Mariposa sits on a bluff above 89A with the kind of view most restaurants would ruin with a bad menu. This one doesn’t. The kitchen runs Latin-leaning — wood-grilled meats, ceviche, a bar program that takes its cocktails seriously — and puts it on a patio that looks straight down Oak Creek Canyon. Reserve a table on the terrace, order something off the grill, and let the sunset do what it does over red rock. It gets busy, and it should — book ahead, especially on weekends. Inside is warm and dim, good for the nights the wind picks up on the patio; the bar alone is worth a stop even if you’re not staying for dinner. This is the place you send people who want one meal in Sedona to remember, the kind of dinner that runs long because nobody wants to be the one who says it’s time to go. Best around sunset for the view, or later for a quieter room and a slower pace. Either way, come hungry and don’t rush it — this isn’t a table you turn fast, and it isn’t meant to be.
