What Are the Best Restaurants in Prescott?

If you're getting to know Prescott, or you've lived here a while and want a few new places to try, food is one of the best ways in. Here's the honest answer: the best restaurant in Prescott depends on the meal you're after. For a relaxed breakfast or a community feel, the Raven Cafe on North Cortez Street is a local gathering place. For tapas and a patio, there's El Gato Azul on West Goodwin Street. For a classic dinner in a historic setting, the Peacock Room at the Hassayampa Inn is worth a visit. And downtown has plenty more within a short walk of Courthouse Plaza.

Let's walk through a handful of spots worth knowing and what each one is like.

We didn't rank anyone. Everyone's favorite is different, and a list of "the best" usually says more about the person writing it than the restaurant. Instead, we picked places with their own websites and described them the way they describe themselves: what they serve and where they are. Menus and hours change, so it helps to check each restaurant's own site before you go.

The Raven Cafe sits at 142 N Cortez St. and calls itself "Prescott's Gathering Place." Its menus cover breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, and it pours craft beers, wines, ciders, and meads alongside a full espresso bar. The cafe describes organic food, local artwork, and live music, which makes it an easy spot for a morning coffee or a casual evening.

El Gato Azul, at 316 W. Goodwin Street, describes itself as a world bistro with "Tapas All Day," serving lunch and dinner. You can eat on its covered outdoor patio or at the bar, and its site highlights sangria and margaritas. It's a nice pick when you want to share a few plates and linger a while.

The Peacock Room is inside the Hassayampa Inn, which the hotel describes as being in the heart of the Prescott Downtown Historic District. The hotel's site mentions dishes like tender lamb shank and pan-seared Alaskan salmon, with slow-roasted prime rib on Friday and Saturday evenings. Right alongside it is the Glass Bar, with its stained glass accents. It's the kind of place people choose for a birthday, an anniversary, or a dinner with visiting family.

Murphy's Restaurant is at 201 North Cortez Street downtown. Its site describes "hand-crafted meals" and lists a regular menu, a seasonal menu, Sunday brunch, and happy hour.

Gurley St Grill, at 230 West Gurley Street, calls itself "Prescott's Neighborhood Bar & Restaurant." The menu runs from burgers and pasta to salads, with daily specials, and it also has private banquet rooms for a group gathering.

The Superstition Meadery Prescott Tasting Room is at 120 W Gurley Street. It pours mead and cider, offers a tapas menu, and its site mentions one-off test batches on tap, so there's often something new to try. It's an easy stop before or after dinner downtown.

Since menus, specials, and hours change through the year, it helps to check each restaurant's own site before you head out.

Most of these spots are a short walk from one another around Courthouse Plaza, so it's easy to pair dinner with a stroll, a show, or a visit to the shops. If you're planning a full day downtown, here's our look at what there is to do in downtown Prescott.

Whether you'd live in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, or Dewey-Humboldt, downtown Prescott's restaurants are part of what the whole area shares. When you're comparing homes, it's worth thinking about how often you'd like to head downtown for a meal and how far you'd like to drive to get there. Our comparison of Prescott and Prescott Valley can help.

If a move is on your horizon, you don't have to sort it all out at once. We'll help you build a timeline that fits your life, from your first visits to the day you get the keys, so nothing feels overwhelming.

Where should I eat in downtown Prescott?
It depends on the meal. The Raven Cafe on North Cortez Street covers breakfast through dinner, El Gato Azul on West Goodwin Street serves tapas, and the Peacock Room at the Hassayampa Inn offers a classic dinner in a historic hotel.

Are there restaurants with patios in Prescott?
Yes. El Gato Azul, for example, describes a covered outdoor patio. Patio seating can change with the season, so check the restaurant's own site before you go.

Where can I get brunch in Prescott?
Several downtown spots serve brunch. The Raven Cafe lists a brunch menu, and Murphy's Restaurant lists Sunday brunch. Check their sites for current days and times.

What else is there to do in the Quad Cities?
We gathered the area's signature events in the best local events in the Quad Cities, and the outdoors side in the best hikes near Prescott and Prescott Valley.

Want to know what's happening around town before the weekend arrives? The Weekender is our free email with the best events in the Quad Cities, every Thursday. It's an easy way to stay connected, whether you live here now or you're getting to know the area.