Since opening in 2015, Mariposa has consistently been hailed as one of Sedona's, and Arizona's, most romantic restaurants. And there's good reason for this accolade. This huge 5-star restaurant is perched on a cliff with panoramic views of red rock country. The menu is inspired by traditional South American cuisine and the service is, in a word, perfect.

Mariposa, which means “butterfly” in Spanish, is also the brainchild of Sedona chef and restaurateur Lisa Dahl, who chose the name at a transformative moment in her career and life.

“Before opening Mariposa, I was an Italian chef,” says Dahl. “The opportunity to try new cuisines came at a very transitional point in my career. The butterfly symbol, which signifies healing, transformation, and growth, came to mind for me and I felt in alignment with the beauty around me. What I didn't understand at the time was what butterflies meant to so many people who were going through their own changes.”

Butterflies are clearly an inspiration for Dahl, whose other restaurant in Sedona is called Butterfly Burger. And it's also a gift she gives to Mariposa patrons. The experience begins outdoors, with fire crackling in butterfly orbs on either side of the 13-foot-tall gate. Decorated with stones and minerals from Africa, South America and Utah, the restaurant's door weighs 1,000 pounds and provides a wide view of the restaurant's kitchen.

There, Dahl's talented staff draws on Argentinian and Chilean culinary inspiration to create homemade empanadas and pulpo a la parilla (wood-fired with chickpea puree, fennel slaw and olive tapenade). It produces dishes such as grilled Spanish octopus) and the Gaucho Plate. Contains chorizo ​​links, Spanish butter beans, and pineapple criolla.

And those are just appetizers. Main dish highlights include Pescado His Paradiso, a wild Chilean sea bass sautéed with roasted tomatoes, citrus and wine; Cubano skirt steak, black beans, rosemary roasted potatoes, house chimichurri, and pico de gallo. and the Chuleta de Cerdo, a 12-ounce Duroc dry-aged pork chop with Brussels sprouts and butternut squash hash.

An extensive wine list, innovative cocktails, and decadent desserts (try the flourless chocolate torte) round out the menu and play a key role in the quirky atmosphere that Dahl creates here .

“Mariposa is a teacher every day,” she says. “So many people show up and as soon as they arrive they have high expectations. For me,
The chef and owner has never had a restaurant with a view, nor did I expect one, but the challenge of delivering a restaurant dining experience with a view every day is daunting. I feel like it's something like that. ”

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