Bella Vita Ristorante
Pappardelle Funghi, $17.95
Executive Chef Andrea Di Luca’s cozy new eatery, Bella Vita Ristorante, specializes in Italian cuisine including the most decadent, melt-in-your-mouth, homemade pasta. The Pappardelle Funghi is our favorite. Delicate, flat pappardelle noodles are topped with a bounty of wild mushrooms and dressed in a Champagne-shallot cream sauce. The sauce is light enough that it doesn’t mask the earthy taste of the toothsome mushrooms. The dish, like all of the pasta dishes here, is listed as a starter, but don’t let that fool you – it’s definitely a meal for one person, especially when you factor in the homemade, irresistible focaccia bread that arrives at your table as soon as you sit down.
Bella Vita Ristorante is located in Sedona Pines Resort. There’s a bar and two Old World-style dining rooms including one that features a romantic fireplace. Tables are adorned with linen tablecloths and napkins, and the windows boast wrought-iron details. Think date night!
Bella Vita Ristorante, 6701 SR 89A at Sedona Pines Resort (928-282-4540)
ChocolaTree Organic Oasis
Moroccan Magic, $11
When you think of vegetarian or vegan cuisine in Sedona, you think ChocolaTree Organic Oasis, owned by husband-and-wife team Kelly Johnson and Jen Marie. The menu includes breakfast, soups, salads, wraps, entrées, smoothies and, as the name implies, made-on-site raw chocolates. Grab a seat in the dining room or, better yet, the tranquil, spacious garden with its fruit trees and berry bushes.
The Moroccan Magic entrée is our favorite item on the menu. It features spiced quinoa (keen-wah), a grain that originated in the Andes mountains of South America, roasted pumpkin and sesame seeds, sautéed onion and garlic, parsley and raisins, all swimming in a bowl of sweet almond milk. The concoction is topped with grated carrot, and it’s addictive – a combination of sweet and spicy. If you like Indian cuisine, you’ll love this bowl. Complete your meal with an iced chai, which is surprisingly devoid of black tea. Instead it’s made with traditional spices, maple syrup and almond milk. Finish with a piece of that aforementioned raw chocolate, and you’ll almost forget you’re eating healthy.
ChocolaTree Organic oasis, 1595 W. SR 89A in West Sedona (928-282-2997)
Grille at ShadowRock
G-Flat, $12.25
If you think a sandwich requires cold cuts to be tasty, Salvatore Moscato, executive chef at Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa’s Grille at ShadowRock, says think again. Salvatore’s G-Flat features artisan flatbread folded like a taco and stuffed with roasted asparagus, mushrooms, yellow and red bell peppers, peppery arugula and hummus. It’s an absolute explosion of taste and color. The flatbread is crispy on the edges and soft in the center, and the veggies are tender and smokey. The sandwich comes with your choice of fries, sweet-potato fries, chips, fruit or salad. Finish the entire portion, and you’ll be full for hours.
We love to eat on the Grille’s outdoor, shaded patio with views of the surrounding green mesas. In the evening, there’s a cozy fire pit on the patio. Before your meal, grab a drink at the newly remodeled lounge located inside the restaurant.
Grille at ShadowRock at Hilton Sedona Resort & Spa, 90 Ridge Trail Drive in the Village of Oak Creek (928-284-6909)
