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Serenitie Restaurant & Burger Bar
There are nine gloriously creative burgers on the menu at Serenitie Restaurant & Burger Bar, and they are all named after Sedona hiking trails. We’ve tried a number of them, but we keep coming back to the very first burger on the menu: the Soldiers Pass. Like all of the burgers at Serenitie, the patty is made with a blend of beef brisket, chuck and sirloin. It’s topped with beer-infused cheddar (you had us at “beer-infused”), smoked bacon, watercress, tomato relish and a fried egg. The egg bun that cradles this delightfully messy concoction is smeared with porter mustard and black-garlic mayo. Vegetarians, take note: You can substitute a protein or vegan patty on this or any burger at Serenitie.
Savor your burger in the bar, in the main dining room or on the patio next to the kiva fireplace. The burgers are all served with a mound of razor-thin shoestring fries.
Serenitie Restaurant & Burger Bar, 7000 AZ-179 at The Collective Sedona in the Village of Oak Creek (928-284-2240)
Order This: Soldiers Pass, $12
Wash it Down With: A glass of Côtes du Rhône red wine
The Asylum Restaurant
The Asylum Restaurant in the Jerome Grand Hotel has long been renowned for its upscale menu, sophisticated wine list and killer views of Sedona and the Verde Valley. But did you know that the restaurant also offers up an exceptional burger on its lunch menu? The Mushroom Bacon Burger hits all the right notes: a chargrilled, hand-pressed patty is topped with a medley of sautéed shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms and onions along with strips of mesquite-smoked bacon, swiss cheese and mayo. It’s served with your choice of Kennebec fries, seasonal fruit or cottage cheese.
If it’s warm enough, enjoy your lunch on the covered outdoor patio. If you’d rather soak up the ambience of the spooky Jerome Grand Hotel (built in 1926 as United Verde Hospital and reportedly one of the most haunted spots in Jerome), get cozy in the Victorian-style dining room. Either way, you’ll be treated to a bird’s-eye view that extends all the way from Cottonwood to Sedona to the San Francisco Peaks.
The Asylum Restaurant, 200 Hill St. in Jerome (928-639-3197)
Order This: Mushroom Bacon Burger, $14.99
Wash it Down With: A glass of Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra Red Wine (the tasting room is just down the hill from the restaurant)
