Salsa Brava

Specialties

Salsa Brava is a Fresh Mexican Grill, that has been serving the Flagstaff area for 26 years. At Salsa Brava, your food is always made to order. All of our hand-​made salsas are made fresh, right here, every day. We use only all-​natural, antibiotic– and hormone-​free, boneless, skinless chicken. as well as trimmed top sirloin and lean pork. We hand-​cut 600 pounds of fresh tomatoes every week. Our cheese is from Wisconsin, always aged. We use only 100 percent cholesterol free canola oil — no lard, no MSG, ever.

History

Established in 1988.

Salsa Brava was once only a place of employment for Owner/​Chef John Conley, while he was attending NAU. When he heard that Salsa Brava was for sale, he saved the money and took a big chance. At the time Salsa Brava was strictly counter service with a limited menu. He wanted to expand into a full service restaurant.

And that he did, now 26 years strong, Salsa Brava has been voted Flagstaff’s Best Mexican Restaurant and Best Salsa, continuously. Salsa Brava has appeared on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-​Ins, and Dives.

Meet the Business Owner

John C.

Business Owner

John Conley, is a renown chef out of Flagstaff, Arizona. He grew up in a large family of 9 in Phoenix, AZ. With a choice to learn to cook or go hungry. Living in the Phoenix area he was heavily influenced by the Hispanic culture, and found a love for an abundance of Mexican dishes.

John, left home at 17 to become a wild land firefighter/​smokejumper for the United States Forest Service. When it was the off season, he attended the Hotel and Restaurant Management School at Northern Arizona, and worked at a counter service restaurant (Salsa Brava).

His senior year when returning from the USFS, he decided that would be his last season of fighting fires. He returned to his seasonal job at Salsa Brava, only to find our that there were plans to sell. He took a chance, saved money and bought it.

Since, John has appeared on Food Network, and transformed a counter service restaurant into a full service family owned restaurant. He has opened a sister restaurant, Fat Olives a Wood Fired Pizzeria.