Where To Eat In Santa Fe (2023 Edition)
Santa Fe's restaurant scene is incredibly competitive and you're guaranteed a great meal no matter where you eat. The city offers a wide variety of international cuisine, and traditional Santa Fe fare is not to be missed. Gourmands flock to New Mexico to try the state's flavorful red and green chiles, which are a staple feature on Santa Fe menus. (Red and green chiles are the same type of pepper, the coloring and flavor just depends on when they're harvested.) Chiles can be used and consumed in numerous ways, from sauces smothered atop enchiladas and tamales to hearty stews filled with meat and other vegetables.
Let’s just dig in!!!!!! I know we are all hungry! HA.
Cafe Pasqual's- Mexican fare from local & organic ingredients along with a community table in a historic adobe. I absolutely dream of their Mole Rolled Chicken Enchiladas with famous cornbread and Grilled Carne Asada. The prickly pear margaritas are divine too! Make reservations. Getting a walk-in spot is pretty impossible.
Palacio Cafe- Warm, family-owned nook with hot/cold sandwiches, soups & salads, plus organic coffee & espresso. They have fantastic soups and The Rueben is to die for!
Osteria D’Assisi- Osteria d'Assisi is Santa Fe's premier Italian Restaurant and is home to a wide range of authentic Italian dishes you're sure to love. They take pride in offering 100 percent Italian culinary treats by importing most of the ingredients from Italy. Italian food is among the most popular in the world, but what sets Osteria d'Assisi apart from the rest is their commitment to serving authentic Italian flavors as well as their passion for outstanding hospitality. Owner Lino Pertusini, your host, is from Lake Como, Italy, in the northern region of Lombardi. For generations the Pertusini family has been associated with the finest restaurants and grand hotels of southern Europe. Lino has been awarded the title of Cavaliere, an order of Italian knighthood, for helping to spread Italian culture through cuisine. The gourmet organization Ciao Italia has certified Osteria d’Assisi in recognition of its commitment to maintain Italian culinary traditions for food and service throughout the world.
Highly recommend the LETTUGA AL GORGONZOLA -Wedge of butter lettuce with gorgonzola dressing, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds,in a apple cider citrus vinaigrette drizzle. The LASAGNA BOLOGNESE is so delightful too! Layered egg pasta with meat ragout, béchamel sauce and parmesan garnish. And Rodge loved the ROLATINI DI MELANZANE AL FORNO. Oven-roasted eggplant, filled with ricotta, graded lemon topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese on a bed of fresh marinara sauce and capellini pasta.
Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza- Contemporary Italian pizzeria serving authentic wood-fired pizza and calzones, baked lasagna and pastas, panini and piadine flatbread-style sandwiches, signature salads and crafted drinks.
THREE GUYS PLAYING WITH FIRE
“Food is all we’ve ever done,” says our co-founder Greg Atkin, who, like his business partners Rick Post and Tom White, began working in restaurants at a very young age. The three co-workers, along with former partner Tom Hennessy, became fast friends, spending their time cooking up “the dream of opening a restaurant together someday.” After years of climbing the ladder in various restaurant positions, Tom White temporarily left his friends to attend the California Culinary Academy, giving him outstanding connections and experiences. Upon his return to New Mexico, Chef White’s knowledge of Italian fare eventually prompted the partners to open two of the state’s best-known Italian Restaurants.
Although the full-service restaurants were highly successful, the partners still harbored the desire to create a unique Italian pizzeria the likes of which hadn’t been seen in the southwest. Incorporating concepts garnered from stylish San Francisco haunts with traditional wood-firing methods learned during his extended sabbatical visiting Italy’s traditional pizzerias, Chef White presented his idea to the partners: authentic wood oven pizza prepared with the highest-quality ingredients, served in a casually upscale atmosphere.
The first Il Vicino Wood Oven Pizza location opened for business in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill in 1992, instantly rousing the interest and appetites of pizza lovers looking for something a cut above the regular pie. Over the years, the menu has expanded to include many other Italian entrees created by Chef White. Their wood-fired pizzas vary from the conventional Margherita to gourmet-inspired toppings such as goat cheese, fiery shrimp or roasted chicken. Filling out the menu are calzones, Panini and Piadine flatbread sandwiches, fresh signature salads, and baked lasagnas and pastas. They also serve a wide selection of premium wines, award-winning microbrewed beers, homemade root beer and tempting desserts.
Join them at one of our seven locations in Colorado, Kansas or New Mexico, where you just might see Greg, Rick or Tom.
Whoo’s Donuts- Made from scratch daily, in Santa Fe New Mexico, using a full list of only “clean” ingredients, they’ve created a wide variety of donuts, from classic favorites like raised glaze and Boston crème, to modern classics like pistachio cake with white chocolate lemon ganache, or our most popular donut the blue corn blueberry lavender.
The Betterday- The use organic, local, and seasonal ingredients and these are truly the BEST breakfast burritos in all of Santa Fe!!
Tune Up Cafe- Family-friendly cafe serving hearty, inventive breakfasts, along with regional lunch & dinner items. Everything is just divine here and has been a fave of ours for a decade! Highly recommend the El Salvadoran Pupusas. Enjoy two two served with roasted tomato salsa and curtido: refried beans, zucchini & queso fresco -OR- flank steak, chile pasado & queso fresco. The Fresh Grilled Salmon Tacos are delish too! They have yogurt cucumber dill sauce and are served with pintos & rice. They have the best Green Chile Stew in Santa Fe! And the Mole Colorado chicken enchiladas with rice and grilled banana is just the chef’s kiss. Don’t forget the Trés Leches!
Gabriel’s- Serving food of the Southwest & Old Mexico - renowned in New Mexico - is considered one of the best restaurants in America by Zagat. The personal attention to food and service is what makes Gabriel's special, a place where little touches enhance your whole dining experience. Guacamole made table-side. Handmade corn tortillas. Enjoy freshly squeezed lime margaritas and white or red sangria! Summer patio dining with spectacular views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Inside, thick adobe walls and kiva fireplaces create a cozy, romantic atmosphere. Located only 10 minutes north of Santa Fe at Exit 176, Hwy 285.
Rustica- Worth the drive South! When this building across the street from their sister restaurant The Ranch House became available, they leaped at the opportunity to bring another local restaurant to the Southside, where friends and family can wine, dine and unwind.
They decided to feature Italian cuisine because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love Italian food?! Amo il cibo Italiano! They have chosen our favorite dishes from all over Italy... the ones we all return to again and again. Every single thing is SOOOOOO delish!!!
Coyote Cantina- The Coyote Cantina is considered one of the best rooftop venues in the City Different. Situated atop the Coyote Cafe, the Cantina offers Southwestern dining complete with the signature Coyote flavors and flare, plus all the mixology. The atmosphere is casual, relaxed, and is open all year-round. Great to watch the sunset bounce off the historic adobe walls of downtown Santa Fe. The Rooftop Cantina can be reserved for private events. I love the Ceviches and The Churros.
El Molero Fajitas- The most delish fajitas on The Plaza.
HAWT Pizza Co.- Low 'n Slow Lowrider Bar is the ideal spot for relaxing with a beverage and enjoying wood fired, artisanal Hawt Pizza. It’s SOOOOOOOOOOO good y’all.
Rowley Farmhouse Ales- Rowley Farmhouse Ales is a farm-to-table gastropub with a focus on unique yet familiar plates with a New Mexican twist. With fresh meats and vegetables coming from various local farms and everything made in-house, it’s easy to find a delicious meal to pairs perfectly with a pint or two of RFA’s award-winning beer. Every single thing is so delicious!
The Shed- Creative New Mexican Cooking on the Santa Fe Plaza. Family Owned & Operated Since 1953. Has won the renowned James Beard Award and is a local's favorite. Look for the small, vividly colored wooden sign that marks the entrance. The restaurant occupies nine quiet rooms behind Prince Patio, a sunny brick and flagstone courtyard shaded by trumpet vines and adorned with roses in the summer. The Shed is world renowned for its red chile enchiladas and other blue corn specialties, as well as tempting desserts and, of course, margaritas! A dining tradition in Santa Fe since its beginning when Polly and Thornton Carswell opened it on Burro Alley. The Shed structure had formerly been used by wood gatherers to protect their burros while the "Lenadores" quenched their thirst in the cantina around the corner.
After several years of wildly increasing demand, Polly & Thornton moved the restaurant to its current location, Prince Patio, in 1960. The tradition continues with the Carswell family now in the third generation. The Shed’s Chile comes directly from the farm.
Sharing the BEST place to brunch in Santa Fe here.
Sharing 9 Places To Eat Healthier in Santa Fe too! Check it out here!
And of course for my fellow Francophiles…… find your Francophile Guide To Santa Fe here!
Plus if you are looking for the spiciest Green Chile in The City Different..you will want to dine here. And if you are a NY Pie lover…Bruno’s is a must!!
Lamy and Pecos have some good food too!!
Happy Eating!!
