The Vegan Traveler’s Guide to Sedona (Best Restaurants)

Sedona is a little city unlike any other I’ve visited. The red rocks are inspiring, and they’re everywhere—even nearby when you’re in the city itself. Sedona also has this New Age spiritual vibe… Never have I seen so many crystal stores!

But as a vegan visiting Sedona, what does it specifically have to offer? Well, I recently visited and figured it all out for you!

While there aren’t many all-vegan restaurants in Sedona, I still thought the overall selection of food was solid. In this post, I’ll share all the veg-friendly restaurants I was able to check out, with my top suggestions. I’ll also share some of the best hikes and sights we saw at the end!

My Top Recommendations

I wrote more about each of these restaurants below, but I’ll start by just quickly sharing my top spots for vegan food in Sedona:

• Chocolatree: This is an all-vegetarian, all-organic restaurant that truly captures the Earthy, spiritual vibe of Sedona. They’ve got raw food options, amazing chocolates, and a hammock you can lie down in. Such a unique stop!
  
• Thai Spices: This was just my favorite overall place we ate in Sedona. The portions were huge, it tasted great, and the prices were more affordable than other places, too. Quick service, great views, and a big vegetarian section in their menu. Loved this place!

Now I’ll dig into some more detail on both of these spots, plus the other veg-friendly restaurants we tried, before getting to my favorite Sedona hikes and sights!

Chocolatree: Organic Vegetarian Restaurant

We went to Chocolatree after a long hike one day, and it was unlike any restaurant I’ve been in. The vibe is similar to a health food co-op, but with even more spiritual hippie stuff (if you can imagine).

There were big Buddha statues and some spiritual chants playing in the background. The bathroom has individual linen handtowels that get washed and reused, so the restaurant can be zero waste.

More interesting details: There was a hammock in the outdoor seating area that you can literally lie down in. And there was a shelf of books for sale on spiritual and natural living topics, including a children’s book about vortexes and a guide called “Alternatives to Dentists.”

There are a ton of vegan options on the menu, including some raw/live food options, desserts, smoothies, and more.

I started with the raw Nori Nachos—kind of like kale chips, but with nori seaweed—and they were alright. I also got the avocado toast and the mashed potatoes. Both of those were quite good.

But where Chocolatree really excels is, well, the chocolate. For dessert, we had the Double Chocolate Ganache, and it was fantastic. We also grabbed some chocolate to take home from their marketplace.

Again, not everything is vegan, but a lot of it is, and it’s all clearly labeled. If the New Age environment sounds like it’d be appealing to you, definitely make sure to check this place out!

Thai Spices: My Favorite Place We Ate

I listed Chocolatree first because it was so unique, but my actual favorite restaurant stop in Sedona was Thai Spices. It’s not all-vegan, or even all-vegetarian, but it has a pretty big vegan section in the menu. The menu also specifies that most items can be made vegan by request.

I got the vegetarian Thai fried rice. The portions were huge—the picture you see here was actually half-way through my meal! And it was delicious.

Our table was right next to some big windows facing out to beautiful red rocks. The ambiance was nice, with some light music and bird sounds.

The food also came quickly, and it was cheaper than most of the other restaurants we ate at in Sedona. So there was a lot to appreciate about Thai Spices overall. Less unique than Chocolatree—but overall, I liked it more.

Sedona Pizza and Pasta Company

We showed up to this place right as it was about to close, and the waiter initially told us we were too late. But when the manager overheard us say that we were looking for vegan options in the area, he said, “Go ahead and sit down—we’ll take care of ya.”

That wasn’t the only display of great customer service we saw during our visit, either. When a woman at the next table found her pasta to be too spicy, they gave her a free pizza in its place.

I was tempted by the vegan pizza options myself, but I decided to go with the spaghetti and vegan meatballs.

The vegan meatballs were great! I think they were made out of primarily hemp seed. I only wish the dish included more of them.

One of the awesome and super cute details about this restaurant was that they not only have a nice, heated, dog-friendly patio, but they actually have a dog menu, too! You can buy a meal for your dog to eat along with you! And some of the dog meals sound really gourmet, too.

Creekside Coffee & Bakery: Breakfast with a View

One morning, we got some breakfast from Creekside Coffee and Bakery. I got peanut butter and banana toast, plus a chocolate muffin! They were delicious, although it was a bit more sugar than I needed in one sitting.

We actually took our food to go, but Creekside has an awesome view from their patio. You can clearly see Snoopy Rock—a little red butte that looks like Snoopy lying down on top of his doghouse.

If you can, grab breakfast or lunch here and eat it on the patio! You won’t regret it.

Dellepiane Sedona: (Vegan) Burgers!

This is a little place we went for lunch on the first day we arrived. I had my first-ever Impossible Burger here. It was pretty dang good.

Much more novel and interesting, however, were the yuca fries. They’re actually made from the root of the yuca plant. Since potatoes are also root vegetables, yuca fries are actually pretty similar to normal fries. And these ones were cut wide like steak fries. Very, very good.

The overall selection of vegan food here didn’t seem to be huge, but I was happy with my Impossible Burger and yuca fries. So no complaints from me!

10 More Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Sedona

The following is a list of other veg-friendly restaurants we didn’t have time to visit in Sedona. I looked into quite a few of these in detail, despite not eating there in the end. So I’ll include any notes of interest next to each one!

• Red Rock Gelato: Supposedly they have a bunch of non-dairy flavors of gelato here. Wondering if it was a mistake to miss this one…
• Outlaw Grille: Looks like an American diner type place. Vegan burgers, fries, and salads to choose from.
• Mago Cafe: All vegetarian, with a focus on beverages like teas, kombucha, and coffee.
• Canyon Breeze: Mostly Mexican food. Has a vegetarian menu, with burgers, tamales, tacos, enchiladas, and wraps.
• Sound Bites Grill: Looks pretty fancy! Not sure how to describe the cuisine exactly, but they have a separate vegan menu and live music.
• Secret Garden Cafe: We walked by this place, but we had just eaten so we didn’t get anything. Their vegan Reuben looks amazing.
• Picazzo’s Italian Kitchen: They offer vegan cheese on their pizzas! Salads, pastas, and more to choose from, as well. Almost went here.
• Momo’s Kitchen: This is a food truck mainly serving Korean food, including bibimbop with tofu (can be made vegan) and kimchi.
• Tamaliza: This place specializes in tamales, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options on the menu.
• Open Range: Mexican restaurant. Has vegan tacos, salads, burritos, fries, chips and salsa, and more.

Recommended Hikes and Sights in Sedona

The following hikes are not vegan-specific in any way—but I figure I’d share my favorites while I’m posting all my hot Sedona tips for you all!

Red Rock Scenic Byway

One of the quick first things to do in Sedona is to just drive down the stretch of AZ-179 south of town called the Red Rock Scenic Byway. It goes past Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It’ll help you get “the lay of the land” before you commit to any specific hikes. And it’s beautiful in its own right.

If you have time, be sure to drive on 89A north of Sedona like ~10 miles, too—through the area around Slide Rock State Park. Oh my god! It was so hard to keep my eyes on the road, the views were so fantastic.

Cathedral Rock

This hike is a bit steep and rocky, not easy for all ages or abilities. You have to be willing to crawl and pull yourself up. But that makes it extra fun if you’re up for the challenge.

Great view at sunset. And it’s also one of Sedona’s famous “energy vortexes.”

When I was sitting at the top—exhausted—I actually saw someone propose to someone else! She said yes, and the whole extended family was there to bust out champagne on the spot.

The Airport Mesa

This is potentially a quick stop for a nice view of the city—or you can spend more time hiking around. There’s a free parking spot half-way up the hill, or there’s $3 parking at the top. And it’s the site of another famous “vortex”!

We actually walked around a path here called the Airport Loop trail, and it took way longer than we expected. The views on the south side of the loop were amazing—but it was 3.2 miles in total.

I’d suggest making a quicker stop out of this one than we did, but it’s definitely worth visiting!

Boynton Vista Trail

Another one of the famous Sedona vortexes lives here!

This hike was a bit further outside of Sedona, and it felt really peaceful.

The full Boynton Canyon trail is over 3 miles (each way), but the Boynton Vista Trail is less of a commitment, only about 0.6 miles from the trailhead.

There are two epic-looking rocks that you climb up to. Beautiful views and a peaceful vibe.

Montezuma Castle

We stopped here on our way out of town (going south), as it’s a little way out. You can see an old cliff dwelling of Native Americans from around the year 1400.

It’s pretty interesting to see how they lived back then! You can’t climb through the structure anymore, but you can see it from below, and there are educational resources there to learn more about it.

I wouldn’t necessarily put it at the top of your list, but it’s a national monument and potentially a quick-ish stop on your way in or out of town!

4 More Things We Ran Out of Time to Do

I heard great things about Fay Canyon Trail and Sugarloaf Trail, but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to hike them before leaving town.

We also were curious about the Bell Rock Pathway, as it’s the last of the four most famous Sedona vortexes… But the path doesn’t actually go up on Bell Rock, so it didn’t seem as exciting as the other hikes, which seemed to have more elevation change. We didn’t get around to it.

I also heard rave reviews from one person about the helicopter tours you can take around Sedona and the surrounding canyons. The price looked reasonable, actually—I think it was $129 for the more local tour—but we didn’t make the effort on this visit.

Vegan Trail Snacks for Hiking

I packed some cashews on our first long hike in Sedona, but then when my energy was drained, I was wishing I packed something with more carbs. The next time, I took some trail mix that had nuts and dried fruit, along with some Kashi trail mix granola bars.

The Kashi bars were especially good, although they are more processed, as far as the added sugar for sweetness.

The options for vegan hiking snacks are obviously much more diverse than this. In the past, I’ve packed boxes of crackers, carrots, apples, and even leftover pizza. Don’t be afraid to think outside the granola-and-trail-mix box!

Takeaways

There aren’t many all-vegan restaurants in Sedona, but there are plenty of spots with numerous plant-based options. My top recommendations are Chocolatree and Thai Spices from the ones we had time to visit.

When it comes to the sights and hikes, my overall favorite was probably Cathedral Rock—but it takes a little more fitness and/or willing to get your hands dirty compared to some other trails. For a very tame option, I’d suggest the Boynton Vista Trail.

Two More Recommendations for Your Plant-Based Journey

1. This is the best free video training I’ve found on plant-based nutrition. You’ll learn how to reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and obesity—all with plant-based food. Watch the free “Food for Health Masterclass” here.

2. This is the best vegan multivitamin I’ve found in my 14 years of being vegan. It has vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3—and nothing else. Translation: It only has the nutrients vegans are actually low in. Read my full review of Future Kind’s multivitamin here (with 10% discount).