Sedona Restaurants?

**criscam** · 08-20-2014, 03:38 PM

Heading down to Sedona last wknd in sept for anniversary. Got lodging down and a few ride ideas but haven't found a ton of info on good eats. Thinking a nicer place one night (are l'auberge or dahl & diluca worth it?), maybe hit the brewery one night (decent beer?), heard the Mexican food isn't the greatest there but would be up for something (elote?). any other recs appreciated. breakfast as well as lunch.
someone point me in the right direction if I missed some suggestions in one of the other Sedona threads. thx.
prob wrong forum but maybe someone will talk about bikes

**smmokan** · 08-20-2014, 04:28 PM

I was there a few days in March so I have some thoughts:

- First, hit up RaisingArizona and have him take you for a ride. Dude is a ripper and he's a great guy too.
- For breakfast, Wildflower Bread Company is great. It's a bit like Panera, but they have a better vibe and better breakfast.
- The brewery has surprisingly decent food, and their beer is fairly legit too.
- If you guys hike, check out Bear Mountain. Views are incredible.

I was a little underwhelmed with dining options while in Sedona, but then again my wife and I aren't foodies and it's not the reason why we went to Sedona in the first place. Things seemed expensive for what they were.

Here's a small gallery from my trip back in March.
http://www.stevemokanphotography.com...a-Trip-Mar-14/

**mntlion** · 08-20-2014, 04:49 PM

following thread for an Oct/Nov trip....

**Rico in Flag** · 08-20-2014, 05:35 PM

Go to the original Oak Creek Brewing on Yavapai Drive if you just want to quaff some pints and limited munchies. The patio is a great place to sit and sip after a ride. The Oak Creek Brewing in Tlalaquepaque village has the same beer, a full food menu. But I've had hit or miss service, when their price should include good service.

Elote is excellent. But think high end gourmet Mexican food, not your average Mex smothered in cheese and beans. Everything I've had there is so damn good. The blood orange margaritas are to die for. And get there at 5:00 for the first seating, otherwise you'll have to wait a couple hours for tables to open up. Not sure if they take reservations.

Hands down the best place to go for lunch is Indian Gardens. Drive north on Hwy 89A for a couple miles past city limits, it'll be on your left. They have a great beer selection in the coolers, and beer on tap. And their lunch menu has the best sammiches, plus some daily specials, I've had anywhere. Get the Ferrari. And sit out back on the patio, it's such a chill place under giant sycamore trees.

Both L'Auberge and Dahl & Diluca are excellent, and commensurately expensive, though the setting alone would justify the price, maybe more so than the food and service. Then again, you can't go wrong.

And Hiro's Sushi at the Hyatt in uptown is quite good also.

**criscam** · 08-21-2014, 10:41 AM

thanks for the info you two.

**wendigo** · 08-21-2014, 12:08 PM

blood orange margaritas<- damn good. early seating, like show up early or wait in a huge line or show up about 2 hours after opening, no reservations.
sedona memories makes a decent sandwich, they are hudge as i recall nice riding lunch.

**raisingarizona13** · 08-21-2014, 01:14 PM

For legit mexican food without the gringo fluff check out Tortas De Fuego in west Sedona right on 89A. As already mentioned the Wildflower Bread Co. is a good spot for breakfast or anytime really. I'm a poor man so I don't know of anything but the budget stuff. The Hot Dog Joint is closed right now for a remodel

. An awesome spot for apres ride is 3 or 4 miles up 89A in Oak Creek Canyon at Indian Gardens. Awesome patio, good people, really good beers. If you need a guide let me know in advance, my life is a bit hectic now. Between school, work, and parenting it's hard to get out but I still get in a ride or two a week. I xc ride but my favorite aspect of Sedona riding is the technical steeps and lines with some exposure.

**raisingarizona13** · 08-21-2014, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

I was there a few days in March so I have some thoughts:

- First, hit up RaisingArizona and have him take you for a ride. Dude is a ripper and he's a great guy too.
- For breakfast, Wildflower Bread Company is great. It's a bit like Panera, but they have a better vibe and better breakfast.
- The brewery has surprisingly decent food, and their beer is fairly legit too.
- If you guys hike, check out Bear Mountain. Views are incredible.

I was a little underwhelmed with dining options while in Sedona, but then again my wife and I aren't foodies and it's not the reason why we went to Sedona in the first place. Things seemed expensive for what they were.

Here's a small gallery from my trip back in March.
http://www.stevemokanphotography.com...a-Trip-Mar-14/

Thanks man! I do love to share rides with out of town folks. It's all about spreading the stoke!

Finstah · 08-21-2014, 01:51 PM

Elote Cafe.

You have to get there at 5 p.m. when they open to put your name in or you will not get a table. You cannot call in a reservation. It's excellent.

**donkeykong** · 08-22-2014, 01:08 AM

Dahl and Diluca really is excellent, and romantic for an anniversary dinner. The other suggestions are good too. just avoid that Mexican place that's highly visible in Uptown, that was a terrible, overpriced, tourist trap experience. if you go to a Mexican restaurant and the margaritas are no bueno, leave immediately..

**Rico in Flag** · 08-22-2014, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by donkeykong

just avoid that Mexican place that's highly visible in Uptown, that was a terrible, overpriced, tourist trap experience.

Ha! That's "Oaxaca", and it does suck.

That Mex place RA mentioned, Tortas del Fuego, is legit.

**raisingarizona13** · 08-22-2014, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by ricorides

Ha! That's "Oaxaca", and it does suck.

That Mex place RA mentioned, Tortas del Fuego, is legit.

A lot of the locals call that place Oh Kaka. I think I missed the part about this being a anniversary vacation. As donkeykong mentioned Dahl and Diluca from what I have heard is awesome. Elote has been the most talked about restaurant for years now. I haven't been there but everyone says great things about it.

If you have time Jerome is worth checking out. It's only about a 25 minute drive out of Sedona.

This is an edit I threw together a few years back. If you haven't been to Sedona yet for riding get stoked, it's awesome.

**criscam** · 08-25-2014, 12:13 PM

thanks for the advice all. nice edit RA. yea pretty psyched to ride down there.

**mntlion** · 08-25-2014, 12:51 PM

thanks for the video. Its on the list for this fall.

**criscam** · 09-04-2014, 12:12 PM

off topic question but any idea where I could find a car bike rack in the area? i'll give the shops a call but if no luck there, not sure of my options. I have a small trunk rack that may fit in a duffel but would rather not go that route.
prob be riding some on the W side of town (and prob renting at bike and bean) so thinking we'll need/want one.

**donkeykong** · 09-05-2014, 12:22 PM

if you're coming thru PHX you could borrow my Kuat 2" hitch rack..

**criscam** · 09-05-2014, 08:36 PM

Thx for the offer dk. Flying into phx but not sure if we'll have a vehicle w a hitch or not. Will let you know.

**criscam** · 10-01-2014, 07:23 AM

figured i'd give some info for future searches. hit a lot of the reccs given here.

wildflower-decent fast/cheap breakfast.
indian gardens-as mentioned, a great post ride lunch spot. nice patio out back, great sandwhiches, and very good beer selection w local taps and singles you can buy from the cooler.
dahl and diluca-hit this for our anniv dinner. about what I expected. nice atmosphere, good food, good wine selection, fairly pricey.
elote café-debated going due to the talk of long waits. we decided just to swing by and see how bad it looked. hostess said about an hour and change but there was no drink line and we scored some patio seats so ended up staying. didn't get there till 6:30 or so and wait was about an hour. food was outstanding as were the margs.
we tried to go the the brewery the night we arrived but found out the last seating was at 8:15 (kinda weird for a fri night?) ended up eating at our hotel (saltrock at amare resort). great outdoor patio overlooking some nice redrock. food was very good albeit a little pricey.
all in all a great trip. thx for all the suggestions!

**smmokan** · 10-01-2014, 08:50 AM

This is the bike sub-forum.... did you ride?

**criscam** · 10-01-2014, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by smmokan

This is the bike sub-forum.... did you ride?

wait, there's riding down there?

yes, riding was great. we def lucked out w/ the weather (sat was looking like a wash and it did rain at some point ea day we were there but managed 3 days of riding and conditions were great). were kind of limited as to what/where we rode having no bike transport and the wife being on the int side but hit slim shady, templeton, baldwin, eazy breezy, HT, lama, little horse, and a few others all from the bike and bean (big shout out to them).
a few phone pics: