscale meal, order a few bruschettas with unique toppings like BLT or brie, apples, and jam before getting the 22-ounce prime ribeye steak. If you'd like something lighter there are eight gourmet salads to choose from like the roasted beet salad with goat cheese and honey Dijon vinaigrette. On sunny days, sit on the patio and take in the views of Capitol Butte as you sip a local craft beer, glass of wine, or a specialty cocktail.

Best for Steaks and Seafood: The Golden Goose Grill

A favorite among locals, this family-owned bistro grills up some of the best beef in town at a reasonable price. Choose from the 12-ounce Delmonico ribeye, New York strip steak with mushroom gorgonzola sauce, or an 8-ounce filet mignon. Seafood lovers can opt instead for ginger-lime glazed Scottish salmon, sesame-crusted ahi tuna, or pan-seared sea scallops. When the weather is good, grab a seat on the dog-friendly patio.

Best for Italian: Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano

Long before Mariposa Latin Inspired Grilled came along, Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano dazzled Sedona with fresh pasta dishes like classico bolognese (house-made linguine with meat sauce) and seafood classics like calamari capesante (a calamari steak sauteed doré-style with a sauce of lemon, garlic, parsley, and white wine). Carnivores can slice into grilled filet mignon or marinated Australian lamb chops while gluten-free pasta options are available for those with dietary restrictions. Pair your entree with a glass of wine from the restaurant’s wine collection, which has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 15 consecutive years.

Best for Vegetarian: ChocolaTree Organic Oasis

Many Sedona restaurants offer vegetarian and even vegan options, but ChocolaTree Organic Oasis prepares 100 percent organic gluten-free cuisine using local, seasonal produce. Vegans and raw vegans will find plenty of options on the menu like a quesadilla made with a homemade lentil wrap and vegan chipotle paneer or a green goddess salad with kale, avocado, and herb pate, among other ingredients.

For breakfast, you can order avocado toast or a smoothie, and later in the day, you have your pick of salads, spring rolls, pizza, and sandwiches. Save room for dessert, though: ChocolaTree also crafts organic, stoneground chocolates sweetened with maple syrup or honey. On the go? The deli case makes it easy to pick up something to enjoy on a picnic or hike.

Best for a Quick Bite: Señor Bob’s Hot Dogs

If you want fast food, skip the McDonald’s with its turquoise arches and head to this West Sedona staple. Known for its hot dogs and burgers, Señor Bob’s Hot Dogs bakes its own buns on-site every morning, steaming them before stuffing each with a grilled Hebrew National quarter-pound all-beef frank. Add a side of the made-from-scratch fries for the perfect midday meal.

Best for Cocktails: SaltRock Southwest Kitchen & Craft Margaritas

Sometimes, you just want a good cocktail, a great view, and a few tasty bites. That’s when you make a beeline for SaltRock Southwest Kitchen & Craft Margaritas at Amara Resort and Spa. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this Southwestern restaurant has live music most evenings and pours the best margaritas in the city. Take a seat on the patio, and savor views of Snoopy Rock as you sip a West Fork margarita, made with mezcal and jalapeño-infused Jimador Blanco tequila. Small plates like ceviche, pork belly tostadas, and tacos make a perfect light snack, but you can order fresh fish or grilled meat for a heartier meal, too.

Best for Breakfast: Coffee Pot Restaurant

You’ll have to get up pretty early in the morning to avoid the breakfast rush at this family-owned restaurant, named after Coffee Pot Rock and known for its 101 omelet offerings. Plan to spend some time perusing the list, which ranges from your basic ham and cheese to the much more adventurous jelly, peanut butter, and banana omelet. The menu also features Belgian waffles, French toast, pancakes, eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy, huevos rancheros, and a breakfast burrito. Although breakfast is served all day, you can start ordering from the lunch menu at 11 a.m. until close at 2 p.m.