Hotels near Native American Craft Shop: (0.11 mi) Wigwam Motel (0.27 mi) Baymont by Wyndham Cherokee Smoky Mountains (0.32 mi) Super 8 by Wyndham Cherokee (0.23 mi) Pink Motel (0.54 mi) River's Edge Motel; View all hotels near Native American Craft Shop on Tripadvisor. Minnesota Indian Gaming Association. 8925 Cove Dr NE. Hotels near Native American Craft Shop: (0.11 mi) Wigwam Motel (0.27 mi) Baymont by Wyndham Cherokee Smoky Mountains (0.32 mi) Super 8 by Wyndham Cherokee (0.23 mi) Pink Motel (0.54 mi) River's Edge Motel; View all hotels near Native American Craft Shop on Tripadvisor.

Gavin Newsom appealed to a group of Native American tribes to reconsider plans to reopen their casinos in the coming days, warning that the coronavirus poses a continuing threat.

Courtesy of Kai Restaurant

Kai, a highly acclaimed Native American restaurant in the Phoenix area, serves contemporary dishes influenced by Arizona’s indigenous Pima and Maricopa tribes.

A handful of contemporary U.S. restaurants helmed by indigenous chefs highlight the diversity of Native American foods and cultures across the country.

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, many children in the United States learn stories about the initial 17th-century feast—the turkey and corn pudding brought by English colonists and the venison prepared by the indigenous people who originally occupied the land. However, mainstream understanding of Native American cuisine hasn’t extended much further than that until recent years, as indigenous chefs across the country have started to increasingly spotlight Native foods and recipes.

The following selection of Native American restaurants are standouts worth visiting, particularly in November, which marks Native American Heritage Month in the United States.

Kai

Chandler, Arizona

At Kai, the only restaurant in Arizona to earn both AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star ratings, chef Ryan Swanson creates an upscale menu using ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community, as well as influences from the Pima and Maricopa tribes. The name of this fine-dining establishment (which is the marquee restaurant at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass) means “seed” in the Pima language. For one special entrée, servers burn sage and lavender in a bouquet above a dish of goose and rabbit. Another features grilled buffalo tenderloin served with cholla cactus buds and saguaro-blossom syrup, a sweet and savory elixir made from a Sonoran desert cactus.

Tocabe

Denver, Colorado

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This fast-casual spot in Denver updates traditional recipes from co-owner Ben Jacobs’s grandmother, a tribal member of the Osage Nation. The menu at Tocabe features “Posu Bowls” served with wild rice; a choice of bison, beef, chicken, or beans and vegetables; and a variety of Native ingredients and toppings such as Osage hominy (made from dried maize), sweet corn, and a signature maple vinaigrette. The “Tocabe Favorite” includes bison ribs that are cured for 24 hours before they’re glazed with a berry barbecue sauce and served with a side of fry bread—a flat, fried dough that’s a staple of Native American cuisine.

“Our goal is create an understanding of what Native food is,” says Jacobs, who opened the eatery in 2008 with his former Denver University classmate Matt Chandra. Tocabe claims the title of Denver’s only “American Indian owned and operated” restaurant, and now there are two locations: one in North Denver and the other in Greenwood Village.

Black Sheep Cafe

Nearest Indian Casino Near Me

Provo, Utah

Chef Mark Daniel Mason, who is half Navajo and half Hidatsa, mixes Southwestern and Navajo foodways to come up with crowd-pleasing dishes at Black Sheep Cafe, which doubles as a local gallery for Native American artists in the city of Provo (about 43 miles south of Salt Lake City). Black Sheep’s rotating menu includes dishes such as grilled pork chop with roasted poblano chilies wrapped in traditional nanniskadi (Navajo bread) or “Navajo Tacos” topped with green chilies. Mason says there are no rules in his cooking, but he does abide by one principle: to always use the “three sisters” of Native food—corn, beans, and squash.

Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe

Washington, D.C.

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Seasonal food is served cafeteria style at Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, a casual dining spot inside the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in the U.S. capital. Mitsitam, which means “let’s eat” in the Piscataway and Delaware languages, is helmed by executive chefs Richard Hetzler and Freddie Bitsoie. Keep an eye on them: Bitsoie was named as “a rising star in the constellation of young chefs” by Native Peoples magazine in 2011.

Diners will get a tour of cuisines from across the Western Hemisphere, including North America’s Northern Woodlands and Northwest Coast, plus South America and Mesoamerica (which extends to Mexico and Central America). But they can also deep dive into region-specific dishes, such as a pulled buffalo sandwich with chayote squash slaw that takes its cues from the people of the Great Plains.

Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe temporarily closed due to COVID-19. Check their website for more information.

The Sioux Chef

Minneapolis, Minnesota

While it’s not exactly a restaurant, The Sioux Chef—an indigenous catering company in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area—deserves an honorable mention for its modern and traditional take on Dakota and Ojibwe dishes. Founded by Sean Sherman, the Native chef behind the now-shuttered Tatanka Trunk (a Minneapolis food truck serving what the chef dubbed “indigenous tacos” inspired by precolonization fare), the catering company hosts occasional dinners and educational events everywhere from New York City to Milan. Even if you can’t attend, you can still glean knowledge of Native American cuisine from Sherman’s published collection of recipes, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen(University of Minnesota Press, 2017), which won the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook in 2018.

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This article originally appeared online in November 2015; it was updated on November 15, 2019, to include current information.

>>Next: The Intimate Photo Project That Explores Contemporary Native American Life

Native American-owned lodging is available in Minnesota, Idaho, Florida, North Carolina as well as multiple properties throughout the Southwest. Whether you choose a free-standing hotel or lodging attached to a casino, you'll enjoy a comfortable stay amid tribal lands.Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino — Photo courtesy of (c) 2014 Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Buffalo Thunder Resort With the Cities of Gold Casino and a hotel under one roof, this gorgeous Santa Fe resort combines Northern New Mexico views with Hilton comforts. Art by the Pueblo of Pojoaque's Governor George Rivera inspired much of the Native American Pueblo style evident in the décor and relaxation abounds at W'O'Pin Spa after golf or gaming.Buffalo Thunder Resort — Photo courtesy of Lisa Waterman Gray

Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort Hotel – In 1993, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe opened a Worley, Idaho bingo parlor. Today the enterprise includes 300 luxury rooms and a massive casino. Circling Raven Golf Club challenges golfers while Spa Ssakwa’q’n body treatments incorporate mud, volcanic pumice, clay and other natural ingredients. Ten restaurants and spacious rooms complete the package.

Grand Casino Mille Lacs – The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe owns this Onamia, MN casino and 494-room hotel, recipient of a tripadvisor 2014 Certificate of Excellence. Rich earth-tones decorate large rooms and Grand Getaway packages combine your room rate with retail, restaurant or cash vouchers. Several restaurants, thousands of slot machines and gaming tables and musical performances also entertainment guests.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort –This 21-story hotel in Cherokee, NC features spacious rooms with great mountain views. An indoor pool and zero entry outdoor pool, with bar, offer relaxation while the fitness room is open 24/7. The Chefs Stage Buffet serves international cuisine as well as soups, salads, and desserts while hi-tech digital and live casino table provide excitement.

Hyatt Tamaya Regency Resort & Spa – This Albuquerque partnership between Hyatt and the Tamayame tribe offers luxury accommodations amid gorgeous desert landscape. There’s a gallery full of New Mexican arts and Srai Wi Experiences such as Adobe Brick Making or artisan demonstrations, plus geocaching and horseback riding. Great dining and pueblo-style accommodations occupy this serene hotel near a bustling casino.

Indian Casino

Kayenta Monument Valley Inn - A Navajo and his wife own this Hampton hotel located on the Navajo Reservation near Monument Valley. Tribal décor abounds and Native American souvenirs pack the gift shop. There’s a cozy lobby beside the dining room, which serves Native American and traditional American fare. Guests can unwind in the heated pool or energize in the fitness room.

Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites, – Located at Tuba City, AZ, this is the first hotel built on Hopi tribal land in more than 50 years. Hopi arts decorate this amenity-rich hotel where More than 3,000 square feet and audiovisual equipment create perfect event space. Shops at the adjacent TUUVI Travel Center feature Native American handcrafts and a café serving Hopi and American foods.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Headquartered in Hollywood, FL, the Seminole Tribe of Florida operates this AAA Four-Diamond rated and Florida Green Lodging Certification property. Luxurious renovated rooms include 63 suites with panoramic views. There are multiple restaurants and boutiques and a European-style spa as well as the world’s sixth largest casino. The 5,500-seat Hard Rock Live arena also showcases top musical performers.Orange Sky Patio at the Talking Stick Resort — Photo courtesy of Talking Stick Resort

Talking Stick Resort – Located in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian community, this Scottsdale, AZ resort creates great jobs while supporting community infrastructure and services. Tribal design enhances modern room décor and spa treatments include ingredients of Pima cotton, sweet mesquite, honey, and fig. Five restaurants and a full-service gaming floor make this resort a favorite.

Native American Casinos Near Me

The View Hotel – Designed to exist in harmony with nature, this Navajo-owned hotel lies within Navajo Tribal park, at Monument Valley, AZ. There’s a stunning multi-story lobby and guest rooms offer unforgettable Valley vistas, with unobstructed night skies from top floor rooms. In-room recycling, biodegradable cleaners, and xeriscaping are only a few environmental practices.