Two separate shop owners in the touristy heart of Sedona surprised me with their answer when I asked if they could recommend a restaurant here: “There are none.” I was taken aback. “They’re just not good.” I appreciated their honesty, especially in a town so dependent on tourists.

Instead, they sent me farther down the road, just a mile from my hotel, to Pisa Lisa. I passed through the outdoor seating into the large open space inside and was escorted to a table with a good view of the TVs screening football games that elicited cheers or groans from those at the bar, and of the posters on the walls of musical icons, from those of the Beatles and Frank Sinatra to Duran Duran album covers.

Although Pisa Lisa offers salads, soups, and tapas, it’s the pizzas—red or white, with a gluten-free option—that will grab your attention. Everything is shaped by chef Lisa Dahl, named “Top Chef of Arizona” and “Food Pioneer” by the Arizona Restaurant Association. A forerunner of the Sedona culinary scene for nearly 30 years—and owner of half a dozen restaurants in and around town—Dahl strives to use Arizona-grown, all-natural organic products whenever possible. And she succeeds beautifully.

Try This: Enjoy a cherry Italian soda, a simple mix of carbonated water and cherry syrup, topped with whipped cream and a single cherry. Then start pulling slices from your savory Justino pizza—a 14” thin-crust, Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizza topped with ricotta, provolone-mozzarella, imported San Danielle prosciutto, organic arugula, and white-truffle oil. When you’re ready for dessert, head up to the dessert counter and choose from the locally made artisan gelati—a chocolate and hazelnut combination is particularly rewarding.

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