Cucina Rustica is Chef Lisa Dahl’s award-winning rustic Italian-Mediterranean restaurant in the Village of Oak Creek, just south of Sedona. Open since 2003, Cucina Rustica brought fine dining to the Village of Oak Creek and remains one of Lisa Dahl’s most beloved Sedona restaurants, featuring four villa-style dining rooms, four fireplaces, a starlit terrace, and an extensive Wine Spectator Award-winning collection.
About Cucina Rustica
Cucina Rustica is Chef Lisa Dahl’s second restaurant, opened in 2003 and now celebrating more than two decades of welcoming guests. The restaurant is described as transporting visitors to “a dreamy scene akin to that of the historic ristorantes lining the cobbled streets of Tuscany,” with multiple Old World-inspired dining rooms, four fireplaces, and a garden-style terrace for al fresco dining.
Cucina Rustica is part of Chef Lisa Dahl’s six-restaurant Sedona family, which also includes the flagship Dahl & DiLuca Ristorante Italiano, Pisa Lisa Woodfired Pizza (2 locations), Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, and Butterfly Burger.
What to Order
The menu features rustic interpretations of authentic Italian cuisine, Tuscan and Umbrian countryside-inspired, along with Mediterranean influences. Dishes use locally sourced ingredients, fresh organic produce, and sustainably raised meats and seafood. Signature dishes include:
- Veal Saltimbocca: delicate veal scaloppini with mushrooms, prosciutto, mozzarella, fresh sage, and Marsala over gnocchi
- Pollo Parmigiana: sautéed chicken with signature marinara and mozzarella over capellini Pomodoro
- Vitello Picatta: sautéed veal medallions in lemon-white wine-caper sauce with orzo pilaf
- Mahi Mahi Meuniere: wild-caught Mahi Mahi finished with herb butter, lemon, and capers over orzo riso primavera
- Siciliana: capellini pasta with sautéed lobster, rock shrimp, and calamari in a spicy Fra Diavolo vodka sauce
- Tuscan Kale Caesar: McClendon Farms organic Tuscan kale with signature Greca Caesar dressing, Marcona almonds, and shaved Parmesan
- Carciofi alla Griglia: grilled artichoke with lemon pesto aioli
Cucina Rustica also offers tapas plate options, gluten-free pasta on request, and an extensive wine list curated to pair with each course.
Plan Your Visit
Address: 7000 State Route 179, Ste 126a, Sedona, AZ 86351 (Village of Oak Creek)
Phone: (928) 284-3010
Cuisine: Rustic Italian-Mediterranean, fine dining
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5:00 PM-9:00 PM, Friday-Saturday 5:00 PM-10:00 PM, Sunday 5:00 PM-9:00 PM
Happy Hour: Sunday-Thursday 3:30 PM-6:00 PM on the terrace
Reservations: Recommended, book at SevenRooms or call directly
Entertainment: Nightly acoustic guitar, soft rock and classical Spanish
Dress code: Smart casual to dressy (no baseball/hiking caps, hiking attire, yoga or sweat pants, tank tops, cutoffs, short shorts, thongs, or flip flops)
Amenities: Full bar, gluten-free options, four indoor fireplaces, patio dining, private room, takeout, wheelchair access
The Atmosphere
Cucina Rustica’s defining feature is its setting. Four distinct dining rooms each evoke an Old World Italian villa, with rustic décor, warm lighting, and four fireplaces that create an especially memorable experience on cooler evenings. The starlit front terrace offers some of Sedona’s most romantic outdoor dining, particularly in spring through fall. Nightly acoustic guitarists provide soft music throughout dinner service.
Why Visit Cucina Rustica
For visitors staying in the Village of Oak Creek or seeking a slightly quieter alternative to West Sedona’s restaurant row, Cucina Rustica delivers a Lisa Dahl experience without the busier Hwy 89A scene. The combination of multiple distinct dining spaces, fireplace ambiance, terrace dining, and Lisa Dahl’s signature Italian-Mediterranean cuisine makes it a dependable choice for anniversaries, birthdays, or relaxed fine dining.
Looking for other Sedona dining options? Visit our complete guide to Sedona restaurants, featuring locally trusted favorites updated by Sedona’s Best since 1992.