For a town at the base of one of Arizona’s most stunning mountain ranges, Flagstaff is surprisingly short on restaurants with a view of those signature peaks. The Oakmont is the exception — it’s perfectly situated on Flagstaff’s east side, with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offering unimpeded views of Mount Elden. There’s not a bad seat in the house for catching a classic Arizona sunset, watching an early winter storm roll through or seeing a foursome finish their round on the adjacent Continental Country Club golf course.
Fresh off a remodel that gutted the building and replaced everything except those windows, The Oakmont captures the elusive feeling of being at a neighborhood gathering place. And the menu combines elevated American comfort food with Asian and Mexican influences, offering familiar classics peppered with unexpected twists.
The chips and dip are a riff on the tailgate classic, leveled up with handmade crinkle potato chips that are the perfect vessel for the tangy charred-onion dip. The green chile stew is listed as an appetizer, but the hearty mixture of Hatch chiles and slow-braised pork, topped with queso fresco to cut the heat and served with tortillas for dipping, is main-course material.
The menu has several nods to Flagstaff favorites, including the Chicken Sonoma, the signature menu item at the now-shuttered Buster’s, a beloved local institution for more than 30 years. A chicken breast is crusted with lavash crackers, then served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes with tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes and a chardonnay cream sauce. The fish and chips also include local flavor, with the tender cod battered in Mother Road Brewing Co.’s Tower Station IPA.
Unsurprisingly, burgers are a staple — the Hatch Burger, for one, is a heat-filled upgrade from the basic patty, topped with a roasted poblano and spicy mayo that doubles as the perfect fry dipping sauce. Less expected than burgers but equally delicious is the light, flaky miso salmon, served with baby bok choy, broccolini, asparagus and a soy-sesame glaze.
The Saturday and Sunday brunch combines favorites from the regular menu with breakfast items such as a tres-leches-battered and cornflake-crusted French toast and anything-but-basic avocado toast with pickled red onions, lemon-infused oil and arugula.
Snag a table on the expansive covered patio for unparalleled mountain views and a nearby lawn for kids to run around while parents supervise from afar with cocktails and food. Gather around one of the firepits, and whether you live around the corner or thousands of miles away, The Oakmont will feel like your own neighborhood restaurant.
The Oakmont
2380 N. Oakmont Drive
Flagstaff, AZ
United States