There are many great restaurants in Sedona and today’s Gimme 5  highlights five of my favorite ones. The restaurants vary from Mexican to Italian to the local fare. I have been to all of these restaurants several times so I have a good idea of the repeat quality, which is good at each of the restaurants covered today.

Their Grilled Cheese on Texas Toast

1. The Cowboy Club – I love the Cowboy Club, which is on 89A in uptown Sedona. It is full of locals and tourists. The popular food here is western fare. My personal favorite is the combo appetizer platter of cactus, buffalo, and rattlesnake. It was great fun to order this platter with my kids and watch them try everything! They serve a lot of food so sharing is a good idea! I have not been in the Silver Saddle Room upstairs because I have been there in large groups or we have sat outside, but it serves the same menu and is for adults. Put your favorite cowboy boots on and head on down to the Cowboy Club!

2. Rene at Tlaquepaque – this is mostly the type of restaurant that you want to go to for a special occasion dinner. I went there with about 15 people and we had a nice long dinner. The food is old school, french (continental) cuisine with a little modernity thrown in for good measure! It is located in a very nice shopping are near the intersection of Highway 179 and 89A.

3. Oaxaca Restaurant – Oaxaca features traditional Mexican food more than tex mex. It was more authentic than most Mexican restaurants. It is in uptown on 89A and features a patio with a spectacular view of the Sedona scenery. My kids loved this place. The restaurant is a little like a rabbit warren  inside with a few small rooms and various seating places along with a big room facing the patio and view. It is beautifully decorated with colorful Mexican tile. Bring a huge appetite – they serve enormous platters of  food. My favorites are the chili rellenos and huevos rancheros.

4. Cucina Rustica Dahl & di Luca – Now, these are really two restaurants – one is the original Dahl & di Luca, and their sister restaurant, Cucina Rustica is on Highway 179. I prefer Cucina Rustica, which is the newer one. It features nice, simple, very tasty, traditional, Italian dishes. I have never had a meal here that wasn’t great! Sometimes it is very crowded and you have to wait – but the bar is long and the martinis are inviting. My favorite place to sit and eat here is outside on the patio.

5. Full Moon Saloon – now, technically this is really a bar and not a restaurant. I have only snacked here, drank a lot of beer, played a lot of pool, and sang a little karaoke. Anyone remember These Boots Were Made for Walking? Some karaoke artists took themselves a little too seriously, but the pool games were totally fun. The fire pits outside were a nice place to hang out while waiting for an open pool table.  This bar is one of the only spots in Sedona (and this one is in the same area/complex as Cucina Rustica, down the hill from the Hilton) that is open past 11 pm and serves any food after 9 pm.

I do have another restaurant that I would like to return to but, I can’t remember the name. It is a couple of doors down from Cucina Rustica down the hill from the Hilton. It had clean lines and great modern food. I’ll have to take a look when I am there again and figure out what it’s name is 🙂

Don’t forget to leave a comment – especially if you have a favorite restaurant in Sedona.