A few years ago I wrote for the schools newspaper 'The Lumberjack' as a writer for the Entertainment and A&E sections. My friend and I went around and co-wrote articles on upcoming video games, movies and local restaurants.
http://jackcentral.com/ae/2010/10/om-nom-nom-burger-time/
Our favorite article was this piece. When it comes to local food, I look for burgers. I would go to say that hamburgers are the American stamp of legitimacy in a restaurant. You can almost always order a hamburger in any establishment you go to. Of course there's many examples that disprove my last statement, but if you think about it, any sit down restaurant has some kind of burger on the menu.
That article was posted in 2010 and the burger landscape of Flagstaff has hardly changed since then. With just a fair few changes. Mama Burger is no longer located downtown, but instead by the mall, which means it's nearly impossible for me to eat at anymore. I haven't been back to Galaxy Diner since that article. Bunhuggers remains the same. Burrito Burger almost killed me once, so that's easy to assume what my stand on that establishment is now.
The only burger joint that really lasted to me was Diablo Burger.
Check them out! http://www.diabloburger.com/Diablo_Burger/home.html
I'm not the only one who thinks of Diablo Burger when I think local or Flagstaffian. It's a locavore's heavenly resting place. Seriously, check out their website if you haven't yet. Don't read any further until you've clicked that link.
They are committed to only using locally grown goods for their products. I don't know if you've ever tasted really fresh ingredients from a restaurant that's in a landlocked state, but it's uncanny. One of the times I've been there, they were just receiving their shipment of vegetables and greens. Easily the best grilled onions I've ever had the delight to consume. It's like the onion was cut from the ground and placed on the burning grill.
Whenever anyone out of town visits me, I almost always suggest Diablo Burger to them. It's in the middle of ancient Downtown, with that mural spanning its walls. You can't miss it, and anyone, literally anyone can point you to it if you manage to get lost.
Bring cash.
(image of Diablo Burger taken by Paleo Friendly)
(Diablo Burger own's their own name)
