Sedona’s SaltRock Southwest Kitchen and Amara Resort and Spa are bringing holiday flavors and cheer to the serenity of the Red Rocks. Just two hours north of the Valley, guests will find a winter wonderland in Amara’s lobby this December.
To kick off the festive season, Amara’s Annual Holiday Pajama Celebration on December 14 encourages guests to wear their coziest pajamas for an evening of food, music, family-friendly activities, and the chance to win dinner for two. From 4 to 8 p.m., there will be buffet-style offerings of classics, a spiked hot cocoa bar, a snow machine, cookie and gingerbread decorating, holiday movies, a photo booth, and candy cane crafting. Adult tickets are $75 and $35 per child.
As the festive fun continues, SaltRock Southwest Kitchen will prepare a Christmas Eve dinner crafted by Executive Chef Cord Chatham. For starters, guests can savor a warm bacon and corn chowder served in a sourdough bread boule or enjoy a refreshing mixed greens salad topped with blue cheese, guajillo-spiced pecans, and Fuji apples, complemented by a maple vinaigrette.
The main course selections include juniper-roasted duck breast with duck leg confit, horseradish au gratin potato, and a parsnip purée, perfectly paired with En Route Pinot Noir or the Wagyu strip steak with black garlic asado and grilled cebollitas. There’s something for seafood lovers, too: a lobster tail al pastor, served with pineapple butter and charred avocado salsa, accompanied by a recommended sauvignon blanc.
Dessert offerings include a whimsical funnel cake with rum and vanilla gelato and almond granola or a decadent peppercorn and chocolate tart with tamarind caramel and burnt tostada crema. Priced at $110 per adult and $50 per child, this festive meal promises a holiday celebration.
On Christmas Day, guests can enjoy a buffet from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The seafood display features shrimp, oysters, and snow crab claws; fresh salads include mixed greens with apples, blue cheese, and pomegranate and a spinach salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and butternut squash. The carving station showcases mustard-roasted prime rib, blackened Scottish salmon, and thyme-roasted chicken breast served with grilled asparagus and mushrooms. A variety of sides round out the festive spread.
To complete the experience, grown-ups can enjoy holiday-inspired cocktails like mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Bailey’s with coffee while youngsters sip on hot chocolate or cider. The Christmas buffet costs $99 per adult and $50 per child. Reservations can be made at OpenTable. To learn more about Amara, visit amararesort.com.
