The Best Family Restaurants in Sedona and Scottsdale
Foodie Finds in Sedona:
Quick and Informal:
You won't be hard-pressed to find memorable food in this tiny town! These were some of my favorites, to satisfy any craving:
- The Hudson had great "all American" fare food. We stumbled in after a 5 hour hike, and while we probably were not the best dressed customers covered in red-rock dust, we made up for our appearance with an enormous food order! (7 months pregnant + 5 hour hike= 12 dishes). Just kidding. However, we did order an embarrassing amount of food. Don't miss out on the pretzel bun bread rolls. Reservations recommended.
- Thai Spices is the place to go to satisfy your curry craving. It was casual, quick, and most importantly, the food was authentic and tasty. I recommend the Massaman curry and Pad see-ew.
- If you’re craving some traditional Mexican fare, stop by Tamaliza; it’s family owned and makes the best home-made tamales in town.
My all-time favorites:
The gold and silver medal of Sedona dining go to Elote and Mariposa. I visited both these restaurants during my babymoon, and a year later with the baby. Here's what to know ahead of time:
- Elote is ranked as one of the best Mexican restaurants in the state. It opens at 5pm, but arrive at 4:15 pm to wait in line. A 45 minute wait earlier in the day will be far shorter than any wait time later in the night. The restaurant does not take reservations. It's a casual spot, (in fact, it's located within a motel lodge), but still delivers quality and authentic cuisine. Be sure to order the elote (corn), the baja fish tacos, the guacamole, seabass asado and chipotle shrimp. The Elote servers were also pros at handling babies and toddlers, and the restaurant was extremely family friendly.
- Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill has arguably the best restaurant view in town. Plan to eat during sunset, and request a table outside when making your reservation. It's an excellent date-night spot, but they were also accommodating when I showed up a year later with an infant. A tip for any parents venturing here with kids: arrive early and let your kids work up an appetite running around the large green lawn in front of the restaurant.
Foodie Finds in Scottsdale:
My favorite restaurant in Scottsdale is La Hacienda, located at the Princess Fairmont resort. In 2019, the restaurant owners revamped both the space, and the menu. I braced for impact, fearing it would never be the same. On the contrary, it's even better! Make sure to order the guacamole (of course), sweet corn tamales, squash blossom empanadas, queso fundido, and plantains. Our friends ordered the chicken mole and shrimp tacos and loved both dishes. It's also extremely family friendly; the waiter came over armed and ready with books, toys, and crayons. Other restaurant favorites in Scottsdale include Proof and Saguaro Blossom at the Four Seasons. The lobster roll and fish tacos are delicious!
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