- Macy’s European Coffeehouse – a Flagstaff classic, serving crunchy granola vibes, in-store roasted coffee, vegetarian and vegan breakfast and lunch, and extremely hit-or-miss pastries.
- Brandy’s – also a Flagstaff classic, but fewer people wearing tie-dye and more options for eggs Benedict.
- Biff’s Bagels – Flagstaff’s OG bagel shop, now sans photographs of dead dogs in honor of namesake good boy Biff. Don’t worry, you’ll get to sample their wares on Sunday.
- Forêt – fancy French brunch from a James Beard semifinalist.
- Morning Glory Café – homey, hippie vegan/vegetarian breakfast and lunch spot featuring scrambled tofu, hemp tamales, tempeh burgers, and the like.
- Puebla Sunrise Café – a relatively new sibling-owned Mexican breakfast and lunch restaurant in town notable for its mole.
- Toasted Owl – it’s always packed, but it’s a fun time if you’re looking for an American diner jammed with bird-of-prey kitsch.
- MartAnne’s Breakfast Palace – at the “house that chilaquiles built,” why try anything else? The design scheme prominently features the work of local artist Emma Gardner.
- Petit Marche – sister market to Forêt, perfect if you want an espresso, a chewier bagel, or the best baguette in town.
- Late for the Train Coffee – arguably the best back patio in town, ideal for an afternoon iced coffee, but food offerings are limited.
- Steep Leaf Lounge – a very popular hangout / study spot and the superior downtown tea shop. Also has limited food options.
- Sosta – café/restaurant in the historic Carriage House (built 1909) with a gorgeous interior and an extremely nice back patio. Serves a great breakfast, pasta for lunch, and pizza for dinner.
- Kickstand Kafé – let’s be honest, their coffee is only OK, but their breakfast burritos are bomb, and Sam’s partial to a Fixie.
- Madrez! Café – a little further from downtown and not very walkable, but absolutely worth it for the gorditas poblanas and extremely friendly Flagstaffans who run it.
- Single Speed Coffee Roasters – likewise not really walkable, but great espresso-based drinks and a solid vegan breakfast burrito.
- Diablo Burger – not only can you enjoy the Joe Sorren mural, but also locally-raised beef or the token veggie burger.
- Proper Meats + Provisions – fancy! sandwiches! The token vegetarian muffuletta sandwich is also quite good.
- JoeJoeBobs – honestly, dare we say it, possibly better sandwiches than Proper, but a smaller menu overall.
- Pranee Thai Street Food & Vegan Sushi – in a breaking news update, Sam’s previous favorite vegan Thai place was replaced by this new Thai place that also serves vegan ramen and sushi. Sam has only sampled the vegan sushi thus far; she and her friend Melissa agreed that the jackfruit crab was quite delicious. Thai food quality unknown. (See next bullet point.)
- Thai food in general- all the Thai restaurants in Flagstaff are mysteriously located within 4 blocks of each other downtown. Take your pick of Swaddee, Pato, Dara, or Ewa’s. Asia Station is also good and falls within the required Thai food radius, but it’s more Asian fusion.
- FLG Terroir – fancy shareable plates and charcuterie boards in an upstairs wine bar. Try to get a window seat to look out at Bright Side Bookshop and debate your next read.
- Pizzicletta – delicious thin-crust pizza, available at their Mike’s Pike location, in one half of Dark Sky Brewing, or at Sosta.
- SoSoBa – ramen/ramen-adjacent; try to make it for halfy hour.
- Cornish Pasty – many vegan/vegetarian options, assuming they actually have everything on their extensive menu. The back patio is nice, if you get there before all the NAU students do.
- Salsa Brava – Sam’s family’s traditional haunt, where no one is physically capable of ordering something off the menu without modifying it somehow. Also visited once by Guy Fieri.
- New Jersey Pizza Company – okay, so, yes, it’s not the usual state to associate with pizza, but it’s unexpectedly good. (So is the mezze platter they offer for some reason.) However, your takeout order will take one whole hour at minimum.
Of the Flag Nine (now Eight), we recommend:
- Mother Road – the food situation is currently in flux, but Tower Station IPA is almost as Arizona iconic as Route 66 itself, and the brewery boasts a very fine front patio. Owner Michael Marquess often collaborates on fundraising beers with local organizations, including Archives Ale for Cline Library where Sam works.
- Historic – cocktails on one side, beer on the other, decent pub food available throughout.
- Dark Sky – the best front patio in town. Children are only allowed on the Taproom side where there’s pizza, while dogs and adults can sample cheese curds and fries in the Beer Garden. Hosts a variety of events, including Vinyl Night with DJ Quick Kay.
- Wanderlust – Jon and Sam’s eastside favorite, especially for the 928 Local, with occasional food truck offerings. (Check before you go.) Family friend Christina used to brew here!
In case you didn’t know, there are three Flagstaff-area national monuments you can check out while you’re in town: Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater Volcano, and Wupatki are all within a 45 minute drive. Sedona’s red rocks and energy vortexes are about an hour away, depending on traffic. And we of course recommend going to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon while you’re in its namesake state. For closer-to-home hiking, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite short trail options (5 miles or under).
- Mars Hill – 1.9 miles; uphill into the trees! And a good connector.
- Fatman’s Loop – 2.5 miles on boulder-laden Mt. Elden, with spectacular views and large, old alligator juniper trees.
- Picture Canyon (Don Weaver/Tom Moody trails) – 0.7/3.9 miles; see Flagstaff’s only waterfall, plus the namesake petroglyphs.
- Veit Spring Loop – 1.7 mile loop on the Peaks, with aspen trees, petroglyphs, dilapidated settler structures, and fun rocks.
- Sandys Canyon – 3 miles to Fisher Point Caves, or hike up to Fisher Point itself to look down Walnut Canyon.
- Griffith Springs – 1 mile riparian hike along a seasonal spring / stream, notable since it’s unusual for the high desert.
- Old Caves Crater – 3.7 miles of volcanic cinders, caves, and Sinagua ruins, with sherds aplenty to pick up, admire, and replace.
- Lava River Cave – 1 mile of underground tube cave created by volcanic flows from Hart Prairie area. You’ll want a headlamp (and a jacket) for this hike, since it is both literally and figuratively very cool. Leave your pets at home to avoid contaminating the cave.
- Red Mountain – 2.5 miles into a cinder cone from an ancient volcano!
If you want longer distances, further-afield trails, or recommendations for climbing, running, mountain biking, paddle-boarding, fishing, or disc golf, we’ve got more ideas. Just ask!
Summertime is bustling in Flagstaff, and our wedding weekend is no exception. If you have extra time, consider these activities!
- (Car-Free) First Friday Art Walk – before or after stopping by Hops, check out local artists at Flagstaff’s downtown galleries.
- Route 66 Centennial – fun fact: the day of our wedding is also one of this year’s many celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Route 66. You might be able to make it to the screening of Cars.
- Hullabaloo – eerily like our wedding, Hullabaloo features live music, costume contests, a bike parade, giant puppets, and circus performers. Drop by after the wedding to keep the party going.
- Route 66 Walking Tour – our friends at Freaky Foot Tours (see below!) have established the only walking tour of Historic Route 66 in the country. Get your kicks while you’re in town!
- Freaky Foot Tours – our friends Nick and Gracie operate this company, which offers walking ghost tours of the haunted spots downtown if you want a paranormal experience during your trip.
- Lowell Observatory – Pluto is still a planet in our hearts (and in the state of Arizona). View constellations, visit historic telescopes, and appreciate Flagstaff’s status as the first international dark sky city.
- Museum of Northern Arizona – where else can you simultaneously feel like you’re at an extremely outdated natural history museum *and* see a very contemporary, collaborative exhibit about the Indigenous peoples of the Colorado Plateau? The Colton Garden is an amazing space and the most abundant community garden in Flagstaff.
We don’t really have too many recommendations to offer here, but Sam did want to highlight a few of her favorite vendors.
- Bright Side Bookshop – the booksellers here are the best; be sure to ask for their advice on your vacation read selection.
- Bookman’s – we can’t not recommend dropping by the Flagstaff location of Arizona’s favorite used bookstore. Except Sam’s dad no longer works here, so you’ll have to head to the Flagstaff Public Library to get his advice on children’s books.
- Flagstaff Mountain-Town Market – while you’re welcome to go to the Sunday farmers’ market, many of the local growers are actually at this one, and the owner Meg is a badass. Unclear what their summer 2026 schedule is like right now, but visit their social media and check it out if you can.
- Plantae – plants!
- Ari’s Art Exchange – to get all your supplies for the parade!
- Black Hound Gallerie – to go home with a ‘WTF’* sticker of your very own. (*Locally, ‘Welcome to Flagstaff’.)