Your September Dining Guide: What to Eat at Sedona Center
September in Sedona is made for lingering. The summer heat begins to ease, red rock views invite you to stay awhile, and an afternoon exploring Uptown can easily turn into drinks, appetizers and an early dinner before the sun slips behind the mesas.
This month, we’re skipping straight to one of our favorite parts of the menu: the starters. Whether you’re looking for something fresh and unexpected, cheesy and indulgent, or big enough for the whole table to dig into, the restaurants at Sedona Center have an appetizer for just about every craving. Better yet? Bring a few friends and turn these four stops into your own Sedona Center tasting tour.
Open Range Grill & Tavern: Southwestern Cactus Dip
You can’t come to red rock country without trying something with a little Southwestern personality.
At Open Range Grill & Tavern, the Southwest Cactus Dip delivers exactly that. This warm, cheesy dip gets a distinctly desert-inspired twist from cactus relish and arrives with house-made corn tortilla chips ready for scooping.
Grab a seat overlooking the red rocks, order a margarita and pass the chips around the table. It’s casual, shareable and exactly the kind of dish that feels right at home in Sedona.
Find Open Range Grill & Tavern at the upper level of Sinagua Plaza at Sedona Center. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 928-282-0002 for more information.
Sedona Pizza Company: Berries & Burrata
For something on the lighter side, Berries & Burrata offers a fresh counterpoint to the wood-fired pizzas and house-made pastas at Sedona Pizza Company.
Creamy burrata paired with bright, juicy berries creates that irresistible sweet-and-savory combination that makes you keep going back for another bite. It’s an especially inviting way to start a leisurely September lunch—and a reminder that there’s plenty to explore on the menu before the pizza even arrives.
Find Sedona Pizza Company at the lower level of Sinagua Plaza at Sedona Center. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 928-203-5656 for more information.
Don Diego Mexican Cuisine: House Nachos
Some appetizers require everyone to claim their territory the moment they hit the table.
The House Nachos at Don Diego Mexican Cuisine are that kind of starter. Made for sharing, they’re the perfect companion to an afternoon on the patio, where a margarita, a plate piled high with nachos and some Uptown people-watching can quickly become an experience of its own. Add carne asada or chicken to make them even heartier.
Our advice? Don’t underestimate how quickly they’ll disappear.
Find Don Diego Mexican Cuisine at the Trading Post building at Sedona Center. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 928-203-5655 for more information.
Canyon Breeze Restaurant: Chili Cheese Fries
Sometimes you want light and fresh. Other times, you want fries covered in chili and cheese.
Canyon Breeze Restaurant understands. The Chili Cheese Fries are pure comfort food: warm, hearty and designed for grabbing a forkful between sips of your favorite drink. Take them out to the patio, settle in with one of Sedona Center’s signature red rock views and enjoy the kind of September afternoon that makes you forget you had anywhere else to be.
Find Canyon Breeze Restaurant at the Canyon Breeze building at Sedona Center. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Call 928-282-2112 for more information.
Come Hungry, Start Sharing
Four restaurants. Four very different starters. One delicious reason to spend a little more time at Sedona Center this September.
Order one before dinner, share a few with friends or make an afternoon of tasting your way through Uptown. However you do it, come hungry. Don’t be surprised if the appetizers turn out to be the main event.
Plan your September visit to Sedona Center and discover what you’re craving.