Welcome back friends to part two of my Sedona Travel Guide. Today is all about good eats!
Travel is such a huge part of my life, both from a work and play perspective. But ever since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease over a year ago, the carefree aspect of wandering cobblestone streets in search of those hidden gems doesn’t exist anymore.
I’m really only able to travel with careful research before I go. This is ESPECIALLY true for international travel. That’s why I decided to start these travel guides. I wanted to document how folks that are gluten free can still enjoy some of the world’s best restaurants and bars.
This year is a jam-packed travel calendar for us, so look out for travel guides for London, Barcelona, Quebec and Montreal, the Maldives, Rome and the Amalfi coast.
Sedona, luckily, is a wellness mecca, so most places were incredibly accommodating. Also, Southwestern food by nature is generally very gluten free friendly. Here’s some of my favs from our adventure!
Eat:
L’Auberge de Sedona brunch – Brunch on the banks of a quiet creek, staring up at the gorgeous red rocks, this is a must, especially if you’re celebrating a special occasion. We went for my friend’s 33rd birthday lunch, and it was just spectacular not to mention a great deal.
Sunday brunch will set you back $54 a person. The champagne/ Mimosa/ Bloody Mary’s flowed freely for another $15. They also had plenty of gluten free options including a seasonal salads, an omelette bar and delicious, fudgy gluten free brownies for dessert.
Also at L’Auberge: Cress on Oak Creek – They offer a creekside prix fixe menu that looks incredibly romantic.
Mariposa – This is another great special occasion restaurant. Billed as a Latin Inspired Grill, this spot has incredible views of the red rocks, so I suggest going before or during sunset. There were plenty of options for gluten free foodies including fresh fish and tasty steaks. I started with an Ensalada Mixta, followed by the catch of the day, which was a blackened grouper served with quinoa and black beans. Super bummed I couldn’t take part in the triple queso truffle mac & cheese, but non GF people, enjoy! They had tons of interesting cocktail options as well.
Pumphouse Station– This place is ADORABLE. We didn’t end up eating here, but we stopped in to check it out after it was recommended to us. Charming decor, a great patio, and giant Mimosas, this seemed like a great place to stop for lunch or an afternoon cup of coffee.
Cucina Rustica – Finding gluten free pasta is a real treat on vacation (so sad to say!). Set in a romantic, garden setting, I found the food decent, but nothing spectacular. Also, from the owner of Mariposa.
SaltRock Southwest Kitchen: This was our hotel restaurant/ bar at the Amara Resort. The folks were great about our gluten free constraints. We only came here for appetizers and drinks, but the deviled eggs with pasilla-maple syrup were out of this world. The margarita and grilled corn are also not to be missed.
Other recommendations that we didn’t get to…
Elote
Chocolatree
Local Juicery
Tips & Tricks
- Boy things close early here! Not unusual for restaurants and bars to close at 9pm even on the weekends. However, if you’re looking for the teensiest bit of nightlife, there are two bars: Mooney’s Irish Pub and Olde Sedona Bar and Grill that stay open until 2am.
- If you ever find yourself in the tiny town of Page, AZ, and you’re Celiac, try Bonkers. Nothing fancy about this place, but the menu was marked with what was GF, and they offered gluten free bread and pasta.