Cottonwood Restaurant Guide

Cork & Catch

Find a plethora of seafood dishes and plenty of wine at Cork & Catch. This restaurant is from the folks behind the catering company Rosalie’s of Sedona and has been open since 2012. Kick off your meal with oversized Bangkok Shrimp that’s tossed in-house seasoning and sweet chili sauce or a Garlic Cheese Bread board served with oven baked French bread with a trio of cheeses. Signature dishes include Bayou Sea Scallops and Prawns, seared scallops and prawns in a sweet bourbon ginger glaze and the Captain’s Catch, a smorgasbord of grilled prawns, calamari and breaded tilapia that’s served with house tartar sauce and cilantro lime cocktail sauce. The menu is rounded out by salad, steaks, burgers, chicken and pasta.
1750 E. Villa Drive (928-649-2675)

Blazin’ M Ranch

Cottonwood’s Blazin’ M Ranch is a true Western experience that offers dinner and a show. Gates open at 5 p.m., and guests can stroll around a recreated Western town and the ranch before dinner. Pop into a few shops, check out a museum, watch as staff members perform ropes tricks, and even take a tractor ride to check out the ranch’s animals. Starting at 6:30 p.m., guests can
enjoy a chuckwagon dinner featuring chicken and ribs, a foil-wrapped potato, cowboy beans, signature prickly pear coleslaw, flying biscuits and a homemade caramel apple crisp with ice cream for dessert. Mosey on up to the saloon bar to order drinks. Following dinner, the Blazin’ M Cowboys will take the stage and perform a one-hour show featuring cowboy poetry and humor.
1875 Mabery Ranch Road in Cottonwood (928-634-0334)

Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria

Merkin Vineyards

Tasting Room & Osteria Look forward to Arizona-centric wine and food at Merkin Vineyards Tasting Room & Osteria. Merkin Vineyards is owned by Tool frontman James Maynard Keenan, and
you can expect to find Merkin’s wine on the menu. The setting here is modern. The light-filled restaurant on the main drag in downtown Cottonwood features industrial-looking lights hanging over the bar, a copper-like ceiling and wood tables. Menus change with the seasons, but we’d recommend trying the signature “pink” pasta or the Merkin Mac & Cheese. The prickly pear-infused pasta with pancetta-mascarpone cream sauce, dusted with beet powder, is tasty, sweet and savory and an only-in-Arizona dish that makes us swoon every time we order it.
1001 N. Main Street (928-639-1001)

Bing’s Burger Station

A former gas and service station dating back to the 1940s that comes complete with a vintage car parked out front, Bing’s Burger Station is reminiscent of a classic diner. Look forward to fare that reflects this. Find burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads and a variety of sides from hand-cut fries to fried pickles. Finish your meal with a real ice cream milkshake made with vanilla, chocolate or strawberry that’s served in a waffle cone. The dog-friendly patio is a perfect place to enjoy your meal as you watch the cars drive by on Main Street.
794 N. Main Street (928-852-0109)

Pizzeria Bocce

When she decided to open a pizzeria, Bocce Executive Chef Michelle Jurisin traveled to Naples, Italy, to become certified in how to make pizza from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, and you can taste just how fresh and crisp the pizza is in every bite. Besides the pies, you also can enjoy salads and panini here. Our favorite seat in this contemporary Italian restaurant is at the gleaming marble bar so we can watch pizzas cooking in the wood-fired oven at this lively spot. You also can enjoy your meal alfresco on the bustling outdoor patio. Try classic pies like Margherita or creative options like Shrimp & Hot Peppers and Pesto Chicken. Appetizer highlights include the must-try Bocce Balls – the chef’s chicken and sausage meatballs in a spicy marinara served with garlic bread and topped with hand stretched mozzarella. Delight in dipping Bocce’s fresh bread into the restaurant’s signature blend of European cheeses if you order the Fondue. Cap off your meal with the decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet with Vanilla Gelato.
1060 N. Main Street (928-202-3597)

Strada at Bocce

Located next to Pizzeria Bocce, Strada at Bocce is the pizzeria’s more casual sister restaurant that serves Italian street food. The indoor and outdoor spot is constructed out of eight shipping containers where customers can order seven different pizzas, antipasti and desserts from separate counters. Antipasti is intended to be shared and includes options like Truffle Fries, Stuffed Breads and Bocce Balls, chicken and sausage meatballs in tomato sauce and served with garlic bread and topped with Bocce’s hand-stretch mozzarella. Pair your food with your choice of beer, wine and specialty cocktails including the Tito’s Cherry Limeade, a concoction of Tito’s vodka, fresh lime, cherry syrup, simple syrup and soda. Strada also serves 12 different flavors of house-made gelato. For a special treat, order your gelato flavor of choice in between two chocolate chip cookies.
1054 N. Main Street (928-202-3597)

Thai Palace

When Thai Palace closed its Sedona location in early 2022, we were glad that we could still have this tasty cuisine if we just made the short drive to Cottonwood. The menu includes traditional Thai dishes that can be ordered mild or spicy as well as vegan or vegetarian. We have a weakness for Fresh Rolls, so that’s where our meal began. We quickly devoured these spring rolls that were wrapped in rice paper and filled with chicken, shrimp, rice noodles, lettuce, carrots and mint and served with sweet plum sauce. Next, we tried the Shrimp Curry, crispy battered shrimp served with spicy red curry and fresh veggies. We also loved the Pineapple Fried Rice, Thai fried rice topped with chicken, shrimp, eggs, pineapple and onions served with a side of tomatoes and cucumbers and topped with cashews.
704 N. Balboa Street (928-639-0444)

Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar

Crema Craft Kitchen & Bar is our go-to brunch spot in Northern Arizona. For starters, the setting is quaint. The centerpiece of the outdoor courtyard is a bright orange shipping container bar where you can order drinks and food. The interior features Edison light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, dark wood tables and the coffee counter where pastries are displayed under glass domes. The menu is diverse. Order hot or Griddle items like red velvet waffles and fried chicken or decadent Bread Pudding French Toast or heartier options like burritos or benedicts. We’re big fans of breakfast tacos, and the ones on this menu from the “Trademarks” section rule. These tasty tacos feature scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potato, cheddar, chives, pico de gallo and Sriarchi aioli for a nice, spicy kick. The menu is rounded out by lighter fare like salads, oatmeal and sandwiches. Like any good brunch spot, Crema also features mimosas, beer and wine. Speaking of fresh, Crema is named after the base used to make gelato, and the house-made gelato here is always worth ordering. Flavors rotate with the seasons.
917 N. Main Street (928-649-5785)

The Belfry Wood-Fired Grill and Brewery

Located in the Green Church on the Corner, The Belfry serves up craft beer and wood-fired food in a lively setting. The white building features indoor and outdoor spaces that also include two different patios and a beer garden. You’ll often hear musicians playing live tunes. Find a variety of beers ranging from light offerings like the Heavenweizen to the hoppy HopKnocker IPA. On the menu, look forward to hearty cuisine like steakburgers and many wood-fired entrees like Baby Back Ribs, Tuscan Brick Chicken, Salmon Thai Basil and Cowboy Strip. Finish your meal with a S’mores Cake with a graham crust, chocolate brownie and toasted marshmallow that’s topped with chocolate drizzle.
791 N. Main Street (928-239-4595)

Colt 804 Grill

Colt 804 Grill’s Cottonwood location is the first one of this popular local barbeque joint. Enjoy burgers, steaks, pork, brisket, turkey, chicken and ribs that are all cooked to perfection in a smoker. Visit this page here to read a more in-depth description of this restaurant, which has recently opened a location in the Village of Oak Creek.
804 N. Main Street (928-634-1140)