Where to find a taste of Europe in Flagstaff

Take a trip across Europe for your taste buds this spring without even leaving Flagstaff. Here’s how…

For French cuisine, try the Chateaubriand at the Cottage Place (126 W Cottage Ave). This tenderloin dinner for two is served with béarnaise sauce and a port-wine demi-glaze and carved tableside. It comes with fresh vegetables and smoked Gouda gratinee potatoes. Then head to Brix (413 N San Francisco) for a classic French cheese plate for dessert and Portuguese Madeira wine.

Spanish tapas (basically a small dish you eat while drinking) are found at Criollo (16 N San Francisco). Their tapas menu includes Marcona almonds dusted with chili powder, warm marinated Spanish olives, beer battered shrimp and bocadilla jamon (basically a fancy version of a ham sandwich).

Greek delights can be found at both the small Greek Islands (109 E Phoenix Ave.) and much larger Taverna Greek Grill (2420 S Woodlands Village Blvd). Gyros, souvlaki, spanakopita, and baklava are just the start of the Greek feast you’re in for at either. Both are quite tasty, it just matters what type of atmosphere you’re looking for as to which you should choose.

If you are hankering for a taste of Irish, head to Collins Irish Pub (2 N Leroux). Order up the classic corned beef and cabbage, the cottage pie or the Guinness beef stew. They also serve up English beloved fish n chips. Frank’s Daily Bread (1490 Riordan Ranch Rd) is another spot to try for fish n chips on Fridays when they serve up fish, chips and a soda as the daily special.

Go German with the Brewer’s Platter complete with two brats at Beaver Street Brewery (11 S Beaver). It’s not pure German, but we’ll go ahead and count it. Along the same lines, go Polish with the Polish Sausage served up with sauerkraut down the road at The Lumberyard (5 S San Francisco).

A taste of Italy awaits at Pasto (19 E Aspen). Order several of their small courses – try the portabella and eggplant fries, the spaghettini carbonara and Italian hotlinks. Or go a little Scottish while you’re here and order the Scottish salmon as a main dish. Add to the experience from mid-May on Pasto’s courtyard for a feel of Italian summers too. Get a different Italian experience with the dim, romantic lighting and intimate atmosphere of Mamma Luisa Italian Restaurant (2710 N Steves Blvd, at Kachina Square). Try the authentic saltimbocca, which means “jumps in the mouth.” If Italian sweets are what you’re in the mood for, try the new 1899 Bar and Grill’s (307 W. Dupont Ave, across from the High Country Conference Center and Drury Inn and Suites) panna cotta for dessert for a rich and creamy Italian dessert.

In the Euro breakfast field, try the Belgian waffles at It’s About Coffee (2620 N Steves Blvd). Once April rolls around, head to the Old Town Creperie (120 N Leroux, next to Diablo Burger) for the delicately delish French breakfast (and any time snack) of crepes.