The stuffed sopapilla on the menu at Salsa Brava immediately caught my eye. Plenty of restaurants in the Southwest have sopapillas on the menu. They’re usually pillows of fried dough, often with sweet fillings.
But Salsa Brava’s stuffed sopapilla looked to be big and savory, filled with smoky chicken, made with “traditional frybread” — and listed on the part of the menu titled “What Guy Ate.”
That would be Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives fame. Apparently, the spiky-haired one had the stuffed sopapilla at Salsa Brava, the wildly popular Southwestern restaurant that is Flagstaff’s best-known foodie destination. I decided that I would have it too.
The Tradition of Frybread
Frybread is a distinctively Native American creation.
It’s made from flour, sugar, salt, and lard — rations that the U.S. government provided to the Navajo people 150 years ago during the “Long Walk.” This was when the Navajo living in Arizona were forced to walk 300 miles to New Mexico as a way to resolve the ongoing conflicts with the U.S. Army.
Frybread sustained the Indians during lean times. Today, it’s still a staple on some Native American family tables, and it’s prepared much like it was 150 years ago.
What Guy Ate
Which brings me back to the frybread that’s the star of both the popular stuffed sopapilla and the Navajo Taco featured prominently on the Salsa Brava menu.
A sopapilla is a traditional Spanish fried pastry that’s most often stuffed with sweet fillings and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. The savory sopapillas found at Salsa Brava are similar but are made with traditional frybread stuffed with savory hot meats and cheeses.
When it arrives, the gigantic stuffed sopapilla, filled burrito-style with smoked chicken and pinto beans, makes quite an impression. The frybread is thicker and more substantial than a tortilla you’d find with a typical burrito. Its soft, doughy, pillowy texture springs with each luscious bite. Topped by a creamy white sauce sprinkled with thinly sliced radishes and cilantro, the masterpiece tastes as good as it looks, providing hits of mouth-popping flavor with every bite. The chicken stuffed inside has a subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy sauce and zesty beans.
The Navajo Taco is another house favorite — and another one Guy tried, proclaiming it (according to the menu) “as big as your head.” It’s also made with authentic frybread. It’s filled with slow-roasted pork, housemade pinto beans, mixed cheeses, pickled red onion, pico, and lime creme.
The Salsa Brava Back Story
In an age when many local restaurants don’t last much longer than a Netflix series, Salsa Brava stands out. Opened by John Conley in 1988 when he was 21, Salsa Brava remains one of the most popular and well-known restaurants in Flagstaff. It’s located literally on Route 66.
Some say the popularity of Salsa Brava can be attributed to the quality ingredients used in the recipes. The restaurant sources locally whenever possible, and the freshness shows in the flavor-packed dishes. The salsa at Salsa Brava is especially loved and has been named Best Salsa by the Arizona Daily Sun multiple times.
Having achieved success with Salsa Brava for more than 30 years, owner Conley recently opened a new restaurant in Flagstaff. The new restaurant, Fat Bagels, is near his other restaurant, Fat Olives, and both are just down the street from Salsa Brava.
Chef John’s Other Restaurants
Fat Bagels is, not surprisingly, focused on the art of making bagels. What is surprising is the fan base it has garnered from the OG bagel community on the East Coast. This would signal the bagels created here, in the mountains of Arizona, are the real deal.
Also run by Chef John is the traditional pizzeria and Italian restaurant,Fat Olives. This award-winning spot has been named Flagstaff’s best Italian restaurant.
Chef John has won many accolades from his peers, including being named Chef of the Year by the American Culinary Federation. He’s an award-winning author and a famed celebrity chef crew member of the Mess Lords. Their mission is to bring good food to military troops. He’s also a big believer in giving back to the Flagstaff community. He supports local charities, especially children’s charities and the Special Olympics.
What’s on the Menu at Salsa Brava?
Our waiter quickly brought us a salsa trio with warm, crispy chips almost as soon as we sat down. The salsas included a classic pico de gallo, a roasted tomato chipotle, and my favorite, the pineapple habanero. I’m a heat fan, and love the sweet/hot combo the pineapple habanero provided.
Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives paraphernalia decorates the restaurant’s walls. It turns out Chef John has been featured on that show more than once. He’s also been a contestant on Guy’s popular Grocery Games show multiple times and has done well enough to win. He donated all his winnings to local charities.
Carnitas, Combos, and Molcajete Dishes…
A big portion of the menu is dedicated to carnitas, a Mexican style of slow-roasted pork. There are classic carnitas street tacos, peach and habanero carnitas, and a classic carnitas combo. It includes carnitas, enchilada, and tostada, and a classic carnitas burrito. Carnitas fans, Salsa Brava has you covered.
My dining partner enjoyed the Salsa Brava combo. The traditional selection features a taco, enchilada, and tostada served with house pintos, guacamole, and hand-stretched flour tortillas. The plate arrived oozing with cheesy goodness.
The molcajete dishes are entrees for two served in a traditional molcajete vessel, similar to a mortar and pestle, but made from lava stone. The dishes feature different proteins served with roasted corn, rice, and pintos prepared in the molcajete. The containers, with their companion tejolote mashers, are a creative way to prepare and present the menu items. Not that you’ll need to, but after you scrape the last bit of melted cheese from the dish, you could certainly use the tejolote as a weapon. It’s quite substantial.
If You Go
Salsa Brava is located at 2220 E. West Route 66, directly on historic Route 66 in Flagstaff. Happy hour is Monday – Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. They’re open for dining room seating and take out Monday-Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m.
More Fun in Flagstaff
Nestled in the San Francisco Peak Mountains, roughly 145 miles north of Phoenix, this kitschy little college town is welcoming and homey and offers a range of activities.
Lowell Observatory
Astrotourism- tourism focused on celestial events and the night sky- is a big draw in Flagstaff. They even host new moon parties around town. Flagstaff’s history with space goes way back: The (former) planet Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff in 1930.
When we visited I was thrilled to use one of the gigantic outdoor telescopes at Lowell to view Saturn, rings and all. The Lowell Observatory is a real working observatory and is fascinating, even if you’re not into space.
The Observatory is opening the new Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center, which adds 40,000 square feet to the facility. It includes an Imax-type theater and rooftop planetarium, complete with heated seats. The opening will bring a new level of space discovery opportunities to Flagstaff, the first designated dark sky city in the United States.
The Barefoot Trail
Natural relaxation opportunities await at the Barefoot Trail outdoor adventure park in Bellemont, just 10 minutes west of Flagstaff. This unique one-mile out-and-back manicured trail, designed to be walked on shoeless, is fun for all ages. The park was modeled on similar barefoot European parks after owner Leah Williams enjoyed the parks she found in Germany and Belgium.
Don’t worry too much about the new-age phrases like “grounding” and “tree-bathing” you may find in the promotional materials. They mean unplugging and leaning into nature to relax and feel great.
Featured Image Photo Credit: Salsa Brava Flagstaff
For More Information
Visit Discover Flagstaff for more information about planning a visit to Flagstaff.
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