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On Location: When You're Hungry in Sedona
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Next time you’re in town, make a beeline for these spots
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BY BARBARA PECK
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A roasted corn appetizer at the Elote Cafe; typical red-rock scenery just outside town.
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This can’t be right, I thought as my car approached the water’s edge in Banjo Bill Campground. But they did say I had to drive through the creek. Night had fallen and rain was pelting down. Determined to reach my destination, I forged on, following the road as the car tires splashed through a good six inches of water.
FORDING THE STREAM
Earlier that day, I’d been chatting with a sales person at Garland’s Indian Jewelry. “You really should try to eat at Garland’s Lodge while you’re here,” she told me. “It’s not easy to get a table, since most of them go to the lodge’s overnight guests, but sometimes a few spots are available.”
I’d heard tell of Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge, and I’d been impressed with the Garland family’s rug and jewelry shops in Sedona. When I showed interest in the lodge’s dinner, my adviser (actually a Garland family friend who was just filling in) offered to call. “You’re in luck!” she told me.
That night at the creek, I wasn’t giving up easy—I’d already driven eight miles north of Sedona to get where I was. Gritting my teeth, I drove through and five minutes later I was making a soggy entrance into the main lodge. After a warm greeting, the staff steered me into the lounge, a cozy room where a welcome fire burned and guests were enjoying cocktails. At 7 p.m. sharp we were all directed to our assigned family-style seats. (Private tables can be requested but aren’t always available.) Traveling on assignment usually means eating alone, so I was happy to share a table, especially when I discovered that two of my four companions were RCI members.
Chef Amanda Stine prepares the set four-course menu each evening, using vegetables and fruit grown organically in the lodge’s gardens. On that wet fall evening we dined on pumpkin apple soup; a mixed green salad with roasted figs; roast chicken with wild mushrooms and thyme, accompanied by an orzo pilaf and braised kale; and a bittersweet chocolate tart. Well worth the watery beginning. 8067 N. Rte. 89A; 929-282-3343; garlandslodge.com; dinner, $40* per person for non-guests. Open early April 2 through mid-November.
WAITER, WAITER, PERCOLATOR
Most visitors to Sedona have breakfast at least once at the Coffee Pot Restaurant; some go every day they’re in town. The diner is actually named for the rock formation called the Coffee Pot, which is conveniently located just behind and shaped like an old-fashioned percolator. The sign outside says “101 Omelettes,” but the huge menu lists much more besides that. There’s a patio out back, a family section, and best of all, breakfast all day—Belgian waffles, huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, whatever your heart desires. 2050 W. Rte. 89A; 928-282-6626; coffeepotsedona.com; breakfast for two, $25; no dinner.
GET IN LINE
For my third recommendation, I’m passing on advice I heard from others. People rave about the Elote Cafe, hidden in the roadside King’s Ransom motel. You can’t reserve; to grab a table, I’m told, you should line up well before it opens at 5 p.m. I wasn’t in Sedona long enough to eat there, but apparently no one ever regrets waiting for chef Jeff Smedstad’s outstanding Mexican dishes. If you can’t spare the time, order The Elote Cafe Cookbook and see what all the fuss is about. 771 Rte. 179; 928-203-0105; elotecafe.com; dinner for two, $60; open Tues.–Sat.
*Prices do not include drinks, tax or tip.
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: February 13, 2012
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Photos: Janise Witt; Thinkstock
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