One of the most contemporary and comfortable eateries in Sedona right now is Pump House Station Urban Eatery and Market in Tlaquepaque North (its name comes from its next-door neighbor, a historic water-pumping station). The interior features wood floors, a ceiling fan that resembles a galvanized windmill, a cozy stone fireplace, exposed ductwork and brick walls, Edison lightbulbs, a happening coffee station and a tiny bar that brings to mind a 1920s speakeasy. And your seating options? Choose from a plush banquette, community table, round high tables, counter, front porch, back patio or a lawn overlooking Oak Creek.
Happily, it isn’t just the ambience at Pump House that’s so charming – the menu is equally as inviting. First things first, peruse the cocktail menu. It just so happened the menu’s creator was our server during our visit, and he recommended two of his most original drinks: the Sedona Sidecar and the Martini à la Français. The Sidecar is a bright blend of Cognac, Grand Marnier, homemade syrup and lemon juice while the frothy martini features Absolut vodka, Chambord raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice. The dinner menu changes seasonally and, during our visit, included four options. We highly recommend the Beef Tenderloin Chimichurri, which arrives in a small cast iron skillet and features smashed potatoes, beets, asparagus, green beans, carrots, tomato, broccolini and squash. It’s topped with arugula and an Argentinian chimichurri sauce. The garlicky beef was impossibly tender with a delightful depth of flavor. Equally as tasty was the Salmon Petit Pea Risotto. A pan-seared Atlantic salmon filet arrived on a bed of creamy pea-and-cipollini-onion risotto. It was topped with crunchy pea tendrils that smelled like a spring garden.
Desserts are the creations of well-known Sedona pastry chef Amy Galbraith. The passionfruit tart might be one of the best non-chocolate desserts in Sedona while the four-layer chocolate ganache cake is moist, fluffy and wrapped in a decadent dark chocolate ganache. We were so comfortable and content that our dinner stretched nearly three hours. That’s high praise in our book. – Erika Ayn Finch. Photo by Deb Weinkauff.
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