Foodies have yet another reason to venture to the red rocks of Sedona with the highly anticipated opening of Chef Lisa Dahl’s Butterfly Burger, a first-of-its-kind “couture burger lounge” serving Dahl’s award-winning burgers paired with imaginative sides, robust salads, boozy milkshakes and an expansive craft beer and bourbon selection.
Arguably one of Arizona’s most anticipated restaurant openings of the year and Chef Dahl’s most creative culinary concept yet, Butterfly Burger will officially open to the public on Sept. 23. From all-natural, certified Black Angus beef burgers to plant-based vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, Butterfly Burger entices all cravings with its incredibly diverse menu in what’s sure to become one of the country’s best burger restaurants.
“A great burger is like a metaphor of culinary perfection. Every single layer matters. For me, it’s about taking each ingredient and giving it its own personality to achieve the OMG effect,” said Chef Dahl. “I believe my reputation as a ‘burger master’ came about because I take every detail of creating my tantalizing burgers as very serious business. It doesn’t matter if it’s a roasted beet or a gourmet burger, I think of burgers as its own art form. I believe in customizing the special seasoning and sauces for each to shine on its own. From slow-cooked caramelized onions, sultry sauces and a good aged-cheese, I live for combinations that bring the robust flavors out in every bite.”
From classic to extravagant, the menu features more than a dozen signature burgers, including those that have taken home top honors at the Scottsdale Burger Battle three years running. A couple of the brand-new standouts that are making their debut at the restaurant include the name-sake, The Butterfly Burger ($18), manchego cheese, all-natural pepper bacon, guacamole and chipotle aioli on an artisan bun and Oui Oui Monsieur! ($18), a patty melt-style burger smothered in charred onions, Gruyere cheese and Dijonnaise sauce on grilled caraway rye bread served with a side of onion jus dipping sauce.
Award-winning burgers that have earned Dahl her “burger master” reputation also grace the menu, including Funghi Sublime ($17), smothered in sautéed mushrooms and finished with imported truffle gouda and special Dijonnaise on an artisan bun; the Gringo Burger ($16), white aged cheddar, louis remoulade sauce, shredded romaine and crispy onion strings on an artisan bun; and The Waco Kid ($17), white aged cheddar, 4 Roses Bourbon with maple caramelized onion, all-natural bacon confiture and Dijon sauce on an artisan bun.
Vegan and vegetarian options include Royal Beet Burger ($17), organic roasted grilled beet steak with house teriyaki and roasted garlic herb chevre with organic arugula on a whole grain bun; Primo Double-Double ($17), tantalizing house-marinated grilled portobello mushroom, finished with caramelized balsamic onions, manchego and chipotle aioli on a whole grain bun. Any Dahl restaurant loyalist will also notice her iconic The Hipster ($16), a vegan’s dream made from lentil-walnut sofrito, finished with oven-roasted Campari tomato jam and pimenton aioli on a whole-grain bun. Fun fact, The Hipster was the first meat-alternative burger Dahl ever created as a vegetarian teenager.
The menu also includes seductive salads like Chef Dahl’s signature Green Goddess Cobb ($18) with organic kale with grilled lemon chicken, white-aged cheddar, all-natural pepper bacon, avocado, pico de gallo and chipotle Caesar topped with crispy onion strings; and the Atun Parfait ($20) with sushi-grade yellowfin poke, avocado, mango ginger salsa, Bibb lettuce, chipotle aioli and crispy shoestring potatoes.
A variety of spellbinding sides and starters that cater to a range of dietary persuasions also appear on the menu like four different fries options that are worth the drive alone including the Butter Fries ($7) with the option to add truffle pecorino dust with Dijonnaise and Street Frites ($12) with yuca fries smothered with queso fundido, pico de gallo and cotija cheese; Supreme Mac n Cheese ($12), Quinoa Confetti Salad ($5), Three-Seed Cilantro Slaw ($4) and more. Butterfly Burger will also be home to a dozen signature sauces, which Dahl plans to roll out in specialty grocery stores in the future.
A variety of over-the-top milkshakes, both the traditional ($9) and boozy varieties ($15), will round out the offering. A few favorites are the Smores with charred marshmallow, chocolate swirl and graham cracker crunch; Lavender Love with organic blueberries, local lavender and citron splash; Lisa’s Lush Lemon with limoncello sorbet, vanilla bean gelato and lemon cookie crumble; and Dulce De Leche with burnt butter caramel, gluten-free oat streusel and caramel pearls. If the milkshakes don’t satisfy the sweet tooth, the Crème Brûlée ($10) is guaranteed to take care of that.
The 2,500 square-foot, ultra-luxe restaurant was designed by Dahl to embody a chic, high-end lounge with dark wood-lined walls, exotic faux alligator-like booths, an open-display kitchen and a sleek, marble bar with a rolling library ladder for easy access to the connoisseur-level selection of 40 bourbons and spirits on display.
Butterfly Burger is located in the Village of Oak Creek within Sedona Vista Village, a redevelopment project currently underway by Martin Aronson who is transforming the former outlet center into a mixed-use destination with restaurants, retail and a new 120-room hotel, Element by Westin.
“As the gateway to Sedona, The Village of Oak Creek is long overdue for a culinary scene of its own,” said Dahl. “I opened Cucina Rustica in The Village 16 years ago and it was the only fine-dining option in the area. Today, Cucina is busier than ever and I have no doubt Butterfly Burger will thrive in this community and make a name for itself nationally.”
Dahl is one of the country’s leading female chefs and restaurateurs who has pioneered the culinary scene in Sedona for over 20 years. A James Beard House-featured chef and completely self-taught, Dahl is widely credited for Sedona’s recent emergence as a national “foodie destination.” Dahl introduced fine dining to Sedona in the late ‘90s with the opening of Dahl & Di Luca, which today continues to draw national attention, and has since expanded to become the largest restaurant group in the area with accolades spanning the culinary spectrum. Today, she also owns and operates the highly acclaimed Cucina Rustica, Pisa Lisa and Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill. This will be the flagship location for the Butterfly Burger concept, which Dahl hopes to expand beyond Northern Arizona.
Dahl was recently awarded the “Best Chefs of America Hall of Fame Award” by National Elite, a national restaurant industry organization, and in 2018 was named “Top Chef”, the most prized honor by The Foodist Awards, Arizona’s most prestigious culinary award presented by the Arizona Restaurant Association.
With some major awards and grilling competition wins under her belt, along with national TV appearances, most recently grilling against the likes of Bobby Flay on Food Network and appearing on Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise”, the nationally recognized chef and restaurateur from small-town Sedona is making big waves across the country.
Butterfly Burger (6657 State Route 179 B1, Sedona, AZ) will be open for lunch and dinner daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information, visit ButterflyBurger.com or call 928.862.4448. For more on Chef Lisa Dahl and Dahl Restaurant Group, visit DahlRestaurantGroup.com.
