Monday, July 25, 2016

Favorite Places in Flagstaff, Arizona

UPDATED 1/17/20: I'm on the road over 200 days a year, so in many respects, I'm a tourist in Flagstaff too! But even with that, I know a thing or two about Flagstaff, so here are my recommendations.

Here is also my Yelp collection for Flagstaff, which gets updated more often.

Restaurants
34 S. San Francisco
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
My (very out of date) review is here. They have three properties--Tinderbox Kitchen is a small, higher-end dining room, The Annex is a creative cocktail bar, and the Tourist Home Urban Market is a breakfast/lunch place. Owner Kevin Heinonen and his team are a very dedicated team!

107 N San Francisco St #2
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Chefs Joe and Dara have created a lively little restaurant focusing on flavorful and beautifully plated tapas-like dishes.

16 N San Francisco St
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
A Latin American inspired menu with really good tostones (crispy, twice-fried plantains) and huevos con carne. I also like the jalapeno burger. 

Karma Sushi
6 E Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
This is a higher-end sushi place, kind of Scottsdale meets Flagstaff. In addition to sushi, I go for the tonkotsu ramen.

1312 S Plaza Way
Flagstaff AZ 86001
This is more functional sushi--not much atmosphere, but solid food and service, easier parking and a bit cheaper. This is our family night sushi.

2308 E Route 66
Flagstaff AZ 86004
Neopolitan style pizza from a wood-burning oven and good pasta. John Conley, the chef-owner, is also an all-around great guy!

2320 N 4th St
Flagstaff AZ 86004
Great brisket and pulled pork, but in reality, I go for the tater tots. No, that's an exaggeration, but the tots are incredibly good.

112 E Route 66
Flagstaff AZ 86001
Go for the chilaquiles. Be prepared to wait in line.

And because I have space...
Attractions
1400 W Mars Hill Rd
Flagstaff AZ 86001
Where Pluto was discovered! Check out the restored Clark Telescope. Open both day and night--I suggest doing both if you have time. I adore this place, and it's not just because I used to work there. It speaks to my nerdiness.

Lots of activities here in the summer, and a great educational place to learn about native plants.

A good way to get a sense of the indigenous cultures of the region.

Arizona Snowbowl
I'm not a skier, but I do hit the Skyride in the summer. Ride the chair lift up Mount Humphries, but make sure to watch out for the effects of the altitude. As my son, Matthew, says, "Hydrate or die-drate!"

Out of town attractions
We have four national parks within easy driving distance: Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater, Wupatki and the Grand Canyon, of course. Get an Interagency Annual Pass and you'll get your money's worth right away. Instead of going to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, go east of Flagstaff and hit Walnut Canyon and Sunset Crater one day, Wupatki on the next, and enter the Grand Canyon via Cameron, Arizona and the East Rim. Cameron is the home of the Cameron Trading Post, which has a lot of tchotchkes and a good Navajo Hot Beef. 

Scenic railroad to the Canyon--worth doing at least once.

Sedona is also about 45 minutes away.


This post first appeared on the Alice's Restaurants blog.

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