Where To Eat In Sedona: The Best Sedona Restaurants (& More)

Once I booked my ticket to Sedona, one of the first things I started to gather intel on was where to eat, and I started making a long list of the best Sedona restaurants to try out.

The city is known for an up-and-coming foodie scene focused on interesting Southwest cuisine (and quite a bit of Italian and Mediterranean, to boot), unique dishes, and locally-sourced ingredients, and I was excited to explore some of the “must-eat” places on my list.

See my other posts about planning a trip to Sedona!

15+ Sedona Travel Tips For An Amazing Trip

What To Do In Sedona: How To Plan An Awesome 3+ Day Itinerary

Sedona Hiking Guide: Must-Do Trails & Some To Skip

A Breathtaking Sunrise Hike Up Sedona’s Cathedral Rock

A Guide to Sedona Wineries, The Perfect Day Trip

Hiking Sugarloaf Loop Trail (Highly Underrated!!)

Kachina Woman At Sunrise: Hiking In Sedona’s Boynton Canyon

Airport Mesa & Vortex…My Favorite Sedona Sunset Hike

Visiting Sedona’s Unique Chapel Of The Holy Cross

Review:  A Stay At Sedona’s “Luxury” Enchantment Resort

Cool Stops to Make on the Drive Between Phoenix & Sedona

In this post I’ve outlined my experiences at different restaurants to help you figure out where to eat in Sedona…I’m going with regular restaurants first and then will get into coffee, pastries, drinks, and more toward the end.

I’ve also provided an extensive list of restaurants I didn’t get to try at the end of the post.

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As I mentioned in my tips for an awesome Sedona trip, reservations are LIFE!  You definitely need to make reservations ahead of time for anywhere you really want to go (at least for dinner).

In fact I tried to make reservations prior to my trip for the ultra-popular Mariposa and Elote (two of the best restaurants in Sedona) but was unable to get in…Mariposa was booked for a full month *past* my trip.

I’ll start with the two restaurants that were at Enchantment, the resort I was staying in.  Normally hotel restaurants don’t warrant much mention, but Enchantment is one of the best resorts in the area, and people come visit the restaurants on their own merits.

Tii Gavo (at Enchantment Resort)

I was a little nervous, because recent reviews for Tii Gavo (especially the service) weren’t great.  But I’d just checked in and was tired from a long day of travel, so decided to sit around the firepit with a drink.

But I found the service to be good, the cocktail list really solid (I had a few), and the ambiance lovely…I watched a pretty, quiet sunset while the wind whipped and firepit crackled.

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Eventually I decided to try out their food since I was too tired to feel like going out, and was glad I did.

The short rib empanadas were great, yucca fries were really good, and the Southwest salad was pretty good too.  The elote was just so-so.  Overall this was a nice option to have at my fingertips.

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Che Ah Chi (at Enchantment Resort)

Che Ah Chi (pronounced “chee-ah-chee”) is the one reservation I made ahead of time, and even then the day and time I wanted wasn’t available.  It will show up on most “best restaurants in Sedona” lists, and I had a few different friends tell me it was a must-try.

But I did secure a Friday 6:15p reservation and asked for the patio (which I got) because I wanted to watch the sunset.  They seated me and brought me a Violette Key cocktail.

If you’re considering a stay at Enchantment, here’s my detailed review

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The service was great and the food was interesting—though execution a little uneven.  To start, I had the lightly fried blue corn kumato tomato with a strawberry/lemon/basil kind of salsa on top.  Lovely idea but I found it a little bland and underwhelming, textures a little weird.

I had the bison steak but subbed in a different dish’s accompaniments…including buttered popcorn purée that was delicious!  I also had the goat cheese lemon panna cotta, which YUM!  Overall this was a good dinner and the setting can’t be faulted.  Definitely make reservations ahead!

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The Hudson

If you’re looking for upscale good American food and cool ambiance, The Hudson is a great choice.  It was slammin’ when I got there, and I waited patiently hoping to snag the next open place at the bar.  Apparently their patio also has beautiful views of Sedona’s red rocks, but it was already dark when I got there so it didn’t matter.

I don’t think I ordered as well as I could have, and my old fashioned cocktail was just okay (but they do have an interesting cocktail list overall).  I got the crispy chicken sandwich and it was fine, great textures although a little bland. Good fries though!

From my research, it sounds like some of their can’t-miss items are prickly-pear ribs, fireball chicken wings, and butternut squash ravioli, if that’s helpful.  I did try to call ahead for reservations but they were booked…however they do save some space for walk-ins and the bar is first-come.

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Pump House Station

This place is super cute and quirky, with both indoor and some outdoor seating.  I came late morning after an accidentally-long hike and gorged on avocado toast and eggs Benedict and some iced coffee.

Everything was decent, nothing to write home about but refueled me after all that calorie burn.  I’m told their coffee is great but pastries have gone downhill a little.

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Dellepiane

I was STARVING after a lot of hiking, and desperate to find someplace open.  Dellepiane was close to my hotel but I wanted nothing more than to eat in my hotel room with my PJs on, even knowing burgers and fries are never as good as takeout.

Their burgers have an Argentinean flair, and they have delicious empanadas as well.  The restaurant’s atmosphere seemed cool too.  My burger was great and so were the sweet potato fries (regular fries were just okay but I’ll give some leeway on takeout fries).  I was so hungry when I got it that I forgot to take pics…but definitely worth a visit!

Saltrock at Amara Resort

I almost stayed at Amara, and it’s now at the top of my list for any return to Sedona.  I wish I’d had a chance to eat a real meal at Saltrock (their restaurant), but instead had a light breakfast after a sunrise hike.

The ambiance is great and the service was good.  I just had an avocado toast and cappuccino, and enjoyed the patio (while freezing in the morning chill).  They do have complimentary valet, just FYI.  For dinner I’d definitely make reservations.

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Creekside Bistro

Creekside Bistro ended up as one of my mainstays for the sole reason that they’re one of the few places I could find open in the “shoulder” times (like mid-afternoon).

As such, I ate here a couple times for breakfast and a couple times for lunch.  They also have a patio with a great view and bar seating if you can’t get a table.

First thing you should know is that their portions are HUGE.  I had the sweet potato fries (yum!) and goat cheese salad with salmon…the salmon was cooked perfectly and the salad was really good (and enormous).  One note, they have kombucha on the menu but it’s just a bottle from the store.

I went back for a late lunch on the weekend (different menu) and got the umami burger bowl and sangria, with insanely huge portions.  Breakfast a couple days later was french toast (fine but nothing amazing).

Up the Creek Bistro

A former gas station with views overlooking Oak Creek, Up the Creek Bistro now serves an eclectic mix of food and wine (including local flights).  This is a great option if you’re doing day trips out to the wineries or further afield, as it’s about 20 minutes outside Sedona.

Knowing I was visiting multiple wineries afterward, I tried a hard kombucha instead of wine, and had the fish tacos, mac & cheese, and Brussels sprouts (yes, I realize that’s a weird combo, I DO ME).  All delicious, and great service…worth a visit if you’re out this way!  Reservations strongly recommended for peak meal times.

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Mesa Grill

Full disclosure, I only had a drink here, so didn’t try their food.  It was slammed (fairly close to sunset) and just felt super intense.  I got a white sangria at the bar and watched a plane go off, then headed over to walk down to the Airport Mesa hike for sunset.  Service seemed harried but they did their best.

A number of people raved about it though, so I may not have had a typical experience.  From my perspective it was skippable.

89Agave

I just stopped here for a drink and a snack mid-afternoon on a HOTTTTTT day.  I’d heard they had great cocktails (including a prickly pear margarita) but their cocktail list seems to be entirely margaritas.  Since I’m not a tequila person I had a little more trouble finding a drink.

I got guacamole and churros, both were solid but not amazing.

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Layla’s Bakery and Sedonuts

Okay, now getting into the good stuff….coffee and pastries!

On my first morning I stopped by Sedonuts and got the apple fritter and mini vortex (the bottom two in the pic below).  Both really good, though a little sweet.

I also stopped by Layla’s and got the almond croissant and kouign-amann (“queen-uhmon”, which was the winner of the whole group!).  I snagged a honey bee pollen latte from them as well.  I stopped here almost every morning during my trip, trying different pastries and lattes, but always getting that kouign-amann.

Layla’s absolutely is at the top of my best restaurants in Sedona list when it comes to pastries…it’s a MUST!

Creekside Coffee

Ahhhh I loved this place!  It’s in the same shopping center as Creekside Bistro, and I came here every morning like clockwork as soon as they opened.  I had both regular and bulletproof lattes that were great, and an iced baklava latte (with cardamom almond & some orange blossom water) that was way too floral for me.

Sadly it seems like they’ve closed (though I think might be reopening somewhere else??  Watch their social channels or website!).  I hope they do re-open, because this was one of those really special local places…even I (who am a deep introvert) somehow got sucked into a 3-hour conversation (and then text chain) with two hippies and a nurse…which sounds like a sitcom.

There was just a warmth here and I’m sad to think of it closed.  It was also one of the few places open really early (6:30am).

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Synergy

This place feels SO Sedona 🙂  A “coffee and elixir bar”, Synergy is super quirky and cute, quite unique.

I got the Dandy Cold Brew a few different times, which was so refreshing.  Their menu is heavily vegan (as well as soy- and gluten-free, low glycemic, etc), and I was really impressed with their handmade vegan chocolates in all sorts of flavors.

Vino di Sedona

I think they serve food too, but I was just here for a drink before my dinner reservation.  I sat out on the patio (which is great!) and ordered one of their mix-and-match flights.  They had live music, though the late afternoon person was…enthusiastic but not great.  They’re known for their live music though, so I’m assuming it gets better in the evening.

Definitely worth a stop if you want a glass of wine on a nice patio, or to try a lot of different wines!

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Explore Sedona’s wineries

I’ve done a deeper post on the wineries around Sedona, which are only 20 minutes from town and make an awesome little day trip.  I visited five different wineries in the area, four of which are all clustered together.  Most of the wineries do have some kind of food offering as well, whether just a cheese plate or something more substantial.

My hands-down favorite was D.A. Ranch, which has a sprawling, welcoming space, awesome live music, and such a cool vibe.  Because it has so much space to move around, you don’t have to worry about feeling crowded or long waits.

At the other wineries you definitely need to be aware of crowds and waits on weekends, and either make a reservation or visit during lighter times.

So you can see that I definitely explored as many of the best restaurants in Sedona that I was able to in my short visit!  That said, I couldn’t get to all of them and here are some of the other places I was dying to try:

• Mariposa – Fine dining with amazing views and beautiful architecture, this tops the list for best restaurants in Sedona.  The cuisine is South American-inspired (think empanadas, ceviches, chorizos, chimichurri), and you absolutely need reservations FAR in advance.
• Elote – Seriously everyone I talked to said to eat here, so it was at the top of my list for where to eat in Sedona.  They don’t usually take reservations (though have been during COVID), so come early or hang out at the bar and sip a prickly pear marg while you wait.
• Cress on Oak Creek at L’Auberge Resort – This is very upscale dining right on the creek, and “Conde Nast Traveler” named it one of the top 10 restaurants in the Southwest.
• Coffee Pot Restaurant – Supposed to be delicious breakfast diner with a huge menu (and portions to match).  I was sad I didn’t get to try their corned beef hash.  They’re home to 101 omelets.
• ChocolaTree Organic Eatery – A restaurant that claims to offer “nourishment for the mind, body, and soul”, they have both vegan and non-vegan offerings (think sandwiches and the like).
• Sound Bite Grill – Supposedly a great option for sunset dinner and drinks overlooking the red rocks, and also live music.
• Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano – Delicious-sounding upscale Italian, great for a special occasion (definitely make reservations)
• Timo – A wood oven wine bar located inside the Los Abrigados Resort & Spa, they were sadly temporarily closed when I visited. It’s supposed to be a cozy casual space for tapas and wine, and have daily wine sampling choices.
• Hideaway House – Great views of the red rocks and homey Italian-American food and pizzas in a casual and cozy spot with gorgeous views.
• Cucina Rustica – Located in Oak Creek, this cozy and rustic spot serves Mediterranean-inspired Italian food; try and get a seat on the outdoor patio.
• REDS at Sedona Rouge Hotel – There aren’t a lot of nightlife options in Sedona, and I heard this is a great place to have a glass of wine later in the evening

Other U.S. foodie guides you’ll love:

• A Guide to Chicago’s Restaurants & Bars
• Where to Drink in Sonoma County When You Don’t Want Wine
• A Guide to Cincinnati’s Restaurants, Bars, Breweries, & Bakeries
• The Quest for the Best Old Fashioned in Louisville, KY

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