Eat Like a Rockstar in Prescott
My previous career as a tour manager for touring rock bands put me in the unique position of sourcing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after-show food for the entire tour party every day for the length of the tour. Many of the summer amphitheater tours would stretch anywhere from 8 to 11 weeks. The tour party, in addition to the local stagehands and labor, would typically be well over 150 people. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I would hire local catering companies and create the menu while doing my best to ensure we did not eat spaghetti and meatballs three days in a row. That was the easy portion of my culinary responsibilities. Well, easier, I suppose I should say. And only because over the years I was able to develop relationships with catering companies I trusted. And honestly, the pool of catering companies in any given city that can accommodate a large tour party is only so big. It was no problem when we would go through the New Yorks, Miamis, or Seattles of our nation, but the Winston-Salems and the Jackson Mississippis of the country had a culinary talent pool that was only so deep. As I mentioned, the catering for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was the relatively easy part. The after-show food was another matter entirely.
With legendary tattoo artist to the stars Tokyo Hiro, on tour with Sen Dog and Cypress Hill, filming onstage in NYC with Slightly Stoopid.
The after-show food was only for the musicians and the core technical crew, so I had to get that right, or I would literally have busloads of unhappy rock stars on my hands. Believe me, rock stars have no problem complaining when something is not exactly perfect. In fact, they seemed to relish finding something wrong and would be all too happy to gleefully point out how their post-show meal was not exactly how they requested. Regardless, I took the task seriously. For the after-show food, we would have to order from a local restaurant. Ordinarily, that would be anywhere from 25 to 40 orders, so the first thing I learned was to call shortly after 12 noon if we wanted the food ready at 10 or 11 p.m. The second thing I learned was to make sure a manager took the order and to never divulge who the food was going to. (There was a food poisoning incident in Vegas that we all learned from.) The point is that I developed a way to search out the highest-quality restaurant food in any given area that wouldn’t break the bank, using only information I could find online and one or two word-of-mouth recommendations.
So I decided to apply my old methodology to finding the most popular, high-quality restaurants in Prescott. The list below is what I came up with. If you were a rock star on one of my tours, I would present you with the below three options to order your after-show food from. This list was compiled using a few tricks of the trade, such as cross-referencing restaurants with more than 600 reviews and over four stars and a few other indicators I have identified over the years. As it turns out, I have eaten at all three of these worthy establishments, so I decided to expand our Eat section to include reviews as a new feature. I will put my methodology to the test by using this list as the first three restaurants we will be doing reviews on. As far as this list goes, please remember that this is just one list defined by a handful of metrics, not a definitive statement about the absolute best restaurant in Prescott. We will get to more restaurants in the future; these all have well over 800 reviews and match all the criteria I previously employed when ordering for some of the most finicky, prima-donna rock stars on the planet. So, keep all that in mind and take a trip with me down to where culinary delight intersects with Prescott, Arizona. (Be on the lookout for our upcoming in-depth reviews of each of these restaurants, as well as future lists with different metrics, including recomendations we get on social media!)
Rosa’s Pizzeria.
A treasured jewel nestled in the heart of our town, Rosa's Pizzeria has served the local community authentic Italian pizza and cuisine for over twenty years. The restaurant's intimate, rustic atmosphere, characterized by warm lighting and wooden furniture, transports guests to the idyllic Italian countryside, making it an ideal location for a romantic dinner or a relaxed family gathering. It is worth mentioning that we have dined at Rosa's with our power trio of children on numerous occasions, and the staff has consistently demonstrated exceptional kindness, understanding, and patience.
Rosa's is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and their menu can be found HERE. Rosa's is known for a variety of dishes; some of the most frequently reviewed and highest rated items are the Godfather pizza, Rigatoni Palermo, chicken marsala, and spaghetti puttanesca. With over 1K reviews and four+ stars on Yelp, Rosas would be in my top 3 recommendations to the band for sure. Enjoying these mouthwatering dishes in the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Rosa's Pizzeria or in the comfort of your tour bus is an experience fit for a rock star!
El Gato Azul
El Gato Azul is a gem nestled just a couple blocks from Historic Courthouse Square that consistently impresses its patrons with its delightful Southwestern-inspired Tapas and Cuisine. With a fun and unique atmosphere, the restaurant offers outdoor patio dining, live music, a full bar, and an extensive selection of wines and beers. It's a local favorite, particularly during Happy Hour, and caters to a range of dietary preferences with a healthy and diverse menu. In all the profile articles we have done, El Gato Azul always gets mentioned in the top five, if not as the favorite spot to eat, drink, and be merry with friends and loved ones.
You would be hard pressed to find a better selection of small plates and tapas in the entire western United States, let alone the quad city area. Reviews are chock full of praise for the tapas selections, notably the escargot, fig & brie, and paella. (Editor’s note: That sentence my mouth to water involuntarily.) The entree portions are substantial, and the restaurant offers a nice selection of quality wines both by the glass and by the bottle. While they only take reservations for groups of five or more, they do their best to accommodate customers who call ahead. You can find this sensory adventure of a menu HERE. El Gato Azul is a must-visit venue for anyone seeking a dining experience fit for a rockstar, including yours truly, who is planning a date night with the boss for next week!
Farm Provisions
Farm Provisions, located in the heart of Prescott, Arizona, is a gem that encapsulates the essence of true farm-to-table dining. The vision of Farm Provisions is simple yet profound: to provide an authentic farm-to-table experience in a family-friendly atmosphere. This vision is brought to life by the dynamic husband-and-wife team of Ryan and Brittany Peters.
The Farm Provisions menu is a testament to their dedication to local producers and the surrounding community. Offering seasonally shifting menus, the restaurant has a variety of dishes that have earned the admiration of both locals and tourists. Highly reviewed items include Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs, Goat Cheese Salad, Short Ribs, the signature Farm Burger, Fish Tacos, enticing Chorizo Fondue, and Sweet Potato Waffle Fries. During our last visit to Farm Provisions, I indulged in a rib-eye steak that even the notoriously picky frontman of Metallica would approve of!
Rosa's Pizza, El Gato Azul, and Farm Provisions stand as top-tier culinary experiences in Prescott, each offering a unique menu and ambiance that caters to the inner rock star in us all. Whether you're a local or a visitor, these establishments offer more than just a meal; they provide a deep dive into the heart of Prescott's vibrant business community. At Prescott Days Magazine, we believe in highlighting the human side of local businesses, as it provides Prescottonians and visitors alike with a glimpse into the dedication and effort required to run a small business. If you find value in our articles, you can support us by subscribing to our newsletter as well as liking and sharing our social media posts. So the next time you're craving a rockstar dining experience in Prescott, you know exactly where to go!
