Xetava Gardens Cafe

Stayed a wonderful week at Kayenta in a home exchange, which was highlighted be a couple of visits to Xetava Gardens Café (once for lunch and once for dinner). Our lunch expedience was excellent, which also included a superb house-​made Sangria. We were particularly delighted with the brussel sprouts accompanied by a homemade peach chutney, which a terrific pairing. I had a garden salad with grilled chicken beast and my wife had the gyro salad; both were very fresh and generous in size. We returned for dinner on our last night where we had the good fortune to have cool weather allowing us to sit outside on their marvelous patio. I had the pork tenderloin with an incredible reduction sauce, and for which they gladly substituted grilled brussel sprouts for the potatoes. I was in heaven, completely satisfied. Unfortunately my wife did not fare quite as well with her chicken dish, which was pounded thin and slightly overcooked. Sadly, we both passed on deserts, which was particularly painful for me as a hugh fan of bread puddings for which they’re known for. But all in all, we enjoyed our visits. Good selection of wines and beer and other specialty drinks, with the Sangria worth many trips back.

Fabulous meal starting with the hummus and ending with the bread pudding. In between excellent service by Daniel and the mahi and the blue cheese bacon burger. Yummmmm.

I would travel to this strange little artsy fartsy town just for the bread pudding at the gardens café. Oh I am sure I had some other food. I vaguely recall a gigantic blue waffle, whipped cream, berries, some sort of salad, a burger, some lavash and tapenade, a chai latte that would have normally left a long and lasting good impression however all of it was ECLIPSED with my first sniff of the bread pudding. Ambrosia of the gods… I thought I might implode after consuming it, something magical was Happening in my mouth it was… Life changing, not meant for mere mortals, yet here I was consuming the food of mythical creatures and I lived to tell the tale. I have, since that day, pursued a replica of that divine bread pudding and have utterly, devastatingly failed. I am afraid I must once again trek to the land of millionaire hippy art dealers to consume their magical dessert.

Great food… creative menu.
We had Brussels sprouts with peach chutney.
Grilled Caesar salad was great.
Sautéed wild mushrooms with goat cheese.
House salad with candied walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese.
Awesome desserts… bread pudding… yummm…and chocolate chili pudding with blueberries!
Friendly and helpful staff.
Décor was fascinating. Loved the doors.
Cannot wait to come back again.

Marvelous. Worth going off the beaten path. Menu and service superb. The green curry mahi!

Everything about this place is just wonderful. From the food to the service, the location — Everything.
I’m not sure what else to say. I had the burger with cole slaw on it and it was just perfect. The fried potatoes were tasty with a little ketchup. My friends had the special chicken salad on croissant. We were all happy with our meal.
I look forward to coming back, when we are in St. George again, to try something different.

We’ve eaten here about 4 times now and each time it has been delicious! Their gyro salad is the best I’ve had and their chicken caesar wrap I’ve heard from 2 people is super good. Their coffee and chai tea frappé is much better than Starbucks. The custom cabinetry and architecture of the building is unique and beautiful. Really a fun and different place to eat with great food and beverages. My new favorite!

I really like eating here. The food is unique, tastes great and the setting is fantastic. The wait staff have always been very friendly and helpful. Their suggestions have been spot on. If you are interested in trying something new this is a good place.

This place has amazing food and great ambiance. How can you compete with the scenery of the red rocks surrounding Kayenta/​Ivins?! The home made oreos were a definite must have.

Cuisine note: I’m not sure why this is classified in the Tapas Bars section. There is a nice selection of appetizers, but that doesn’t make it a Tapas Bar.
We moved to St. George from Portland (OR) almost two years ago. Coming from a culinary haven, we’ve found dining here pretty limited. That’s okay… no surprise there… it will get better over time.
When we were house-​hunting, we got a tip on this place and fell in love with it for breakfast or lunch, especially considering the patio dining in nice weather. For that, I’d give it five stars. It feels a bit like Carmel, CA meets Santa Fe. A little hippy, but with an elegant red-​rock desert twist. Plus, it’s in the picturesque artist community known as Coyote Gulch, part of Kayenta.
For dinner, we’ve had mixed results. So much so we probably will not go back for an evening meal anytime soon. First, the menu needs work; right now it’s the lunch menu plus one special. And when the weather is cold after dark, we’ve been chilly inside and kept our coats on. I’m betting they know they have an issue with temperature regulation, especially on the left side of the dining area near the windows.
Last time, my wife and I ordered the one dinner special they offered: a thin ribeye they called a Cowboy Steak. She had to send hers back TWICE to get something that wasn’t overdone. And, to top things off, the waiter, an otherwise friendly and engaging guy, debated it with her when it was clear the steak was way overdone, with no pink inside, even though she asked for medium-​rare. He later graciously apologised and tried to overcome his blunder.
That night, we went here to have a comfortable dinner and catch up with old friends. We arrived around 6:30. They stop serving at 9 p.m., and just prior to that they served their last table nearby. By 8:45 they were washing down the kitchen floor with bleach, with an open door looking in, and not more than 10 feet from our table. It permeated the air with a strong odor. One of our friends is sensitive to strong fragrance and chemical smells and we had to sign the check and rush out. We mentioned it when we left and they apologized.
Considering the 2x food-​return delays, the uncomfortable temps, and the bleach thing, I would have thought that a manager would have intervened and tried to make things better. But no. It felt more like they all had things to do and wanted to go home.

Best burger ever! I recently had the bacon pesto burger (a weekend special). It was cooked perfectly. Since moving down here, I haven’t found a good restaurant burger until now. The side of sautéed potatoes are a nice touch, too. I can also recommend the chicken Caesar wrap. I stop there often for an Americano coffee to go, as they make it 10 times better than I do.
I have used these folks for catering & I didn’t have to lift a finger. The food was just what I wanted it to be.

Was looking forward to lunch here. Ordered an iced tea that was 90% ice, a wrap and half salad for $ 26. Grapes were not washed and had dirt on them. Will try the café part only next time.

After hiking all morning at Snow Canyon State Park, lunch here was perfect. The dining room was lovely and cool. A roadrunner came right up to the window to greet us!
We had the Chai Frappé and chilled Mango drink to start and the Ceasar Wrap and Forage Burger (over romaine instead of buns) for our meal. Both were delicious and filling! I loved the variety of mushrooms in the forage burger, the kale chips instead of traditional fried were awesome and good to my tummy, and the Chai was perfection with just the right amount of spice. Will love to come again next time we pass through! Don’t forget to visit the wind sculpture garden on the way out!

Wow! Must try this place if you’re visiting St. George.
Skip the chain resturants on the freeway and try something new and amazing!

I’m sorry, I don’t care how «organic» your food is, burnt is not a flavor, especially if it’s your dinner special. At the very least, provide a knife that is designed to cut the incredibly tough chicken breast that you’re charging $ 22 for instead of forcing me to tear at it with my teeth like some kind of cave man. The only redeeming quality about the kale chips is the fact that they aren’t as inedible as you expect kale to be. This sensation is short lived as you quickly realize that just because it isn’t as bad as it could be doesn’t make it good by any stretch of the imagination. If I had to guess, the bar is the best feature of this place because you’d have to be drunk to enjoy the food. At least the food here won’t be in your system for long because of the Taco Bell-​esque food poisoning that ensues following your dining experience.
ps, a little bleu cheese goes a long way

I was in St. George for a week with some friends and on the way driving back to L.A. we stopped here to have breakfast. The area it is in is beautiful and very calm. The host was very sweet and cheerful, seated us right away. I have never heard of many of the things on the menu, and I am a picky eater not willing to try many new things but I was convinced after seeing my friends food to give it a try. I cannot remember the name of what I ordered but I’ll post a picture of it. It was delicious! I do not regret ordering it and even though I do not like humus or onions on this they tasted great. The waiter was super nice and helpful when I asked about the items on the menu. Everyone was satisfied with their food and I cannot wait to come back here! Everything was absolutely wonderful; they even gave us a free caramel lattè for the road.

This place is amazing! The coffee is good and you can quickly grab it. The food is really expensive so you can’t eat there unless you want to drop a lot of dough. The pastries are good as well. Try their Dirty girl or the Vickie (it’s a secret drink)!
The atmosphere is welcoming in this desert art center. Grab a coffee and walk around the weather is usually nice.

This place was amazing. Heading back from Vegas when my wife asks if it’s worth going 40 miles out of our way to grab lunch. Since we weren’t in too much of a hurry to head back to our day jobs, the answer was yes.
Let me first say that this place is way, way out there. Like, you won’t know what state you’re in anymore. Utah? Nevada? New Mexico? Old Mexico? It’s in this totally off-​the-​grid desert town surrounded by brown, flat-​topped houses. It’s immediately located within this awesome co-​op art compound featuring local art, a spa, and lots of information about the desert environment. Everyone was super friendly.
We went on Memorial Day, so it may have been just slightly busier than usual. No wait for a table, though. There is a large outdoor seating area (but indoor is available, too) covered with a canopy and surrounded by those ubiquitous desert shrubs. The menu is a bit pricey, but not outrageous. The quality of food and environment make it worth the price. I got the daily special (steak quesadilla) and my wife got the veggie ciabatta sandwich with kale chips. Both were delicious and plentiful.
Whilst eating, we noticed EVERY other group eating the bread pudding dessert. Being the faithful crowd-​followers that we are, we likewise indulged. Oh. My. Gosh. So good. It’s like flan’s cooler, tastier cousin. Lots of sauce, whipped cream, and, of course, soft, moist bread.
Go here and see the red rock formations and explore south-​western Utah from a new perspective. You won’t be disappointed!

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch in this delightful desert café located next to several wonderful artists shops and studios in the beautiful setting of Kayenta. Mountain views are not visible from inside the restaurant, but the deep red rocks and sand are all around this location.
Vegetarians and fussy eaters will be happy here. I enjoyed chicken salad (though it was a bit too salty for me). The beet salad was recommended by a tablemate as was the grilled shrimp.
Unusual and arty, we considered this a great find during a recent visit to the area.

Yum Yum Yum
That’s really all I can say. This is a great little spot if in Kayenta checking out the local artists. Come for breakfast and you’ll be happy. Come for lunch and you’ll be happy. Both times you will leave with a lighter wallet, this is not fast food prices, but you are not getting fast food quality either. Free range chicken eggs. Apple wood bacon. Gluten free. Vege. You get the idea. You can come here with the pickiest eater and they will find something to their liking. Or, if you are like me, you will have trouble choosing and have to come back.