You can feel the magic of Sedona, Arizona miles before you go on your first hike. Driving into the city, the first glimpse of red rocks peek out against the baby blue sky, hinting at the beauty to come. If you have the privilege to spend a few days there, these red rocks become a fascinating obsession. Their hues of red transition throughout the day: from the golden-tinged morning glow to the almost-muted afternoon brick to the awesome blush of the evening sunset.  It is endless wonder.

The best way to soak up the beauty of the city is to go hiking. Sedona offers a plethora of hiking options, from short, easy 1-milers to more challenging 8-mile loops. Deciding which options are best for you is a balance of assessing your own physical abilities, navigating the heat of the desert sun, and deciding which scenic backdrops you want to savor. Yet, there are no bad options. No matter what you choose, you will be stunned by the beauty of such a unique world.

All of this hiking requires delicious and nutritious fuel.  Luckily, Sedona offers plenty of options for plant-based eaters.  My wife and I had the pleasure visiting Sedona this past October.  Based on our trip, here are some of my top restaurant and eating recommendations for vegan hikers in Sedona:

Top Vegan Restaurant Experiences in Sedona:

Best Overall Vegan Restaurant: Javelina Cantina

The only regret I have about Javelina Cantina is that I didn’t discover it until our last night there.  Everything from the energetic vibe to the big windows facing sunset to the tasty southwest menu hit the spot.  Javelina’s was the one restaurant with a fully vegan section of the menu – always a delightful break from asking for dairy-free modifications and navigating sides at other restaurants.  

I started with the N/A Jamaica Agua Fresca, and we shared vegan Grilled Street Corn topped with cashew parmesan.  The sweet corn had a lovely char that played well with the creamy cashew drizzle.  For  my entrée, I ordered the Fire Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas.  This plant-based dish was both full of flavor and incredibly satisfying.  The foods was so good, that we attempted changing our hotel reservation to have another dinner there (sadly, the hotel was already booked out).  It was lovely to find a restaurant that had authentic, flavorful dishes that also accommodated my vegan preferences.

Authentic Southwest Dish: Tortas de Fuego

Tortas are a classic southwestern staple.  A torta simply refers to a Mexican sandwich: white baguette is smeared with refried beans, stuffed with roasted or grilled meat, topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.  It can be challenging to find vegan tortas, but the Tortas de Fuego in Sedona offers a vegetarian option with fried nopales (cactus).  I ordered it vegan (without the cheese and mayo), with a side of black beans. 

The first few bites were tasty, but I took the healthiness one step further by removing the fried coating off the cactus before eating the rest of the sandwich.  Honestly, it tasted better without the breading, and the crunchy shredded lettuce provided plenty of texture.  I loved that they smeared the bread with guacamole.  On top of that, our waiter was incredibly helpful in answering all of my vegan questions and modifying the dish for me. 

Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Travel Tip: Use the menu as a starting point.  It’s okay to ask for modifications like “no cheese”, “no mayo”, and “guac instead of sour cream”.  You can also make a meal out of sides, ordering extra beans, grilled veggies, and tortillas to build your own tacos.

Best Ice Cream: Rocky Road Ice Cream

Vegan ice cream in Sedona?  Yesssss!  I discovered Rocky Road Ice Cream on a whim, during a short afternoon walk near our hotel in the Village of Oak Creek.  When I looked up their menu online, my eyes immediately laser-focused to their non-dairy vegan rocky road: one of my favorite childhood flavors! I was going to have a vegan-fantasy-meets-reality right here in Sedona!  We stopped by one night to get a scoop and the ice cream defied all expectations – rich and creamy coconut-based chocolate ice cream with little bits of marshmallows and almonds – does life get any better?  I also sampled some of their prickly pear sorbet (so good!) and even bought a few prickly pear candies as gifts.  Even if you’re just driving through Sedona for a quick visit, you’ve got to stop at one of their two locations

Coolest Bar and Best Veggie Burger: Butterfly Burger

The first night we got into town, I was looking for a place to satisfy my veggie burger craving without driving too far from our lodging.  We ended up at the hip, cool Butterfly Burger.  Three things I really loved about Butterfly Burger were: it’s owned and run by a female chef, it has a great vibe with beautiful female-celebrating artwork, and it has a fun list of sides with plenty of room for plant-based eaters.  As a chef, I also really appreciate when a chef welcomes you on the website with the message: Something for every appetite and dietary persuasion to be enjoyed and savored in a most convivial environment for all! We care about you. – Lisa Dahl

The Hipster burger is fully vegan, with a tasty sofrito lentil based and topped with a spicy Pimentón aioli.  It was as bit of a mess to eat, but it hit that craving right on the spot.  If you want something lighter than a burger, they offer a Bowl of Paradise quinoa salad, jazzed-up Guacamole Toast, and fun sides like Yucca Fries, house made pickles, tater tots, quinoa confetti salad, and my recommendation: butter beans.  Definitely a fun place to go if you’re with a crowd of people who all want burgers and you’re trying to find some plant-based options.

Stock Up at the Grocery: Sprouts in Flagstaff, AZ

Aside from exploring the delicious vegan restaurants in Sedona, we knew a majority of our meals would be self-catered.  Staying at a suite-style hotel meant we had a full fridge and microwave for cooking breakfast and lunches.  On the drive between the Grand Canyon and Sedona, we stopped at the Sprouts grocery store in Flagstaff to load up on healthy plant-based foods.  What a treat!

Sprouts reminded me of the old days at Whole Foods – when the bulk section was four aisles wide and the prepared foods had plenty of healthy and affordable vegan options.  I stocked up on nuts, oats, and the handful of dark chocolate covered almonds in the bulk section.  Produce offered a colorful array of nutritious hiking fuel: apples, bananas, berries, grapes, and steam-in-the bag broccolini.  Over in the prepared foods, I grabbed a few tasty salads to fill in the gaps for protein at lunches: Kale Quinoa Salad and Black Bean Southwest Salad.  There was even room in the cart for a few sparkling waters – the cold refreshment would taste great after a morning hike under the hot Arizona sun.

If Flagstaff isn’t on the way for your drive to Sedona, you can find plenty of grocery stores in Sedona: Whole Foods, Clark’s Market, and Safeway.  Definitely book a hotel or private residence, though, that has at least a mini kitchen.  You’ll save a ton of money by not going out to eat every meal.  Plus, you’ll be eating a lot more nutritiously than restaurant food.

Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Travel Tip: Book lodging (whether a hotel or vacation rental) that has a fridge and microwave.  This makes it easy to load up on healthy options like fresh fruit, avocados, hummus, and bean salad.  Plus, you can microwave instant oatmeal, oil-free popcorn, or steam-in-the-bag veggies.

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Reasons to Go Back:

There were more restaurants with vegan menus then time permitted.  Here are some places I’d love to try when I go back to Sedona;

• Tamaliza – handmade tamales with an oyster mushroom plant-based option
• Elote Café – a long-standing Sedona establishment.  Not a ton of vegan options, but well-regarded as one of the best restaurants in town.  Make reservations in advance.
• Chocolatree – 100% organic eatery open for lunch and early dinner.  Lots of healthy vegan and vegetarian options including avocado toast, vegan burritos, and more
• Picazzo’s – Italian restaurant with an entire vegan menu
• The Chai Spot – a cozy little café offering plenty of plant-based chai teas and treats

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Hikes we did in Sedona:

In case you’re heading to Sedona and are curious about what hikes we did, here’s a quick list.  There are endless options for all fitness levels, times of day, and elevation aspirations.  It’s best to head to the Red Rock Ranger District Visitor Station when you first arrive to get recommendations, learn about the passes some trails require, and get info on the shuttle schedule.

• Brins Mesa Loop: Includes Soldier Pass Trail, Devil’s Kitchen, Seven Sacred Pools, Soldier’s Pass Cave, and Jordan Trailhead. Unreal panoramic views.
• Devil’s Bridge – start early and be ready to wait in the photo line at the end
• Sunrise at Bell Rock – one of the best ways to start the day
• Sunset at Airport Mesa trail – hike to the vortex for stunning views and a moment of solitude

Check out my Instagram Reel from our Sedona hiking adventures:

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A post shared by Katie Simmons (@chefkatiesimmons)

Have you Been to Sedona?

Have you been to Sedona?  Want to share your favorite hike or plant-based eating experience?  Please comment below.  I love connecting over travel almost as much as I love connecting over food.

Please share below. Please keep it 100% plants.

Thank you!

Peace and Hiking,

Katie