Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano

Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano is Chef Lisa Dahl’s original fine‑dining Italian restaurant in Sedona, known for romantic atmosphere, classic Italian dishes, and a strong wine list.

Atmosphere and concept

• Open since the mid‑1990s, it’s repeatedly described as one of Sedona’s most awarded and romantic restaurants, with white tablecloths, candlelight, and live piano/bass on some evenings.
• The menu focuses on refined Italian and Mediterranean dishes using organic produce, wild‑caught seafood, and high‑quality meats, with many long‑standing house specialties.

Menu highlights

Commonly praised dishes include:

• Antipasti: warm seafood bruschetta, calamari steak starter, burrata with roasted tomato and grilled peaches, arancini, and house meatballs.
• Pastas and house specialties: homemade lasagna, Florentine‑style Bolognese, three‑cheese tortellini Alfredo, eggplant Parmigiana, veal piccata, and seafood linguine or “white” cioppino‑style seafood pasta.
• From the grill: center‑cut Creekstone Farms filet with mushroom‑gorgonzola sauce, Australian rack of lamb, Scottish steelhead salmon in limoncello reduction, and a marinated grilled portobello “vegan filet.”

The restaurant is dinner‑only (typically 5–9 p.m., to 10 p.m. Fri–Sat), and advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekends or special occasions.

Dahl & Di Luca is priced as classic fine dining in Sedona: most starters are in the mid‑teens to low‑$20s and most entrées in roughly the high‑$30s to low‑$50s.

Antipasti, soup, and salad (typical prices)

From the current online dinner menu:​

• Most antipasti (seafood bruschetta, mussels “Siciliana,” fried calamari/shrimp, prosciutto‑wrapped radicchio, burrata, arancini, meatballs): about $18–$24.
• Chef’s “Elixir” soup of the day: around low‑$ teens (and supports the Lisa Dahl Foundation).​
• Salads (Tuscan arugula, organic house salad with gorgonzola and glazed pecans, Brutus/Greca Caesar options): generally mid‑teens; adding white anchovy is an extra $3.​

Pastas and house specialties

Editorial and historical pricing plus current positioning indicate:

• Classic chicken dishes (Pollo alla Rustica with Marsala and gnocchi, lemon‑caper chicken with orzo) and many pasta‑centric entrées run roughly $32–$42.
• Rich pastas such as three‑cheese tortellini Alfredo with prosciutto and peas, Bolognese, lasagna, and eggplant Parmigiana typically fall in the mid‑$30s range.
• Seafood pastas like lobster linguine in spicy vodka sauce or calamari‑and‑scallop angel‑hair tend to price toward the upper 30s/low 40s.

From the grill and higher‑end entrées

These are among the priciest items on the menu:

• Creekstone Farms 7 oz center‑cut filet with mushroom‑gorgonzola sauce.
• Loch Etive steelhead salmon in limoncello reduction.
• Australian rack of lamb chops.
• Veal chop, veal scaloppini preparations, and cioppino/seafood specials.

Current menu and past published prices put these in the low‑ to mid‑$50s, sometimes a bit higher for lamb or specials.

Desserts and drinks

• Desserts such as white‑chocolate cherry cheesecake, tiramisu, pear bread pudding, chocolate‑mint torte, and gelato trio usually price in the low‑ to mid‑$ teens.
• Yelp and TripAdvisor reviewers report house wine by the glass around $14+ and note that bottles and premium glasses can raise a two‑person check with cocktails and dessert to $200–$300+, depending on choices.

Because menu PDFs don’t show every exact dollar amount and specials rotate, your best bet for precise current pricing is to scan the live menu QR at the restaurant or call ahead if you’re budgeting tightly.

The dishes most often called out as “must‑orders” at Dahl & Di Luca are the warm seafood bruschetta, Pollo Alla Rustica, several veal and seafood specials, and a few rich pastas and desserts.

Starters to prioritize

• Warm Seafood Bruschetta – Prawns and scallops in garlic‑white‑wine scampi over rosemary focaccia; repeatedly highlighted in reviews and articles as a standout starter.
• Affinato prosciutto‑radicchio bundles – Prosciutto wrapped around radicchio, fig marmalade, and mozzarella, grilled and finished with balsamic; guests describe the flavors as “incredible” and very unique.
• Calamari Steak & Rock Shrimp – Lightly fried calamari steak with shrimp, fennel, and lemon‑caper aioli; mentioned often as one of the best appetizers.
• Caesar or house salads – The Caesar (Brutus/Greca variations) and gorgonzola house salad show up frequently among “popular dishes.”

Best mains: chicken, veal, and seafood

• Pollo Alla Rustica – Signature Marsala chicken with pancetta, mushrooms, onions, and gnocchi primavera; called out as the restaurant’s signature dish and praised in many reviews.
• Pollo al Rosmarino / lemon‑caper chicken – Another widely liked chicken option, often described as full of flavor and perfectly cooked.
• Romeo e Juliet – Veal and eggplant Parmigiana baked with marinara and mozzarella over capellini; reviewers describe it as a favorite that fits the romantic vibe.
• Vitello Botticelli / veal piccata or Marsala – Veal scaloppini preparations get consistent praise for tender meat and balanced sauces.
• Seafood pastas and cioppino specials – Shrimp Scolio, seafood linguine, and the cioppino‑style seafood special in white sauce are singled out as “divine” and worth ordering.
• Chilean sea bass or Scottish salmon – Fish specials (especially sea bass) are frequently recommended in guides and diner reviews.

Standout pastas and vegetarian options

• Ravioli Romana – Quattro‑formaggio ravioli with portobello and button mushrooms in truffle cream; often named among the restaurant’s “can’t‑miss” dishes.
• Gnocchi alla Vodka / Garganelli Paradiso – Creamy, truffle‑ or vodka‑sauced pastas that multiple write‑ups and guests highlight as favorites.
• Eggplant Parmigiana – Their take on classic eggplant Parm is so popular that even non‑eggplant fans mention it as a top dish.
• Portobello and vegetable ragout with chèvre – A signature vegetarian ragout that gets good mentions for depth of flavor.

Desserts worth saving room for

• White‑chocolate cherry cheesecake – Frequently praised for its Amarena cherry topping.
• Tiramisu – Classic version that appears often in positive reviews.
• Pear bread pudding with bourbon‑vanilla gelato – Called out as a memorable dessert in at least one detailed trip report.

Chef Lisa Dahl is a self‑taught American chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and philanthropist who is widely credited with pioneering the modern fine‑dining scene in Sedona, Arizona.

• She is executive chef and owner of the Dahl Restaurant Group, which operates multiple Sedona restaurants, including Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa (two locations), Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, and Butterfly Burger.
• Over more than 25 years in Sedona, she has become one of the country’s leading female chefs, known for ingredient‑driven Italian and Latin‑inspired cooking and for her mantra, “When you cook with love, you feed the soul.”