2017-2018
RESTAURANT GUIDE S F R 2 0 1 7 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
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Frie g n i t a r b e l e C
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ry Da e v E y l i m a ds & F
y!
All photos © Daniel Quat Photography
Great food + Good times 2571 Cristos Rd, Santa Fe Across from the Auto Park near Kohls 505-424-8900 • theranchhousesantafe.com
Simple Ingredients. Honest Cooking. Fresh Thinking.
While embracing its colorful history, El Nido opens its doors as a fresh, innovative new restaurant. RESERVE TODAY! Thanksgiving Dinner, Holiday Gatherings, Company Parties, Christmas & New Years
1577 Bishops Lodge Road, Tesuque, NM • 505-954-1272 www.elnidosantafe.com
Good Food & Good Drinks at Good Prices... Open Late! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you! 2017 Best of Santa Fe AwardS: best bar 1st place best hotel bar 3RD place best margaritas 1st place
— Santa Fe’s Watering Hole — 101 w Alameda • AT inn of the governors • santa fe • 954-0320 • delcharro.com
PIZZA • SALADS • DRAFT BEER • SELECT WINES
A TRUE SLICE OF
SANTA FE COME VISIT! 1807 Second Street #1 ACROSS FROM THE
2ND
STREET BREWERY
Open seven days a week 11:30AM–9:00PM Sun–Thurs 11:30 AM–10:00PM Fri & Sat 505.955.9055 BackRoadPizza.com
exp. 10/31/2018 SFRRG
CONTENTS
TOUGH JOB
AARON CANTÚ
Pinch us. Can this really be a vocation? Eating out, meeting chefs, spending hours thinking about where food came from and what it smelled like and how looked, then writing about how our spirits and our mouths felt when we tasted it. It’s a tough job. But the writers, editors and artists were glad to do it for you.
MARY FRANCIS CHEESEMAN
Mary Francis worked hard to thoroughly research these bottles of wine, but she really can’t wait until SFR asks her to find the best local martini.
MATT GRUBS
Matt lives in mortal fear of describing the taste of saffron.
ALEX DE VORE
Aaron still regrets that he didn’t take his dog Indy to Loyal Hound. Indy made do with office trash can leftovers.
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JULIE ANN GRIMM
Alex never ever thought he’d eat at The Compound or Izanami, but Alex was wrong.
CHARLOTTE JUSINSKI
Charlotte put on makeup for the first time in two years for her fancy dinner at Arroyo Vino.
When Julie Ann says the sliders at Iconik are like a lamb version of White Castle, she means that in a good way.
Eli got paid to eat tacos for a week, so it’s safe to say she’s living her best life.
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR JEFF PROCTOR
PHOTOGRAPHY JOY GODFREY
CIRCULATION MANAGER ANDY BRAMBLE
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER AND AD DIRECTOR ANNA MAGGIORE
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AARON CANTÚ MARY FRANCIS CHEESEMAN MATT GRUBS ELI SERATT
DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER BRIANNA KIRKLAND
OFFICE MANAGER AND CLASSIFED ADVERTISING JILL ACKERMAN
COPY EDITOR CHARLOTTE JUSINSKI
ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES MICHELLE RIBEIRO JAYDE SWARTS
CULTURE EDITOR ALEX DE VORE
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I’LL DRINK TO THAT
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FOOD TRUCK FINDER
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25 FAVES
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GUILT TIP 2
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PARTY OF ONE
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TACO GRID
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RESTAURANT DIRECTORY
ELI SERATT
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER JULIE ANN GRIMM
ART DIRECTOR ANSON STEVENS-BOLLEN
TOP 10 RESTAURANTS
PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER COVER IMAGE SUZANNE S KLAPMEIER JOY GODFREY
PRINTER PUBLICATION PRINTERS CORP.
A PUBLICATION OF THE SANTA FE REPORTER 132 E MARCY ST., (505) 988-5541 CONTACT: EDITOR@SFREPORTER.COM ADVERTISING@SFREPORTER.COM CONTENTS ©2017-2018 SANTA FE REPORTER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MATERIAL HEREIN MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM SFR. LIMIT ONE FREE COPY PER PERSON. ALL PRICES REFLECTED ARE ACCURATE AS OF PRESS TIME. PRICES DO NOT REFLECT TAX.
Behind the Scenes at a Santa Fe Institution
LUNCH • DINNER • BAR
Reservations: 505.982.4353 653 Canyon Road compoundrestaurant.com
Owner chef Mark Kiffin plating fresh pasta and mussels for service. Photo by Kate Russell.
LOCATED ON THE ROOFTOP MODERN SOUTHWEST CUISINE LUNCH | DINNER | SUNDAY BRUNCH
STUNNING SUNSET VIEW HEATED PATIO | CRAFT COCKTAILS
505.982.0883 | ELOISASANTAFE.COM 228 E PALACE AVE, SANTA FE, NM| INSIDE THE DRURY PLAZA HOTEL
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RESTAURANTS Readers of the weekly print edition of the Santa Fe Reporter tell us time and again how much they look forward to food coverage; internet statistics show restaurant reviews, openings and closings reports, recipes and food trend features are some of our most-visited online content at SFReporter.com. So our team understands the paramount nature of the annual Restaurant Guide, the culmination of 12 months of culinary calendar. And at the top of the heap, the summit of the mountain, the penthouse apartment in our dining skyscraper, is the establishment we’ve named Restaurant of the Year. Diners who live here and visit have already voted with their exuberant presence and their wordof-mouth recommendation of State Capital Kitchen. They are not alone at the top, however. The following pages showcase 10 other restaurants that soar to heights, even if they’re all located in Santa Fe’s low-lying architecture.
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BEGINS ON P.9
Recognized by locals and visitors alike for its tranquil, inviting setting and inventive, globally inspired menu.
Located at Inn and Spa at Loretto 211 Old Santa Fe Trail 505.988.5531 HotelLoretto.com
The seasonal delights
at Tabla de Los Santos make clear why it is one of the best
Santa Fe restaurants.
Located at Hotel St. Francis 210 Don Gaspar Ave. 505-983-5700 HotelStFrancis.com
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Restaurant OF THE YEAR
State Capital Kitchen Chef Mark Connell doesn’t mind veering off track, then correcting his course. The reimagined interior in his restaurant is a testament to that, featuring an exposed brick wall that he resurfaced himself when brick experts deemed the material too delicate. And, when the brick didn’t reach the ceiling, he added hand-stained wood panels that completely belie the building’s origins as a Pizza Hut. It stands to reason that when, in 2016, State Capital Kitchen’s first concept of having waiters serve from dim sum carts didn’t pan out, Connell took another stab at the menu and came back all smiles. Taste reigns in his inventive reshaping of dishes like suckling pig three ways ($28), with wonton, tenderloin and confit on roasted Brussels sprouts with ginger jus. He’s also hungry to get his version of delicacies like foraged mushrooms and seasonal delights like stuffed squash blossoms on every diner’s plate. A globe of chocolate paired with a warm sauce that melts right into the ice cream inside comes in seasonal varieties. Saying ah is always in season. For these reasons and so many more, SFR is proud to name State Capital Kitchen our Restaurant of the Year. (Julie Ann Grimm) 500 Sandoval St., 467-8237 Dinner Tuesday-Saturday; brunch Sunday statecapitalkitchen.com
D’Artagnan pan-roasted poussin with chantrelles, cornbread and porcini jus
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bodega prime | 1291 san felipe avenue | santa fe, nm catering available tuesday-friday | breakfast + lunch | 8am-3pm Saturday + Sunday | brunch only | 10am-3pm check our websites for menus | www.bodegaprime.com local first | organic always | scratch to table dinner coming soon
Garden sunflowers with matsutake mushrooms, sunflower barigoule, Chinese barley, young kernels and petal emulsion
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10 Arroyo Vino Much has been said about the Las Campanas establishment that SFR dubbed Restaurant of the Year in last year’s guide. Chef Colin Shane was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award in 2017, the 2-acre organic garden inspires its ever-evolving menu, and the adjacent wine shop is a destination for enthusiasts. The modern dining room is staffed by impeccable servers, who must know a menu that changes sometimes by the minute. We decided to challenge them: I was dying for the New York strip with mole negro and heirloom beans ($46), my companion decided on the Alaskan halibut with porcini mushrooms and sweet succotash ($39), and we wanted a bottle of wine that would go with both—for under $50. After consulting his colleagues, our server brought a 2015 blaufränkisch from Krutzler (Austria, $42). It started strong, with tannin enough to stand up to the best steak I’ve had in a while, but finished bright and, shockingly, almost invisible. The meal, which began with an earthy plate of garden sunflowers with mushrooms and barley ($14) and finished with exploding liquid truffles ($3 apiece) and bruleed cantaloupe with custard ($10), was nothing short of a threehour vacation only minutes from home. (Charlotte Jusinski)
218 Camino La Tierra, 983-2100 Dinner Tuesday-Saturday Wine shop: 11 am-4 pm Monday, 11 am-9 pm Tuesday-Saturday arroyovino.com
@arroyovino @arroyovino
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Braised tomato short ribs with harissa, roasted carrots, vadouvan butter, carrot puree and mixed greens
Bodega Prime There are hearty sandwiches at lunchtime and a case of jars of garlic, relishes and cheeses, but rest assured, this restaurant is much more than a bodega. With a menu that changes each month, chef and owner Noela Figueroa aims for fine fare in a relaxed vibe off Cerrillos Road. Water out of sweet little enamel cups, modern kitchen gadgets for sale and funk music playing at 10:30 am on a Saturday complete the ambiance. We got a stack of three blue corn pancakes ($15) that easily could have fed an entire family, along with a poblano, pork cheek and sweet potato hash ($14) that took a moment longer because, as our server said apologetically, “They’re still getting the new menu just right” (it was only the second day of the month). But indeed, the kitchen did get it just right. We tore into tart lime curd and pilfered local blackberries from the common pancake plate, mixed in pickle relish with the poblanos and eggs and stayed for much longer than we intended. A glimpse of salmon topped with jiggly overeasy eggs as it passed our table guaranteed another visit—this menu would only be around for a month, though, so I couldn’t delay. (CJ)
1291 San Felipe Ave., 303-3535 Breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Friday; brunch Saturday and Sunday bodegaprime.com
@bodegaprime @BodegaPrime
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Posole with red chile, lime, radish and avocado
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10 La Choza When a restaurant gets it so right for so long, it’s going to become comfort food for a good part of the Santa Fe population. The Carswell family has been cooking New Mexican fare for decades at this south Railyard spot, and you’ll see familiar faces in the dining room and in the kitchen. It’s the sister restaurant to the more touristy downtown spot, The Shed, and Sarah Carswell says it was meant from the beginning to serve locals. The chile is consistently excellent (both kinds) and vegetarians love the fact that the veggie enchiladas ($13.75) actually have veggies in them instead of a huge helping of cheese. Carnivores could do worse than to add a rib-eye to their enchiladas ($25). Fish tacos ($14.75 for two, $18 for three) are a consistent favorite. La Choza pays attention to its margaritas and has some creative variations, as well as a full range of more traditional offerings, including the 1579 ($11.25), made with the ArteNOM tequila blanco bearing that number and Cointreau. The lime juice is squeezed fresh, and you can even build your own margarita if there’s something you don’t see on the menu. Add in a solid dessert list (the French apple pie is tasty), most of which comes in at $4, and you may have a new favorite spot. (Matt Grubs) 905 Alarid St., 982-0909 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday lachozasf.com
@lachozasantafe
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Grimaldi Farms guinea hen with Swiss chard and Madeira caramelized baby onions, porcini gnocchi, shaved Italian black truffle and hen glaze
The Compound It may not be a choice for everyday dining, but this Canyon Road destination should be at the top of the list for special occasions. First course selections include the savory corn and herb soufflÊ ($22), a satisfyingly puffy and light starter that’s well worth the disclosed 12-minute wait, and an arugula salad with toasted pecans and feta drizzled with a housemade roasted plum dressing ($15). Beer, cocktails and wine served from the sunken bar astound as well, with one part mixology, one part careful curation and one part devotion to the craft of fine drink. Main courses, however, will fight for your attention thanks to James Beard Award-winning chef Mark Kiffin, whose inspired selections like organic Scottish salmon on a bed of peas, chanterelle mushrooms and cannellini beans ($34) melt in your mouth in an explosion of complementary flavors and textures. Try the grilled angus tenderloin ($46), as promised, one of the juiciest and best-cooked steaks around. For dessert, while the bittersweet ganache tart with cardamom spiced cherries, coffee espuma and chevre mousse vies for your affections ($10), it hardly gets better than the creme brulee ($9), a simple mainstay on most fine-dining menus, but a perfect end to an almost assuredly perfect meal. (Alex De Vore) 653 A Canyon Road, 982-4353 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday; dinner only on Sunday compoundrestaurant.com
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Pizza de Gallo, with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños and smoked mozzarella, topped with New Mexican gremolata and carne adovada
Dr. Field Goods Kitchen Hidden within a run-of-the-mill strip mall in Midtown, eager diners will find Dr. Field Goods Kitchen, a local treasure and testament to locally sourced, farm-to-table ingredients transformed into dishes made well by owner/chef Josh Gerwin. The small and unpretentious dining room screams laid-back, while the menu whispers, simply, “Eat me.” From hometown faves like enchiladas both veggie and meaty ($14-$18) and breakfast burritos stuffed with signature Field Good potatoes, a delightfully crispy interpretation of the home fry ($12.50), to Cuban sandwiches ($14.50), expertly fried fish served on coleslaw laden potato wedges ($14.75) and a full-on wood fire pizza menu ($13-$16), there’s something for all. Daily specials entice; an evolving dessert menu ($7-$8) offers truffles, bread pudding and a creme brulee that changes flavor accents daily; and a robust drought list is scrawled on a blackboard. That all means it’s worth the sometimes-wait to get in. Go hungry, we say, but leave satisfied and surprised that such an unassuming eatery could boast such irregular and excellent delights. (ADV)
2860 Cerrillos Road, 471-0043 Lunch and dinner daily drfieldgoods.com
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201 Galisteo Street in Santa Fe • 505 988 2020 • www.opticalshopsf.com
Daikon and jicama salad with radish, pickled peaches, passion fruit sorbet, yuzu pearls and apple sake dressing
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10 Izanami Atop a hill near the Santa Fe Ski Basin lies Ten Thousand Waves, Japanesethemed public and private baths aimed at romance, relaxation and all points in between. And next to the bathhouse you’ll find Izanami, a Japanese dining experience that touches upon wellknown culinary staples while breaking new ground and altogether shirking sushi—this is something very old done in a fresh way. Just follow the sound of the waterfall to chef Kiko Rodrieguez’ altogether brilliant eatery. Heavy wood beams set the stage for a Japanese manor-style dining room, and bathhouse guests wearing robes and smelling of herbs mingle with diners in chairs and on tatami mats. Dishes are tapas-inspired Asian fare such as sticky yaki onigiri rice balls ($4) and pork gyoza ($8) or generous portions of mixed vegetable tempura ($10) that even included an entire red chile, which was light on heat but full of flavor. Larger options abound as well, like ever-so-slightly spicy tori no karaage fried chicken ($12), and smoked pork ribs ($14) so tender and juicy they can barely cling to the bone. The restaurant even curates separate menus throughout the day, from the quick and easy lunch choices to an abbreviated 3-5 pm selection. Dinner, however, should be your objective if you’re looking to splurge and, if you just can’t decide, the omakase menu provides a chef-chosen selection of items at prices that can accommodate any budget, and, we hear, leaves you happy and full. (ADV) 21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, 982-9304 Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Monday; Dinner only on Tuesday tenthousandwaves.com/food
@izanamirestaurant S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
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10 Jambo Café
Island spiced coconut peanut chicken stew with basmati coconut rice
Jambo offers eclectic East African Cuisine, prepared with the guidance of chef Ahmed Obo of Kenya. I showed up alone and ordered several plates to myself. My server said he had a $200 bet on me being able to finish everything, including a plate of cinnamon-dusted plantains ($5.95), a sampler with curry chicken, coconut lentils and goat stew ($14.95), and a jerk chicken sandwich ($9.95). I’m sad to report that my server lost his bet, but happy to say the food was that good. I ordered the plantains on repuation alone and found them perfectly seasoned and tasty. While the delicate flavor of the coconut was nearly indetectable, chicken and goat served on opposite sides of the plate were made more delicious when mopped up with roti flatbread. Jambo also has plenty of dry wines imported mostly from South Africa. My glass of Mulderbosch cabernet rose ($8) went well with everything. I took home the jerk chicken sandwich (wrapped in a pita, not bread) for lunch the next day, as well as the mix of sweet and regular fries. If you can’t make it here as often as you’d like, don’t worry: You can order Obo’s cookbook online. (Aaron Cantú) 2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday jambocafe.net
@JamboSF
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“
The lengthy menu guarantees that there will be something to appeal mussels to every palate — and I commend the Chefs for deliciously covering the bases.” — Chef John Vollertsen
SANTA FE’S
Historic Dining Venue AND
Secret Garden Patio
house salad
chef Evan
“
chef jen
brownie al a mode
lamb chops
We are excited to reconnect Santa Fe with the iconic & historic PALACE, bringing our passion through food and love as a husband and wife Chef team. This is such a great project and new chapter in our careers — along with our big restaurant family. We are enjoying the opportunity and challenges as Chefs: together creating a menu that pleases all the diverse folks that live and visit Santa Fe.” — Chefs Evan & Jen Doughty
142 W Palace Ave. | 505-428-0690 | palacesantafe.com Tues thru wed 4 pm – 12 am | Thurs thru Sat 4 pm – 1 am | Sunday dinner 4 - 9 pm
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Deviled eggs with pickled jalapeño and dusting of smoked paprika
Loyal Hound Even in Santa Fe, there aren’t that many places you can sit down for quality food and bring your non-service dog. Loyal Hound, operating on St. Michael’s Drive since 2014, saw a niche and has built a steady following in that space. If you want to bring your own pooch, however, you’ll miss the restaurant’s casual, midsized dining room because you’ll have to sit in the front patio area. After starting off with a house-made German-style soft-baked pretzel ($5), we ordered bison short rib nachos ($13) and Southern fried chicken and waffles ($15); a placid pit bull at a neighboring table eyed our dishes as our waitress set them down in front of us. The fried batter of the chicken soaked up the maple syrup, and was tasty stuffed alongside apple fennel cole slaw inside folded pieces of waffle like tacos. The bison meat was juicy and well-marinated, but there was so much of it that it felt like eating a pile of meat atop a heap of chips. Then again, my mutt Indy— who I regrettably didn’t bring this time around—would have leapt at the chance to help me finish my meal. (AC)
730 St. Michael’s Drive, 471-0440 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday loyalhoundpub.com
@LoyalHoundPub @loyalhoundpub
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THE SPIRIT OF NEW MEXICO COLKEGAN IS AN UNABASHEDLY ORIGINAL TAKE ON SINGLE MALT WHISKEY, SMOKED WITH MESQUITE AND AGED AT 7,000 FEET IN AMERICAN OAK FOR A GOLD-MEDAL WINNING TASTE THAT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE WEST.
GRAB A BOTTLE AT KOKOMAN SUSAN’S KELLY’S WHOLE FOODS TRADER JOE’S
GET A COCKTAIL AT INN OF THE ANASAZI DEL CHARRO EL NIDO CROW BAR HOTEL CHIMAYO
SANTAFESPIRITS.COM PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY
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10 Vinaigrette Admit it: The first time you looked at the menu for this greens-slinging palace, you said to yourself, “There’s no way I’m paying that much for a salad.” But you did, didn’t you? Maybe you opted out of an add-on like lemonherb chicken breast ($6), grilled flank steak ($7.50) or roasted seasonal vegetables ($5.25), but you ordered—if only to see what the fuss was about. And then you knew. Owner Erin Wade gambled on the concept in 2008 and it has since paid off in a big way. Many greens and veggies come from her farm in Nambé. The salads, as you should expect, are huge and satisfying. They’re innovative, too. The Cherry Tart ($10.95) combines the sweetness of dried cherries with the tang of crumbled feta and warmth of chilied pecans. It’s chewy and crunchy and tossed with a Champagne vinaigrette. The Nutty Pear-fessor ($12.25) heaps balsamic-roasted pears onto fresh greens, adding bacon crumbles, pecans and bleu cheese to the mix. A port vinaigrette brings it all together and the diver scallops ($8) we chose to spruce it up were perfectly cooked. If you find yourself craving a salad, there’s a good chance Vinaigrette is the reason why. (MG)
(front) Roasted tomato and basil soup; (back) The Omega with leafy greens and kale chopped with sweet corn, diced bell pepper, tomato, avocado, red onion, cilantro and toasted pine nuts
709 Don Cubero Alley, 820-9205 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday vinaigretteonline.com
@VinaigretteNM @vinaigrette_official
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Organic, vegan, real food
RASA
KITCHEN + JUICE
815 EARLY STREET
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505 989 1288
WWW.RASAJUICE.COM
I’LL DRINK TO THAT
OUR SOMM PAIRS FINE WINE WITH FINE FOOD
BY MARY FRANCIS CHEESEMAN
his highest and coolest property. The vines are grown on red gravel and loess, and winemaker Bernard Ott maintains that the biodynamic preparations in the soil help his grapes ripen quickly and easily. The wine itself demonstrates a classical style full of tension between concentrated ripeness and salty minerality. It’s worth trying out, and besides, there’s a certain symmetry in drinking a wine renowned for biodynamics in a restaurant that strives for a certain elegant kind of self-contained sustainability.
While we’re recognizing restaurants that truly set the bar in terms of local excellence, let’s talk about a few wines on some disparate lists that are especially suited to pair well with what’s on the table. A well-put-together wine list will have something for every palate, hopefully at every price point relative to the entrees. As a certified sommelier, I love looking for hidden gems and I believe that wine serves a lot of different purposes; a meal that someone else makes and serves to me is a most unique purpose that demands a different kind of wine.
If I’m stopping by Vinaigrette for a glass of something and a gigantic salad, I look for a lighter-bodied wine with plenty of freshness and crispness, probably white but not exclusively; preferably with the bright acidity of a squeeze of lemon. My current favorite is a sauvignon blanc from Touraine by Domaine Guy Mardon for $9.50 a glass. Father Guy and son Jean-Luc farm sustainably and vinify carefully grapes grown on a small property adjacent to the Loire. The wine is a lovely expression of a Loire Valley sauvignon blanc that pairs well with a wide array of fruits, salads and cheeses. Izanami is a special treat because of their extensive sake list. Sake is an extraordinary style of wine, full of complex aromas, with a high amino acid content that makes it work for foods with savory and umami flavors, especially miso and soy sauce. The junmai Hanatomoe “Eternal Spring” from Miyoshino Shuzo ($11.25 a glass, $59.50 a bottle) does the job exceedingly well, as it is umami-rich and high in acidity. Miyoshino utilizes what is arguably the oldest method of sake production, which combines only raw rice and water to force the rice to produce its own lactic acid through naturally occurring bacteria and yeasts. This unique sake makes the right accompaniment for meatier dishes on the menu, especially if they are prepared fried or grilled.
Arroyo Vino sources many of their menu items from their own garden, and the diverse array of flavors and textures all demonstrate a freshness and a brightness that deserves to be highlighted by a bottle of wine. One of my favorite wines for dishes with diverse vegetable flavors is the Austrian grape grüner veltliner, which typically demonstrates fruit flavors ranging from green lime to grapefruit and orange, underlined by a savory herbaceous note often described as white pepper, tied together by a bright pop of acidity. It complements a wide array of dishes, from salad to chicken and fish. Arroyo Vino has plenty of great examples of the grape in their attached wine shop, but available on the list is the Domaine Ott “Spiegel” from Wagram ($88). Domaine Ott is a famous biodynamic producer from lower Austria, and this single vineyard wine comes from
Also a haven for locavores, State Capital Kitchen grows herbs and vegetables right outside the front door. My favorite dishes usually feature some sort of housemade pasta with an ever-rotating list of meats sourced from farms that treat their animals humanely. My favorite wine on the list is the 2007 Château Musar Rouge from the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon. At $135 it’s pricey, but there is a special kind of magic about Musar. The winery was founded in 1930, a testament to Gaston Hochar’s dreams of Bordeaux and love for his homeland’s 6,000 years of winemaking traditions. The familyowned winery produces some of the most interesting red wine on the planet, crafted from an ever-changing blend of Bordeaux and Rhône varietals which are farmed organically and treated with no additives when made into wine. The 2007 is Cinsaut dominant, full of black currant and violet and peppery spice. People compare it to a wine from Bordeaux or Burgundy or the Rhône, but it always has a reputation for being extremely subjective. It helps that the great variation of grapes and flavors changes from year to year, making it a rabbit hole of a wine to explore. Note: Seasonal menus have inherent changeability, but the ideal bottle at table will work well with different foods. And even the bottles may change, but good wine lists will always have diamonds hiding among the pages.
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RESIDE
HOME
I
BY ALEX DE VORE
s there a more wonderful trend than the noble food truck? Even in a town like Santa Fe where they tend to find a place and stick to it, our cross-section of mobile restaurants is brag-worthy. Generally speaking, such trucks are a labor of love curated and created by foodie types for whom freshness and culinary acumen are key and the concept of endless hours is no biggie. From massive burgers and authentic cheese-steaks to Cajun delicacies and surprise styles you won’t find anywhere else—we’re lucky to have ‘em and even luckier there are so many. And though we could never fit them all in a mere two pages, we’ve highlighted some of the most exciting and enticing trucks to be found around town. Now go for it.
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LA PUPUSERIA Y LONCHERA LA PROVEDENCIA One of the unspoken deals with food trucks is that, often, the more unassuming the location, the more special the food. Take Provedencia, for example—a small operation hidden in plain sight on Rodeo Road that serves up Mexican and Central American fare, and is also one of the very few places in Santa Fe with pupusas ($2.25 each), a thicker-than-usual tortilla stuffed with meat and veggie options and often topped with sauces and cabbage. 3920 Rodeo Road, 231-8617
BAMBINI’S STEAKS & HOAGIES
PALATE
While Santa Fe can boast our chile situation with reckless abandon, there are certain regional bites that are nearly impossible to come by. Thank goodness, then, for Bambini’s. Serving up cheesesteaks and hoagies (like they make in Philly), this seasonal food truck has grown into a local favorite. Get the original Bambini ($9.29) for some classic flavor or hit a little closer to home with the Bampeño, a jalapeño-filled sammy. They also serve up falafel ($9.99), eggplant or chicken parm ($9.29) and beloved sweet potato waffle fries, among tons of other options.
An artistically-minded food truck located in the parking lot of an art supply store? Sign us up! See, Palate hangs around Artisan more often than not. Though they may be new-ish to the local mobile restaurant scene, they more than make up for it with a certain family charm, local ingredients sourced from the Farmers Market and Old Windmill Dairy among others and some unexpected menu awesomeness among the killer tacos. Did somebody say breakfast po’boy ($7) overflowing with eggs, cheese and bacon? We did. We’re also all about those red chile-braised beef tacos ($9.50) for which they spend eight hours preparing the meat.
905 S St. Francis Drive (in the SkiTech parking lot) , 699-2243
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Food Truck
2601 Cerrillos Road, 386-6343
GNAR CHOW We didn’t name State Capital Kitchen our Restaurant of the Year for nothing. They’re also takin’ it to the streets with Gnar Chow, their very own food truck (with an exterior by local hero David Santiago). Just because a fine dining experience is often fancy-schmancy doesn’t mean it can’t translate to affordable food truck options. Try Wagyu beef burgers (with or without green chile, $6) and stuffed waffle-pressed sopaipillas ($6) or the El Guapo burrito with carne asada, roasted plantains and serrano chile sauce ($9). They even make pho ($10) and milkshakes ($4). One could lunch at the truck, then do dinner inside. Sounds good to us. 500 Sandoval St., 468-8237
TRINITY KITCHEN
SANTA FAMOUS STREET EATS
KAFFEE HAUS
When a biz like Meow Wolf puts its considerable weight and influence behind a food truck, you can bet on it being a high-quality operation with uncommon options. Trinity Kitchen is just that operation. Serving up cajun food (no, seriously), Trinity owners Connor Black and Eliot Chevanne have crafted something special, from the cripsy crawfish beignets ($8) and jackfruit po’boy ($10, and an excellent substitution for pulled pork or similar meat) to delicious gumbo ($10) and sinful pulled pork fries ($8). This is the truck we didn’t realize we were missing until it came barreling into our lives.
Located in what’s become that adorable little food truck park across the street from Kaune’s Supermarket, Santa Famous Street Eats is like some glorious amalgam of all things Santa Feans love: Frito pies ($5), tacos ($6 for two), taquitos ($5 for three) and breakfsat burritos ($5) are just a smattering. With rotating specials, chile-laden burgers and—are you sitting down?—the waffle cristo (a monte cristo made with waffles instead of bread, and crammed with honey jam, Swiss cheese and a housemade jalapeño-berry dipping sauce for $6), it needs to be on the top of your list.
We’ve been blessed with numerous excellent coffee shops in Santa Fe, but now that we’re aware of Kaffee Haus, we may just have to change our routine. Located near St. Mike’s on St. Francis Drive, this walk-up or drive-through stand may not exactly be a truck, but it does have myriad caffeine options like drip, Americano, latte, etc., plus specialty drinks such as the peppermint patty latte ($4.50$5), chai ($3.74-$4.25), hot chocolate ($3.25-$3.75) and tea, plus light food options such as brekkie burritos ($5.50) and quiche ($3).
1352 Rufina Circle, 216-6561
502 Old Santa Fe Trail, 269-2858
BANG BITE FILLING STATION
JAMBO HAPA
THE BONSAI ASIAN TACOS
There are certain food trucks that are magic; the ones that transcend the format and become something truly special. Bang Bite is one of them thanks to their informal yet deceptively simple menu. In other words, them burgers and sammies is GOOD! Our personal favorite might just be the You Are My Boy Blue ($11), a massive coming-together of beef, bacon, bleu cheese and maple-bacon jam so delicious we’d probably kill for it. Grilled cheese sandwiches ($8.25-$11) shine as well, and with nearly 10 other sandwich choices, plenty of vegetrain options, local specialties like calabacitas ($9.75) and more, it’s hard to believe our luck.
Everyone you’ve ever met who has eaten at Jambo loves it, so why on Earth would you ever sleep on their food truck? In fact, if you’re at a special event or food truck gathering (or really anyplace and you see this thing a-coming), it’s time to bust out your wallets and sample the goodness. We’re partial to items like the jerk chicken sandwich ($10.95) and barbecue brisket sandwich ($10.95), and don’t even get us started on how badly we want the sweet potato and/or cumin fries ($4.95) or the plantain crab cakes ($9.95)—they’re the kind of foods that dreams are made of. Oh, Jambo—we heart you.
A mere stone’s throw from the Kaffee Haus (see above) lies this enticing testament to fusion cuisine. For those in search of a different kind of taco, sample pulled pork, bulgogi beef or salmon, plus tempeh and tofu options for those who’ve gone veggie ($7.95$8.50). Miso quesadillas are an exciting dish as well ($7.50), with miso and cabbage rounding out all that cheese. Choose also from burritos ($7.50) and pork sliders ($5.95) or go full-on entree with stir fry or lemongrass curry ($7.50). Perhaps this isn’t what you expected, but you’re bound to leave happy all the same.
492 Water St., 469-2345
All over town, 473-1269
1599 S St. Francis Drive, 316-9418
1599 St. Francis Drive, 720-254-5004
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s e v a F The best part about favorites is that there can be so many. Our list of 25 hits the high points of dining in the City Different. Check off every restaurant, and you’ll have seen life in each corner of the city and sampled a fine crosssection of all the styles of cuisine.
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25 Faves
311 OLD SANTA FE TRAIL 505.982.0544
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INSIDE GARRETT’S DESERT INN
SANTAFEBITE.COM
THE LOCALS FAVORITE!
Famous Green Chile Cheeseburger, Enchiladas, Steak, Breakfast on the Weekends, Beer, Wine, Soups, Salads and more!
315 Restaurant and Wine Bar OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY | Hours vary during the year | Call for extended summer hours Louis Moskow’s 315 has quietly become a Santa Fe fine-dining staple over the past two decades. The atmosphere inside the home-turned-restaurant is both intimate and convivial. Service is attentive and efficient but not overbearing. You would expect a French-inspired restaurant to get its sauces right, and Moskow’s kitchen doesn’t disappoint. The squash blossom beignets ($14) are delicately battered and quickly fried to find a happy home atop a goat cheese fondue and drizzled with a lively tomato basil sauce. The pan-roasted sea bass ($30) is served with sticky jasmine rice and a black olive saffron fennel butter, accented with lemon juice and shimeji mushrooms. It’s exciting and varied without overwhelming the flavor of the fish. You’d be remiss passing on dessert. Even when we were full, a single scoop ($3) of housemade pineapple brown sugar sorbet was divine. The restaurant’s seemingly endless wine list (from which bottles are half-off on Tuesdays) has a pairing for every dish and a wide selection of half bottles and wines by the glass. Moskow recently added a select few spirits, including pastis for a hot summer afternoon or an early fall evening on the patio. (MG)
315 Old Santa Fe Trail, 986-9190 Dinner daily 315santafe.com
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@315restaurant
Pan-roasted sea bass with black olive and saffron fennel butter, jasmine rice, pea sprouts and shimeji mushrooms
Blue Heron Restaurant Goat brie en croute with plum gastrique; English pea hummus; wild pineapple tomatillos
Now that the Blue Heron space is once again open to the public, the gorgeous grounds of a reimagined Sunrise Springs Spa Resort are a bonus. Able to bill itself as the region’s only waterside dining, the restaurant overlooks a pond that’s visited by birds and dragonflies and is home to turtles and fish. Towering cottonwoods and lovely close landscaping lead diners over a bridge and onto a grassy lawn. On the heels of closing his culinary school downtown, chef Rocky Durham is spreading out with his quiet, kind cuisine. The kitchen has access to a farm operated on the spa’s sister property in Ojo Caliente, and Durham makes use of seasonal ingredients to build beautiful, healthy plates. His desserts are also remarkable, yet there’s nothing too rich or fatty on the menu. Plus the chef includes tempting vegan options like the lunch menu’s Three Sister Tamales with white beans, English peas and mild red chile sauce ($15). Though dinner leads to stargazing and we love that, we recommend a lunch or brunch foray, followed by a soak in a private tub and a few minutes on a swing that hangs from a tree. No regrets. (JAG)
242 Los Pinos Road, La Cienega, (877) 977-8212 Lunch and dinner daily; brunch Sunday sunrisesprings.ojospa.com/dining
@SunriseSpringNM @sunrisespringsnm
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25 Faves
Boxcar Where can one catch a game or concert, have a beer or craft cocktail and then try some unexpectedly delicious food all in one visit? Boxcar, of course. With a kitchen open till 1:30 am, this community-minded bar and eatery goes deeper than you might expect, too, from aged Nebraskan steak ($38) and fish ’n’ chips ($14) to one of the best sandwiches we’ve ever had in Santa Fe—the Adult Grilled Cheese ($9.50, and a steal with oozing cheese, green chile and bacon). Get healthier options such as the chicken Caesar wrap ($11) or banana berry smoothie ($6) if you’re into that, plus five specialty burgers and a special brunch menu on Sundays—try the biscuits and gravy with fried chicken ($10-$14). It all makes this the kind of place where anyone can be comfortable and eat like royalty. (ADV)
530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday; brunch Sunday boxcarsantafe.com
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Buffalo chicken sandwich with Mary’s all-natural fried chicken breast tossed in classic buffalo sauce, blue cheese crumbles and blue cheese dressing with house-baked brioche
Beet salad with Tractor Farms mixed greens, radish and tahini vinaigrette
Fire and Hops
Advertised as “upscale pub food,” you can take a date to this spot or drop in alone for a post-work dinner. Sports play regularly on the large-screen TVs above the bar, but you don’t have to endure the greasy fare of the average sports bar; restaurateurs Joel Coleman and Josh Johns, who opened the place in 2014, had a long history working in Santa Fe’s culinary scene and now pride themselves on sourcing many of their ingredients from local farmers. Their beer is mostly local, too, and their hophead bartenders are patient when asked which beverages pair well with particular dishes (I ordered a $5 Elephants on Parade from Bosque). While the menu features ingredients atypical of what you’d find at a pub—risotto or fish spontanee, to name a couple—you can also opt for a scaled-up house burger loaded with green chile, cheddar cheese and bacon with a side of fries ($14). The patty comes with caramelized onions piled high and inside a bun from Albuquerque’s Fano Bakery. The fries come with plenty of ketchup and aioli. It’s best if you come here with company and share their small plates with friends. But, don’t be afraid to roll up solo. (AC)
222 N Guadalupe St., 954-1635 Dinner Monday-Friday; late lunch and dinner Saturday and Sunday fireandhopsgastropub.com
@fireandhops
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25 Faves
Iconik Coffee Roasters Santa Fe and its visitors have already latched on to Iconik as a go-to for coffee, hanging out and clicking away on laptops, but this year’s expanded menu means it’s also three meals a day of creative cuisine. For lunch or dinner, the Workman Sliders ($9) are something like a cross between everything that’s good about White Castle and a teeny tiny gyro. Three fried lamb patties topped with a creamy coleslaw and garnished with sauteed shishito peppers are good for sharing, but also for hoarding. For breakfast or brunch, choose one of the house-made bagels and build your own combo ($3.50). Our fave is smothered in cream cheese and topped with sauteed vegetables (that adds another $1.50). This thing is literally a hot mess, and it’s fingerlicking good. A selection of fresh-baked pastries and cookies rounds out any meal, and pour-over coffee that’s sourced from all over the world is, of course, what keeps the doors open. While the wood-draped interior and its funky collection of chairs, couches and bancos make for a cozy, lively interior space, a roomy patio is another hip seating option. Counter service also means no negotiating with the waitstaff—just good conversation or solo solace. (JAG)
1600 Lena St., 428-0996 Breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday; Breakfast and lunch Sunday iconikcoffee.com
Korean steak bowl with avocado
healthy choices– ALL DAY LONG!
fresh, quick and
at a
tasty price! RESH A F
TAKE
• •
Tossed & Prepared Salads Handcrafted Soups Hotbar • Breads • Desserts
Soups made fresh every day
2428 Cerrillos Road
Santa Fe 87505 (505) 473-1211 Eat in or take out
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Souper fresh
ALL DAY
ON
TAKEOUT
@iconikcoffeeroasters
Always
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delicious
@IconikCoffee
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Mon-Sun 10:45 am - 8:30 pm
, ALL YOU CAN EAT
BUFFET with a variety of different soups, salads, pastas and more!
India House
Garlic gobi with tomatoes
Travelers share an adage: A restaurant with a full parking lot is probably good. The lunchtime crowd at India House reminds you this is true. Diners who want in on the healthy, tasty buffet ($12.95) from 11 am-2:30 pm every day pack the house, and it’s an old house—having served South Indian cuisine for 25 years. Patriarch Kewal Dhindsa left generations of farmers when he immigrated to the US and found it only natural to keep growing what he cooked here. Now, he mostly stays close to home and tends the 1.25-acre family vegetable garden that provides all the restaurant’s mint and many of its other goodies from the ground. Sons Amrick and Pawan mind the store at the establishment that’s well-known for attentive service and not as well-known for serving primarily organic vegetables. Each day’s popular lunch line includes dishes like creamy chicken tandoori, crispy vegetable pakoras and flavorful dal makhani. There’s no buffet for dinner, but that leaves room for adventure in the menu from the not-so-spicy Punjab tradition. (JAG)
2501 Cerrillos Road, 471-2651 Lunch and dinner daily indiahousenm.com
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Fresh, new, exciting
dinner options!
Eggplant Parmigiana • Lasagna Bolognese • Braised Brisket • Italian Chicken Pot Pie Posole Rojo • Slow Cooked Dish of the Day • Gourmet Salads • and much more! DECADENT DESSERT MENU: Olive Oil Cake • Traditional Tiramisu Ricotta Cheesecake • Italian Apple Pie • Key Lime Pie Coconut Creme Anglaise • Chocolate Caramel Indulgence • Affogato
Teas from around the world. Beer and Wine available. Breakfast and Lunch served.
821 Canyon Road (505) 992-0972
OPEN 9AM–9PM DAILY
WHERE THE TASTES OF SPAIN
COME ALIVE!
SANTA FE’S MOST
HISTORIC AND ICONIC
RESTAURANT & BAR NOW SERVING
LUNCH, HAPPY HOUR AND DINNER • EXCEPTIONAL SPANISH CUISINE • SUMMER PATIO DINING • PRIVATE DINING • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT • YEAR-ROUND FLAMENCO DINNER SHOWS • WORLD CLASS WINES • FULL BAR • SERVING FOOD 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 12-10 PM
“One of the BEST BARS on Earth”— New York Times 808 CANYON RD, SANTA FE • (505) 983-9912 • ELFAROLSANTAFE.COM
Guilt Tip 2 BY ALEX DE VORE
MAKE IT STRONG THE OVERWHELMING TASTE OF BOOZE DOESN’T MEAN GOOD. “I think, in general, the request to ‘make it strong’ is always annoying. Next person who tells me to ‘make it strong’ is going to get shot out of a cannon into the sun. I can make a crazy-strong drink that doesn’t taste just like booze, and one of these ‘make it strong’ people is going to make a comment. A good cocktail shouldn’t taste like straight booze, people! I also had a guy ask to sample all my super top-shelf tequila ($20-$50 per 2-ounce shot), and it’s like, ‘There is nothing you can learn from a drop of liquor!’”
OH, PUKE! WHO AMONG US HASN’T VOMITED NOW AND THEN? “This actually happened just tonight—gave a group of guys a shot and one of them chugged his, then threw up in his glass. The perfect, same amount as the glass. Threw that shit away.” ANSON STEVENS-BOLLEN
RANTS AND RAVES FROM SANTA FE BARTENDERS In last year’s Restaurant Guide, we provided you examples of how not to eat out with our piece “Guilt Tip.” Put simply, it was rants from the mouths of local food service folk, and was so wildly popular we figured, hey—why not do it again, but with bartenders? The following stories come to you from local drink-slingers, some of
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whom you’ve probably even met and been served by (though all names and locations have been omitted to protect them from the general public—and management). Just remember these words the next time you’re out on the town—these people work hard and don’t deserve any of your crap. Oh, and tip generously.
MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND I’M BEGINNING TO THINK THIS WAS THE PLAN ALL ALONG! “I once had a woman order a pale ale and drink most of it before deciding she didn’t like it. That’s OK, that happens. So I let her switch to an IPA—even though I warned her that it would be far more bitter— without charging her for the first beer. She drank most of that one, but didn’t like it either. Being the nice guy I am, I wanted to make sure she enjoyed her experience,
so I offered some less bitter suggestions, we settled on something light and she drank all of it before, big surprise, she decided she didn’t like that one, either. She didn’t want to pay for any of them, because the way beer tastes is obviously my fault, but after a tense exchange, she said she’d just grab her wallet out of the car. She never returned. I don’t think it’s crazy to assume people will pay for the drinks they drink, but she clearly did.”
DON’T MAKE THE LIST BEHAVE YOURSELF WHILE ORDERING. “So far I’ve just thought about things that annoy me: -Making out at the bar while trying to make an order -Yelling for a bartender then ignoring them -Snapping, whistling, yelling, creeping -‘Keep the change, babe,’ when, in most occasions, there’s zero [change] or not enough to cover the bill.”
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE ODDLY ENOUGH, THE BARTENDERS DON’T OFTEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT A PLACE SERVES FOOD. “This guy says, ‘What kind of food do you have?’ and I say, ‘We’re just a bar. No food.’ We stare at one another for quite some time before he angrily says, ‘Well, why the hell not, asshole?!’ and storms out.”
CUTOFFS THEY AREN’T DOING IT TO MESS WITH YOU. “It’s pretty rare, all things considered, but every now and then you’ll have to cut someone off. This never goes well. I’ve had everything from screaming patrons, negative Yelp reviews and, once, a lady tried to take a swing at me. They never seem to realize that, not only am I covering my own ass, I don’t want them to go out and hurt someone or themselves. Remember that we have to take classes to be licensed to serve alcohol, and we also can wind up paying huge fines if we don’t take it seriously.”
THIS IS NOT A JOKE, SIR! HOW NOT TO DAD IT UP. “I work in a restaurant, but we have a bar, too, and I remember this one guy who tried to order a margarita for his clearly underage daughter. But I figure that I’ll just ask for an ID, and when she doesn’t have it, that’ll be the end of it. So the dad says something like, ‘It’s OK, I’m her dad!’ as if that means it’s cool for me to break the law. Well, it’s not OK. I explained I could get fired, pay fines, go to jail, so they begrudgingly agreed to let it go. The dad still ordered a margarita for himself, and a few minutes later I notice he’s sneaking sips to the daughter, so I go to take it away from the table. And somehow I’m the jerk. At first he laughed it off like it was nothing, but when I told him I was serious and I couldn’t leave the drink … Well, I’ve never seen someone so full of rage over what was obviously their own fault, and I
actually fear for that girl going through life with a dad like that. It shouldn’t be that difficult—if someone is underage, they aren’t drinking.”
DO NOT DOS JUST TRY TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER YOU’D BE ANNOYED BY THESE ACTIONS. “Not so much a rant so much as a couple things I wish people would stop doing. Like that little ‘check, please’ gesture where people mimic a signature in the air? Please stop. And don’t get me started on frat-types who act like waiting an extra minute is the end of the world. Nice backwards hat, bro. Oh, and don’t order crazy-complicated drinks like it’s impressive. It just makes my whole night harder and you probably prefer beer anyway.”
KEEP YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR NO DANCING, PLEASE. “A time I particularly enjoyed was [during] Mardi Gras. A lovely woman decided that it would be a real hoot to hop up on the bar and dance Coyote Ugly-style. I repeatedly asked her to get down, and my cobartender was screaming ‘GET DOWN!‘ at her from behind me. But she refused to comply. I took the soda gun, put my finger over the nozzle so as to increase the pressure, and shot club soda straight up her sequined mini-skirt. Guess who got down with a quickness?”
TO BE YOUNG AND IN LOVE THAT ESCALATED WAY TOO FAST … “It started out with a couple that came into the bar on the first night of their honeymoon, fresh off the plane. The guy is a little boisterous, and I think nothing of it and remind them we are at [a high] elevation and to be careful and drink lots of water. Fast forward to three drinks and a couple shots later, the guy is screaming at everyone that walks into the bar and literally falling off his stool. So I cut him off and he gets super-pissed. His wife the whole time is mouthing ‘I’m sorry!’ to me and being very apologetic. So she pays and says, ‘Let’s go back to the hotel room,’ but he refuses to leave, crosses his arms and starts pouting. I relate to him that he can either leave by his own free will or me and the door guy are gonna drag his ass out. He proceeds to spit on me and yell, ‘Do you know who I am?!’ That’s when things went south. We struggle with him and finally get him out the door, but he’s grabbing onto everything in sight (akin to a cat going to the bathtub). As I’m sitting on the ground, holding him so he doesn’t try to attack anybody, his new wife is screaming, ‘Why do you always do this?!’ He starts pulling at her dress, and grabbing her and yelling. It took, like, 10 whole minutes of this, and by the end his wife was mostly naked. I think he finally had a sobering moment and realized his wife was showing everybody the goods, because he just got up, said ‘Sorry,’ and walked off. Don’t know what became of them.”
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Your destination is easier than you think SANTA FE
TAOS HOP ON!
MADRID CHIMAYO SKI SANTA FE
For Route Information: RidetheBlueBus.com Toll Free: 866-206-0754
Santa Fe Trails
bar & grill southwestern fine dining SANTA FE’S PLAYGROUND BUFFALOTHUNDERRESORT.COM 877-THUNDER (877.848.6337)
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25 Faves
Izmi Sushi Sushi chef Brent Jung is a visual artist. It’s not that this food tastes unremarkable—it’s really quite clean and balanced—but his plating and arranging brings extra joy to dining here. His caterpillar roll, for example, is embodied with such character that it recalls Richard Scarry’s Lowly Worm with playful avocado markings and sprout antennae ($17). Get your regional fusion under control with a New Mexico roll that comes with shrimp tempura, crab, avocado, red pepper and, of course, green chile ($9). Catch him in the right mood, and he’ll make your large party a
Crazy train roll with spicy tuna and freshwater eel
row of sake bombs with a tableside bamboo trick and his shy grin. Together with his mother Hyunsook, Jung delivers Izmi’s large portions of sashimi, a variety of fish for nigiri and traditional miso ($2) and seaweed along with rolls for miles. It’s not sushi on a budget, but it won’t leave you feeling like you blew too much either. Large windows onto Marcy Street help the small dining room breathe, though some people are still trying to find it following a 2011 relocation from its former home on St. Michael’s Drive. (JAG)
105 E Marcy St., 424-1311 Lunch Tuesday-Friday, dinner Tuesday-Sunday izmisantafe.com
Milad Persian Bistro A relatively new restaurant that opened in late 2016, Milad’s Iranian, Turkish and Lebanese menu is the brainchild of Iranian-American chef/ owner Neema Sadeghi. In researching the nuts and bolts after having dined there a number of times, I came across Sadeghi’s photo on the restaurant’s website—and was tickled that he was also the person who met me at the host stand and poured my water. In addition to the appetizers you’d expect (hummus for $6, spicy carrot falafel for $8, various salads), the main menu is anchored by kababs. Ranging from $13-$22, they’re served with delicious
802 Canyon Road, 303-3581 Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday miladbistro.com
buttered saffron rice and a shirazi salad (cucumber, onion and tomato with mint and lemon juice). Don’t skimp when there’s a special offered, though. The pan-seared Colorado ruby trout (stuffed with barberries, garlic, tarragon, onions and walnuts) was so tender and moist I probably could have downed two, but that wouldn’t have left room for the uber-rich, feta-stuffed, honey-drizzled dates ($6) that live on the appetizer menu but that make a great dessert (there’s also baklava, or rosewater and saffron ice cream from La Lecheria for $5 each). Throw in vegan-friendly and open late, and it’s an anytime win. (CJ)
@miladpersianbistro
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El Nido
The name means “the nest,” so it’s fitting that diners can get cozy and rest assured that there will be a variety of fuel on the fire (for the grill, that is). The well-trained waiter will remind you about this, and on our recent night, it was piñon. While the nightly housemade pasta special was a treat for one of our companions, most we couldn’t do it without you or our fabulous staff! entrees here feature a central protein 1st Place with a stellar sauce and roasted seasonal Best Breakfast vegetables with enough smoke flavor to render the fire unforgettable. Notable 2nd Place values include the 7-ounce portion of Best Business on Cerrillos Road petite tender steak paired with dijon peppercorn sauce ($26) and the grilled UNFORGETTABLE RED & GREEN CHILE branzino, an Italian version of sea bass served with the tail intact ($32). Starters of NEW MEXICAN & AMERICAN crispy baby duck agrodolce (read: elevated chicken wings) with raspberry sauce ($14) COMFORT FOODS 1820 Cerrillos Rd • 505-986-0022 and a visually stunning salad with goat WEEKLY DINNER SPECIALS cheese and figs set the stage, and cocktails such as the cucumber mint vodka spritzer BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY ($11) add something to the set. Based on the packed house near the end of opera season, we’re not the only ones who are UNFORGETTABLE RED & GREEN CHILE glad the curtains have reopened for fine NEW MEXICAN & AMERICAN dining in the village of Tesuque. (JAG) COMFORT FOODS
Thank you Santa Fe
WEEKLY DINNER SPECIALS BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY
1820 Cerrillos Rd 505-986-0022
1820 Cerrillos Rd
www.pantrysantafe.com
505-986-0022
www.pantrysantafe.com
1820 Cerrillos Road
505-986-0022 | www.pantrysantafe.com 48
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1577 Bishops Lodge Road, Tesuque, 954-1272 Dinner nightly, brunch Sunday elnidosantafe.com
@ElNidoSantaFe @elnidorestaurant
Fusilloni pasta with a basil pesto squid ink, three-colored peppers and baby octopus
New Santa Fe Baking Company Veggie wrap with avocado, cucumber, tomato, carrots, bell pepper and spring greens and seasonal fruit; (back) Burrito grande with eggs, cheddar cheese, potatoes, black beans and bacon
When the Santa Fe Baking Co. abruptly shut its doors in 2016, regulars guffawed, the longtime staff was perplexed, and many Santa Feans bemoaned the closing of yet another beloved local institution. Cut to just a few short months ago, and you’d never even know it happened. Filiberto Rodriguez, an employee of the Baking Co. for nearly two decades, bought the place, re-hired much of the original staff, then cleaned, renovated and reopened with a familiar yet far more focused menu. Gone is the paint-chipped and all-too-plain floor, replaced with tasteful tile; the sunken dining area is also no more. In its place, however, is a more cohesive experience complete with chairs and tables that actually match, baked goods you’d actually want to eat and that same casual atmosphere that launched a thousand regulars oh so many years ago. The menu has been pared down slightly, but you’ll still find the same breakfast burrito ($6.50) you’ve craved for years or the French omelet—the one that comes with a croissant ($10.25). Even the Hungarian mushroom soup ($4.95-$6.75) feared lost with the closure of Back Street Bistro sometimes finds its way to the New Baking Co. and, somehow, the coffee tastes better this time around. It isn’t often we get a second chance to recapture something once gone. Let’s not forget that. (ADV)
Santa Fe’s only small batch bean-to-bar Craft Chocolate Exquisite Truffles, Chocolate Elixirs, & fresh roasted Coffee Come visit our Factory & Espresso Bar
Chocolate Culinary Workshops
BOOK ON LIN E
504 W Cordova Road, 557-6435 Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
cacaosantafe.com 3201 Richards Lane near Meow Wolf Santa Fe 505-471-0891 S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
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PARTY OF ONE BY C H A R LOT T E J U S I N S K I
W
hether you’re a local who likes to hang solo or a tourist doing some desert solitaire, many a restaurant host in Santa Fe will skip the “Just you?” judgy-face when you walk in and will skip right to, “Party of one, right this way.” By the way, it’s a myth that servers treat you poorly as a one-top. Just always be sure to tip well and know your limits—unless you hitched a ride, you’re driving yourself home. COWGIRL
contemporary clothing... for women
2571 Christo’s Road, 424-8900
The rotating cast of regulars at this camaraderie-heavy bar ensure conversation. Barbecue and general hearty fare and rock/Americana music seven nights a week—sign me up.
The best thing about eating here alone is there’s no one to judge the sheer volume of food you can pack away. Best ribs in town, but my allegiances are slowly drifting toward that half chicken with white barbecue sauce ($13.95).
Lunch and dinner daily; brunch on Saturday and Sunday cowgirlsantafe.com
THE MINE SHAFT TAVERN 2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 473-0743
You only have to visit a few times before they know your name at the last great roadhouse or up at its everexpanding deck/cantina area. Conversation, bartenders, burgers, music—all A+. Lunch and dinner daily themineshafttavern.com
PASQUAL’S 121 Don Gaspar Ave., 983-9340
70 w. marcy st. santa fe 505.982.1399 wearaboutssf.com
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THE RANCH HOUSE
319 S Guadalupe St., 982-2565
Any restaurant with a communal table is a good bet. No reservations are taken for breakfast at this busy American-French-New Mexican fusion landmark, but you can slip in to single empty seats while couples wait. Snap. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily pasquals.com
Lunch and dinner daily theranchhousesantafe.com
SECOND STREET BREWERY (Railyard) 1607 Paseo de Peralta, 989-3278
Hands-down, the one place where I have made the most lasting friends as a solo diner. These are good folks, and as a chicken wing connoisseur, I’d say their peanut wings ($9 for six) are a must-try. Lunch and dinner daily secondstreetbrewery.com
VINAIGRETTE 709 Don Cubero Alley, 820-9205
A nice, mellow setting for some of the best salads in town (and a few not-salad options, but why would you even do that?). If it’s nice out, the patio is the place to be. Lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday vinaigretteonline.com
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Integrative
Faves
Oriental Medicine JAPANESE ACUPUNCTURE KOTOTAMA TRADITION
Comprehensive Healthcare for the Whole Family • Allergies • Anxiety & Stress • Arthritis • Diabetes • Insulin Resistance • Weight Loss • Infertility IVF Protocol • Menopause & Perimenopause • Irritable Bowel Syndrome • Prostate Issues • Stop Smoking • Vertigo • Auto Immune Diseases • Auto & Sports Injuries • Pain & Trauma Management • Side Effects of Cancer Treatments Most Major Insurances Accepted
Osteria D’Assisi
FIQUET HANNA DUCKWORTH D.O.M. 1510 S. St. Francis Drive
505.982.9626
FiquetHannaDuckworthClinic.com Porqueta stuffed with ground veal and beef, green onions, piñon and spinach
Look no further for authentic Italian cuisine than Osteria, and it’s served in a decidedly unstuffy and farmhouse-esque environment amid cheery rooms, stellar service and, often, live piano music. Owner Lino Pertusini hails from Italy—as do almost all ingredients used in crafting the menu. He has sought to create food and atmosphere to rival his homeland and a more upscale experience than his other, admittedly excellent, Santa Fe establishment, Pizzeria and Trattoria da Lino on Guadalupe Street. Osteria’s hearty appetizers such as the soup of the day ($7) and fried calamari ($14) prepare the way for lunch or dinner choices such as the lightly breaded and sinfully cheesy pollo parmigiana ($17-$25), unfathomably tender piccata di vitello veal chop ($32) or osso buco e risotto ($37). Osteria’s is not an expansive menu, but it’s a refreshing lack of clutter and specials change often. Housemade tiramisu ($8.50) sweetens the deal, and with lunch combos featuring salads and sandwiches, you won’t break the bank. (ADV)
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58 S Federal Place, 986-5858 Lunch and dinner daily; brunch Saturday and Sunday osteriadassisi.com
@OsteriaSantaFe @osteriasantafe
Northern
New Mexi
co’s Food
Bank
Jan. 27, 2018
www.thefooddepot.org 1222 A Siler Rd 505-471-1633 S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
SFRRestaurant Guide Ad 3.56x4.81 2018.indd 1
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10/5/2017 2:15:20 PM
LET’S GIVE ’EM SOMETHING TO B Y E L I S E R AT T
TACO ’BOUT
Sunrise Family Restaurant
La Cocina de Doña Clara
Paloma
1851 St. Michael’s Drive, 820-0643 7 am-3 pm daily
4350 Airport Road, 473-1081 8 am-9 pm Monday and Wednesday-Saturday; 8 am-8 pm Sunday; 8 am-3 pm Tuesday $8 for four tacos
$10 for two tacos
$8 for three tacos with rice and beans
GO FOR: SOMETHING AFFORDABLE
Sunrise Family Restaurant provides home-cooked flavor for a great price, making it a go-to for those of us without a New Mexican grandmother. An order of three ground beef or chicken tacos runs $7.50, while three of the carne asada or fish tacos are just 49 cents more. All three options come with rice, beans, a choice of red or green chile and the satisfaction of a full meal for under $10.
GO FOR: SOMETHING DIFFERENT
If you’re a taco aficionado looking to expand your palate, head over to La Cocina de Doña Clara for cabeza, or pig’s head, tacos. Before you start picturing The Walking Dead, let me clarify: It’s literally head meat, not brains. It tastes a lot like pork belly but less fatty. Four tacos are $8, and don’t worry—they have plenty of other options, like ground beef and chicken, that are almost as tasty as the cabeza.
401 Guadalupe St., 467-8624 5-10 pm Monday-Saturday
GO FOR: SOMETHING VEGGIE
Paloma might be new to Santa Fe’s restaurant scene, but their veganfriendly cauliflower tacos are already a fan favorite. Topped with golden raisins, Spanish olives, marcona almonds and a garlic and red pepper romesco sauce, it’s enough to make even the most carnivorous consider a plant-based diet. Another bonus? With a 10 pm closing time, they’re open the latest on this list.
Sazón
La Fogata Grill
221 Shelby St.,983-8604 4-8:30 pm Monday-Saturday $16 for three “taquitos”
112 W San Francisco St., 983-7302 8:30 am-9 pm Tuesday-Sunday; 8:30 am-3 pm Monday $10 for three tacos on Tuesdays
GO FOR: SOMETHING GOURMET
Sazón is known for their masterful mole sauce, but they also have a solid selection of taquitos (little tacos). The Xochimilco (corn truffle) iteration packs a plethora of complex flavors onto a tiny tortilla and, if you’re feeling brave, the Oaxaqueños, or grasshoppers, have a great zest. Be forewarned: at $16 for three itty-bitty tacos, these come in at the most expensive (and the smallest portion) on our list, but it’s worth it for a splurge. 52
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GO FOR: SOMETHING FUN
While La Fogata’s tacos are delicious— especially the al pastor, or pork marinated with guajillo chiles and anchiote—this pick is more experiential. Each week, they host Taco Tuesday, with a rotating list of mariachi bands to serenade you as you chow down on the three-for-$10 tacos and other food specials. For groups (or the ambitious eater), a special platter of 12 is offered for just $30 but, if you can’t make it on Tuesday, two tacos with rice and beans will set you back $10.99.
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NOW OPEN FOR BOARDING, GROOMING, AND DAY CARE
Faves
COME IN FOR A TOUR!
BEST IN SHOW
TOP DOG PET RESORT
Paper Dosa Clockwise, from top right: scallops and lotus root with red pepper coulis; summer vegetable curry; bhe puri with puffed rice and mango; sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney; mushroom medley
“The Kennel Different”
When food makes you feel good—not stuffed, not slow, not sleepy—it’s a wonderful thing. Chef Paulraj Karuppasamy and his wife and business partner Nellie Tischler started their South Indian food venture as a pop-up concept and have since gone all-in on a brick-and-mortar restaurant, where a recent visit found them celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary with an end-of-shift meal on the restaurant’s pleasant patio. They, of course, went immediately back to work. Dosas are huge pancakes made from a fermented batter, stuffed with a bevy of healthy ingredients from traditional to adventurous. The menu is a flavor explosion and the $35 tasting option is a smart one. The classic masala dosa ($10) is a great introduction, though the dish lends itself to sharing and the menu’s variety makes choosing anything that sounds good a safe bet. The lightly fried kale and onion pakora ($9) is a comfortably spiced, crunchy appetizer that benefits from a tasty eggplant chutney. The peach and avocado salad ($9) comes atop a butter and fancy-lettuce combo and is tossed with a peach-cilantro dressing and pumpkin seeds. Add a selection of curries as well as thicker uttapam pancakes, and you’ll be glad to you tried something new—while likely finding a favorite that will keep you coming back. (MG)
551 W Cordova Road, 930-5521 Dinner Tuesday-Sunday paper-dosa.com
@paper_dosa @paperdosa
State of the art, all indoor/outdoor suites, heated and air conditioned. Huge outdoor exercise paddocks. Managers live onsite.
Sharon & David Newcomb, owners 27694 West Frontage Road, Santa Fe, NM (505) 303-3828 | topdogsantafe.com
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25 Faves
PC’s Restaurant & Lounge We are not exaggerating: The chicharron burrito arrived at the table measuring a full 8 inches long, 4 inches wide and 2 inches thick. That’s 64 cubic inches of cheese and Christmas chile-smothered home cooking for under $9. PC’s is a giant at one of the busiest corners in Santa Fe, but somehow remains hidden. The spacious dining room is accommodating to a large party for a birthday dinner, two people snuggled in a corner or a family at a booth. And we saw all of them on our visit. Plus the separate bar area has plenty of tables with sightlines to televisions that play NFL in the fall, MLB in the spring and all those other sports
Number 7 carnitas plate with diced pork, papas and beans with chile
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alphabets you know and love. The sign says authentic New Mexican, and they ain’t lyin’. Experience crunchy fried chunks of pork skins next to creamy pintos with some respectable chile (hearty, hot green and smoky, smooth red), or a generous burger on a good bun ($8.15). Sit long enough to let that settle so there’s room to order a smooth and sweet bowl of natillas for dessert ($4). Back in the spring, the mayor proposed that residents levy a tax on sugary beverages and Santa Femous Southsiders decried the plan. “What’s next, a tax on chicharrones?” You’d pay extra for these, but you don’t have to. (JAG)
4220 Airport Road, 473-7164 Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday; breakfast Saturday; Breakfast and lunch Sundays
Il Piatto Chef Matt Yohalem has been turning out rustic Italian food at this homey Marcy Street location for more than two decades now. The kitchen makes its own flours and pasta from local wheat that is locally ground. Yohalem makes a point of buying local produce, too, as he has for years. The prix fixe lunch ($25) is a midday treat that will get you an appetizer, entree and the dessert you wouldn’t otherwise splurge on. At dinner, the whole-leaf Caesar salad ($12) and Corsican gazpacho ($10) are
standout starters. The pumpkin ravioli ($15/$23) comes drizzled in brown sage butter, with pine nuts and a sharp, salty pecorino romano cheese to balance the sweetness. Il Piatto sports two happy hours, a traditional afternoon one as well as one of Santa Fe’s few late happy hours (9-10:30 pm), during which appetizers and a selection of wines are half-off. If servers from other restaurants are lucky enough to get off work in time, you’ll often find them noshing away happily at the bar. (MG)
95 W Marcy St., 984-1091 Lunch Wednesday-Saturday; dinner daily ilpiattosantafe.com
Prosciutto-wrapped Idaho trout with New Mexico wild mushrooms, tomatoes, lemon butter and grilled polenta
@ilpiattosantafe
Piccolino Growing up in New Jersey, the “red-sauce joint” was ubiquitous. It was where we went for lunch on a work day, dinner with a new sweetheart on a Friday night or a time to finally unwind with the family after a wedding or funeral. Spaghetti, pizza, tables pushed together to fit everyone, garlic bread with cheese and laughter rocking from every wall—the perfect recipe for comfort and sustenance. Piccolino is Santa Fe’s answer for those missing the red-sauce joints of their childhood. Highbrow Italian food this is not; the quantities are hearty, the preparation is simple and robust,
2890 Agua Fría St., 471-1480 Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday piccolinosantafe.com
and no one will judge you if you lick your fingers. There are all the basics (a $6.99 Caesar salad, the best fried mozzarella around for $5.25, pizza, sandwiches, lasagna, ravioli, manicotti and our personal favorite: chicken parmesan with veggies and pasta for $12.50). But they are aware of their geographic location, so don’t miss the pasta bolloco with chicken, Alfredo and green chile (also $12.50). If you want to bring your chicken parm back to your own couch, a drive-thru is available for orders called in ahead of time—but we’d argue that the restaurant itself is enough like home. (CJ) Chef’s special with jumbo scallops, shrimp, artichoke hearts, spinach, sliced garlic, crushed peppers and fresh tomato tossed with angel hair pasta
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25 Faves
Thank You Santa Fe
25 YEARS IN BUSINESS
DOWNTOWN
644 Paseo De Peralta
ELDORADO
Healthcare & Massage
5 Caliente Road Bldg 2, Ste D
(505) 984-8830 • highdesertsantafe.com Relaxation & Pain Relief 24 Caring Therapists OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
DAILY SPECIALS STARTING AT $6.75
AMERICAN & TRADITIONAL NEW MEXICAN FOOD
1851 ST. Michaels DR. 505-820-0643
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Pizza Centro
Pizza is such a personal choice that we wouldn’t dare tell you what your favorite should be. But this New York-style pie is easily among Santa Fe’s finest. Owners and brothers Nathan and Jason Aufrichtig studied up in New York City and have crafted their crust, sauce and menu to match. A large cheese pizza ($15) is the standard by which pizza should be judged, and theirs is excellent. Pizza Centro offers a full list of specialty pizzas ($22 for a large) and for vegetarians, it may not get better than the Alphabet City, which features flash-fried eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, artichoke hearts and more. It’s the pizza equivalent of the Big Bang: Ingredients explode in phenomenal individual flavor before collapsing into a delicious slice of universal goodness. Get creative with massive build-your-own calzones ($8 before you start adding ingredients). There’s a full complement of salads, too, including a caprese variation that showcases whole-milk mozzarella. If you’re downtown or on the Southside at lunch, you can order slices until they sell out. (MG)
South Capitol: Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 988-8825 Eldorado: Agora Center, 7 Avenida Vista Grande, 466-3161 Southside: San Isidro Plaza, 3470 Zafarano Drive, Suite D, 471-6200 Hours and days vary; lunch and dinner beginning at 11:30 am pizzacentronys.com
@pizza_centro
Cheese pizza with whole milk mozzarella
Plaza Café Southside Signature French toast with thick-cut crunchycoated challa and maple mascarpone frosting
Step into a restaurant with a conscientious retro feel: Large black and white photographs of an older Santa Fe hang on the walls, and blue and red neon lighting evinces a divey 1970s aesthetic. The restaurant on the Plaza has been around since the 1940s, and this Southside sister location opened in 2009. The vibe of the Southside joint is as authentically local as anything you’d find further north in the touristy spots, and we could tell from the way customers here spoke that they were mostly locals. We ordered the Santa Fe Frito pie, which came with a bag of Fritos to throw into a cheesy plate of green chile, beans and veggies ($10.95). The owners pride themselves on making everything from scratch, from the buns on the hamburgers ($10.95 for a 6-ounce patty) to the cakes on the dessert menu, and you can taste the freshness. We took our orders to go for a lazy Sunday dinner at home, though if we’d visited on a weekend night, we’d probably have grubbed before heading to a movie at the Regal Cinema across the parking lot. (AC)
Fe’s Santa ocal L e t i r Favo ut Hango
Serving Santa Fe Since 1950
AUTHENTIC NEW MEXICAN CUISINE
DINING & ENTERTAINMENT • FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY 3466 Zafarano Drive, 424-0755 Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily plazacafesouth.com
@plazacafesouth
1005 South Saint Francis Drive Santa Fe • New Mexico
(505) 983 - 9817 • www.tinyssantafe.com
Voted #1 Santa Fe’s Best Karaoke
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PRODUCING NEW MEXICO’S PREMIUM HARD CIDER
Visit us! Offering 33 taps, Beer, Wine, Cider & Free Pool
25 Faves
nmcider.com 505 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe
Lunch M-F 11-2 · Dinner Nightly at 5 322 Garfield Street, Santa Fe 505.995.9595 • AndiamoSantaFe.com Established 1995
wallflower an urban garden boutique pots
• planters • gifts • home and office
518 Old Santa Fe Trail • 505-954-1936 visit us on FB/Instagram 58
@wallflowersantafe
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L’Olivier
When in France, order the escargots. Do this when you’re at L’Olivier downtown as well. Snails for starters ($13.50) mark a path to a memorable meal at this bistro that’s the first one chef Xavier Grenet has owned. The chef is a native of Paris who’s been in more than a few successful kitchens, and this tiny restaurant with a spacious patio has a smooth ambiance. The escargots is served as it should be—with slivered almonds, sauteed spinach and cherry tomatoes, combining for a pleasing salty, acidic and savory flavor. Beautiful fish and steak cuts are of course on the classic menu, but for a night that’s plant-based, you won’t even miss the meat in the wild rice, its chewy grains topped with juicy mushrooms and colored with cranberries and roasted beets ($20). Splurge on meaty wines like Bordeaux from Château Grivier ($18 per glass) and crystal-clear Picpoul de Pinet ($13 per glass) from the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. There’s even French-born Badoit sparkling water ($6.50) to complete the temporary trip. (JAG)
229 Galisteo St., 989-1919 Lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday loliviersantafe.com
@lolivierrestaurant
Grilled elk tenderloin with sweet potato purée, snow peas, red wine anise-spiced poached pear and sauce grand veneur
Rio Chama
Wild salmon with coconut cilantro rice, vegetable tagine, compressed pineappleavocado salsa, and watercress salad
You might need a guide to find the bar at Rio Chama; it’s one of those quintessential biggerinside-than-it-looks-outside New Mexico buildings. Walk in the back door and you have to turn at least four corners, passing softly lit and beautifully appointed dining nooks, before you finally land in the old-school lounge. Get a table, get an iced tea, get comfy—no haute couture required for this corner. Perennially the celebration spot for lawmakers and journalists alike (SFR takes employees there for a one-year anniversary lunch), Rio Chama is the traditional fancy steakhouse you always hoped your parents would choose for their birthday. A gargantuan pot of cheese fondue ($20) starts off, followed swiftly by a nicely seasoned flat iron steak with garlic mashed potatoes ($17), or, at dinner, maybe fish and chips (made with salmon, because fancy— that’s $21). Sure, you can put on a sport coat and hush yourself into one of the romantic little side rooms, but it’s also fun to grab one of Santa Fe’s legendarily tony restaurants by the lapel and drag it into a bar booth to slather horseradish on your $19 prime rib sandwich and laugh a little too loud. (CJ)
414 Old Santa Fe Trail, 955-0765 Lunch and dinner daily riochamasteakhouse.com
how sweet it is a creative take on classic cuisine 100 E. San Francisco St, Santa Fe 505.995.2334 | lafondasantafe.com Open Daily 7am-10pm
@RioChamaSF @riochamasantafe
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25 Faves
Rowley Farmhouse Ales Even as someone who doesn’t drink beer, I still frequent breweries. Rowley Farmhouse Ales exemplifies why: The food is amazing, the atmosphere is comfortable, and beer people are generally the best people. Rowley does always have a cider on tap for folks like me, so I got a Scrumpy organic hard cider ($7.50). As for food: Korean-style wings ($9), shrimp and grits (which I would suggest they call “meaty mighty sea-bugs resting on perfect butter clouds,” $15), tender and flaky seared black cod over toasted coconut rice ($19) and a creamy farmer’s market risotto ($14) flew out to the table. It’s gastropub food without the haughty vibe; alternately, the best brewery fare sans grease or regret. To finish, a few scoops of blackberry ice cream ($3) made with the fruit left over from the summer’s brewing had just enough yeasty funk (we say that lovingly). It finished off a meal with great company that, I must admit, could probably only be improved by a beer crafted by a Los Alamos National Lab scientist (aka John Rowley). Maybe next time. (CJ)
Shrimp and grits with wild gulf shrimp, local pork andouille sausage, organic Santa Ana Pueblo corn grits and roasted red peppers
1405 Maclovia St., 428-0719 Lunch and dinner daily rowleyfarmhouse.com
@rowleyfarmhouse @RowleyFarm
The Railyard Neighborhood’s favorite gathering place Derailed at the Sage Inn features cold craft beers, popular wine varietals, a fun selection of classic cocktails, and specialty Margaritas like our signature Tequila Mockingbird. Our menu ranges from comfort food like Green Chile Mac & Cheese to creative dishes like the awardwinning Zen Bowl, using locally and seasonally sourced ingredients. Join us on our popular patio, open year-round with ample seating, comfy oversized sofas, blankets, and fire pits.
D a i ly S p e c i a l s • H a p p y h o u r e v e r y d a y 4 – 6 p m • L i v e M u s i c o n s e l e c t e v e n i n g s
Drink·Dine·Unwind
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O p e n d a i ly 4 – 1 0 p m , S u n d a y s 1 1 a m – 9 p m
505-982-5952 • 725 CERRILLOS ROAD • SANTA FE
Crispy calamari with chile lime dipping sauce
Santacafé
White tablecloths and white pillars bordering Santacafé’s patio make you feel like you’re at a wedding in the Hamptons. Located just a couple blocks from the Plaza, the website for this mid-to-high-range restaurant boasts of its patronage from the “power lunch” crowd, and we were concerned there may be a dress code when we dropped in on a Friday night. An older gentleman wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt near the entrance of the back patio, however, made us feel welcome. Vegetarians, heads up: The menu skews toward meatiness. We ordered a half bottle of Amalaya Malbec ($26) and started off with fried calamari as an appetizer, which was crispy and light and came with a buttery chile lime juice dipping sauce ($12.50). My pork porterhouse was juicy and covered in a cider-based glaze that tasted like Christmas (the holiday, not the chile); it stole the show on my plate ($29). My date ordered a rib-eye that was comparably drier than my plate, and had a side of even drier pomme frites, which are like very crispy hash browns ($28). In fairness, we think the frites were meant to be dipped in the creamy Chimayó red chile sauce with which it came. We took a buzzy stroll downtown after capping off our meal with a glass of Ormeus Tokaji dessert wine ($12). (AC)
@SantacafeSF
231 Washington Ave., 984-1788 Lunch and dinner daily santacafe.com
@santacafesf
PROSTHODONTICS SPECIALIST AND DENTURE EXPERT Dr. Daniel Pinkston received his dental degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. After dental school, he completed a three year training in the field of prosthodontics, focused on dentures, implants, and complex full mouth makeovers. Are your dentures broken, lost, or poorly fitting? We can make a new set of expertly crafted dentures in as few as 3 appointments!
BEFORE
AFTER
Same day service is available for many repairs, including: Broken Dentures Dentures with Missing Teeth
2904 Rodeo Park Dr. E, Suite 400B Santa Fe, NM 87505 505.983.3484 | santafedentures.com
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YOU’LL LOVE WHAT YOU SEE!
25 Faves
2017 WED | NOV 8
REZA: The Power of Photography for Humanity TUE | NOV 14
L.A. Dance Project FRI-SUN | NOV 24-26
Wise Fool NM: Circus Luminous SUN | DEC 3
Ralph’s World Live!
2018 THU | FEB 1
The Manhattan Transfer FRI | FEB 9
Brooklyn Rider
Santa Fe Bite
TUE | FEB 20
Cirque Eloize: Saloon FRI | FEB 23
Lúnasa & Tim O’Brien THU | MAR 1
Black Violin
THU | MAR 15
GlobalFest: The New Golden Age of Latin Music SAT | MAR 24
Arlo Guthrie: Re:Generation Tour WED | MAR 28
Aquila Theatre: Hamlet SUN | APR 8
Doktor Kaboom!: It’s Just Rocket Science THU | APR 19
TAO: Drum Heart THU | MAY 3
Jacob Jonas The Company
Lensic.org 505-988-1234
Located a couple blocks down from what remains of the oldest church in the continental United States, Santa Fe Bite has prime real estate on Old Santa Fe Trail, attached to Garrett’s Desert Inn. The restaurant is 1950s-themed, an ode to its predecessor, Bobcat Bite, which opened in 1953 and operated on Old Las Vegas Highway until 2013. Santa Fe Bite is known for its burgers, and in fact wins SFR’s Best of Santa Fe burger category every year, but we went for the chicken flautas ($11.75). The chicken rolled up in the fried tortilla wasn’t exactly shredded, and it was easy to pull larger chunks of meat out of the tortilla with each bite than was probably intended, but we could still smash up the empty flauta shell in the black beans, rice and salsa for a delicious impromptu taco salad. You should probably come here for their Americana menu—we couldn’t help having some buyer’s remorse as servers brought out chile-smothered burgers for other customers—but the rest of the menu was worth stopping for a bite, too. (AC)
NONPROFIT • COMMUNITY-FUNDED | SERVICE CHARGES APPLY AT ALL POINTS OF PURCHASE
211 W. SAN FRANCISCO ST., SANTA FE, NM 87501 A special thanks to our 2017/2018 sponsor:
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401 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0544 Lunch and dinner daily; breakfast Saturday and Sunday santafebite.com
@SantaFeBiteNM
10-ounce green chile cheeseburger with fries
Second Street Brewery
(Rufina Taproom)
The PoMi, crispy fried Asian chicken meatballs with peanut sauce on hoagie roll
The Second Street Brewery that opened in 2012 in the Santa Fe Railyard felt like a godsend—a downtown iteration of beers and better-thanaverage bar food from a long-loved local haunt. But as it turned out, we hadn’t seen anything yet. Enter Second Street’s newest location, a sprawling 20,000 square-foot warehouse space in the post-burgeoning Siler Road area complete with a larger brewing facility, site-specific menu options from chef Milton Villarubio III, and a full-on stage and sound system for live music. The good ol’ neighborhood vibe remains, and it’s not unusual to strike up a chat with your fellow drinkers and diners while sampling new items like the olive plate ($7) or the corn maque choux (an $2.50 Cajun mélange of corn kernels swirling with sugar and spices). You can still find the burger ($9) and bratwurst ($11) with the side of your choice, but additions like the Cuban sandwich ($12) and bacon-wrapped Rufina dogo ($9) seal the deal. This place is already slammed, so if ever there were a question about whether Midtown Santa Fe knows how to do it, let Second Street’s “newery” location be the answer. (ADV)
2920 Rufina St., 954-1068 Lunch and dinner daily; brunch Sundays secondstreetbreweryrufina.com
@SecondStBrewery @rufinataproom_ secondstreetbrew
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25 Faves
Thank You Santa Fe!
Voted Best CheF in 2015, 2016 & 2017!
Sunrise Family Restaurant
Visit
Jambo Imports (two doors down from
Jambo Cafe)
Your Source for All Thing s Africa Spices, Baskets, Jewelry, Clothing, Fabric and More - 5% of all sales support Jambo Kids Fou ndation
www.jambokids.org 11 am - 9 pm Mon - Sat Closed SunDAY
(505) 473-1269 jambocafe.net 2010 Cerrillos Road (near Hobby lobby)
Food Photography: Richard White
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Santa Fe loves its old things that live again as new things. This St. Michael’s Drive dive extraordinaire is one of them. The former Green Onion (colloquially, the Grunion) is just below the surface in the decor that has not seen a redo in more than a decade, but here you’ll find another place to feel familiar. Get to Rafael Aldana’s family-run restaurant by looking for the satellite dish that’s been painted like a plate of bacon and eggs. Sunrise, as the name indicates, is best for breakfast. It offers standard local fare with a huge menu that’s got three-egg-white spinach omelets for the healthy types ($8.25) and biscuits and gravy with chorizo (order both a la carte), huevos rancheros oozing with cheese ($7.99), bowls of tender beans and piles of fried potatoes for everyone else. Lunch and dinner mean a chance at three asada tacos with beans and rice ($8.99). Those tiny cubes of steak are served with grilled onion and a cold avocado wedge on a soft corn tortilla that can barely hold in the flavor. Bottomless hot coffee in shapely white mugs that beg to be held and bottles of Coke are on the beverage list, but no beer here. Maybe, after the night you had, you should just order menudo for $7.50 and be happy. (JAG)
1851 St. Michael’s Drive, 820-0643 Breakfast and lunch daily sunriserestaurantnm.com
Menudo garnished with lime and avocado, plus toast
Tesuque Village Market Pizza with pepperoni and green chile
Tesuque is home to families that have owned land here since the 16th century right next to movie stars who designed their brand-new adobe mansions. It is only fitting that the area’s mainstay eatery comfortably accommodates everyone. TVM, having recently expanded to Venice, California, keeps its anchor firmly in New Mexico with a restaurant-cum-market (est. 1989) with spicy chile and creaky wood floors. Among offerings are a brick-oven pizza ($18 for a 16-inch margherita), red chile posole with pork ($13 a bowl), a big-as-your-head chicken quesadilla ($11) and Frito pie ($11 for veggie— beef will run you $14), not to mention household staples at a premium (grab a 14-ounce bottle of ketchup here for $4 rather than run into town to spend half that). Maybe there’s something to be said here about gentrification—but sitting back at a table that bucks when you lean on it (the floor’s crooked, not the furniture), the trees full of noisy late-summer bugs, neighbors and international travelers chatting table to table—what matters most to us elsewhere just doesn’t carry the same weight here. Note: The margaritas ($12.50 for a house) mess you up, so have a DD handy. Or take a long walk. (CJ)
138 Tesuque Village Road, 988-8848 Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily tesuquevillagemarket.com
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DIRECTOR Y COMPILED BY CHARLOTTE JUSINSKI
In this directory we aspire to list every single locally owned eatery in Santa Fe (let us know if we missed something!), so if you’re looking for grub, just close your eyes and point. Chances are you’ll be happy. Dig in!
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SANTA FE’S MAJOR FOOD DISTRICTS DOWNTOWN, P. 67
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RAILYARD/GUADALUPE STRETCH, P. 70
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WEST ALAMEDA/AGUA FRÍA, P. 72
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SOUTH CAPITOL, P. 72
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TRIANGLE DISTRICT/ST. MICHAEL’S DRIVE, P. 74
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CERRILLOS ROAD CORRIDOR, P. 75
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RODEO ROAD, P. 75
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SOUTHSIDE, P. 76
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NORTH OF SANTA FE, P. 78
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SOUTH OF SANTA FE, P. 78
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Open from May to October, this high point has light bites, excellent margs and one of the best sunset views around.
Amaya Restaurant
DOWNTOWN 35° North Coffee
Santa Fe Arcade, 60 E San Francisco St., 983-6138 Coffee, pastries and light fare.
315 Restaurant & Wine Bar
315 Old Santa Fe Trail, 986-9190 A backbone of French cuisine supports an extensive wine list.
Agave Lounge
Eldorado Hotel, 303 E Alameda St., 984-2121 Grab a snack from the same kitchen as The Old House.
Agoyo Lounge
Inn on the Alameda, 303 E Alameda St., 984-2121 From beef tartare to Frito pie.
Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo de Peralta, 955-7805 Native American food from New Mexico and beyond.
Blue Corn Café
133 W Water St., 984-1800
Anasazi Restaurant
Inn of the Anasazi, 113 Washington Ave., 988-3236
ew e ico flavors and local brews too!
hoose from sophisticated fine dining or a bar menu.
La Boca (Original Location)
Angel’s Bakery & Café
Arguably the best tapas in town are sure to leave you satisfied
Beyond pastries, this stop boasts a full menu too.
La Boca (Taberna Location)
125 E Water St., 820-0915
125 Lincoln Ave., Ste. 117, 982-3433
B&B Bakery
38 Burro Alley, 213-369-1604 Multi-national treats just steps from the Plaza. Korean, French, American—it’s all delicious.
The Bell Tower Bar
This location, tucked inside a courtyard, shares a menu with La Boca and hosts live music.
Boultawn’s Bakery
105 E Marcy St., 983-9006
La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco St., 982-5511
BOXCAR
72 W Marcy St., 982-3433
Made-from-scratch breakfast, lunch and pastries.
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TOP 25 S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
67
DIRECTORY The Bull Ring
150 Washington Ave., Ste. 108, 983-3328 With steak this good, who needs vegetables? Gout be damned!
Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill
301 Jefferson St., 820-2862 Quality ingredients make for great tacos, burritos, soups and more.
The Burger Stand
207 W San Francisco St., 989-3360 Serving—you guessed it— burgers, plus other dishes sure to please.
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The Burrito Company
111 Washington Ave., 982-4453 Get breakfast and lunch quick and friendly. Try the beef tacos!
Café des Artistes
223-B Canyon Road, 820-2535 Stop in for a sandwich or glass of wine after perusing the galleries.
Café Pasqual’s
121 Don Gaspar Ave., 983-9340 A Santa Fe institution serves upscale New Mexican and renowned breakfast.
Caffe Greco
233 Canyon Road, 820-7996 New Mexican fare, plus coffee and wine, in a refreshingly casual setting.
La Casa Sena
125 E Palace Ave., 988-9232 ine food, fine music, fine courtyard, fine location, fine wine. Get it?
CAVA Santa Fe Lounge Eldorado Hotel, 309 W San Francisco St., 988-4455
Where Santa Fe’s chefs find the finest flavors & freshest ingredients
An elegant spot perfect for happy hour.
Cheesemongers of Santa Fe
130 E Marcy St., 795-7878 Cheese and cured meats abound, and they whip up a beautiful charcuterie if you need to impress at a potluck.
Chez Mamou Bakery & Café
217 E Palace Ave., 216-1845 A favorite French stop for locals and Europeans alike.
La Cocina de Doña Clara Santa Fe Village, 227 Don Gaspar Ave., 983-6455
Mexican food for lovers of the authentic. They’ve got a sister restaurant on Airport Road, if you’re down that way.
The Compound
653 Canyon Road, 982-4353 Rich, excellently prepared contemporary American cuisine.
www.santafefarmersmarket.com |1607 Paseo de Peralta | 505-983-4098 68
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1 DOWNTOWN
The Dragon Room
Maize
Milad Persian Bistro
A great happy hour menu and plenty of popcorn in a comfortable, funky space.
nspired by traditional flavors and complex combinations, this place is peak Santa Fe.
Choose from an Iranian, Turkish and Lebanese menu.
406 Old Santa Fe Trail, 983-7712
Ecco Espresso & Gelato 105 E Marcy St., 986-9778
Eloisa
225 W San Francisco St., 920-3664
Espresso de Arte
Plaza Galeria, 66 E San Francisco St., Ste. LL1, 470-9466 op in for fine sandwiches at even finer prices
Estevan Restaurante
Hotel Chimayó, 125 Washington Ave., 930-5363 Chef Estevan Garcia presents honest New Mexican food with a French twist.
El Farol
808 Canyon Road, 983-9912 The newly remodeled historic bar and restaurant serves up cocktails, tapas and live music.
La Fiesta Lounge
La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco St., 983-6697 Casual eats, a good chance to hear local musicians and possibly do a little two-step.
Coyote Café
132 W Water St., 983-1615 Fine dining with classics and a seasonal menu, plus some of the best cocktails in the city and an A+ rooftop bar in summer.
Five & Dime General Store
58 E San Francisco St., 992-1800 World-famous Frito pie with a side of postcards and tchotchkes.
La Fogata Grill
Del Charro Saloon
112 W San Francisco St., Ste. 101, 983-7302
Dine inexpensively in a rich atmosphere complete with kivas and leather chairs.
t may take a minute to find, but definitely try this basement stop for Latin foods.
Downtown Subscription
The French Pastry Shop
101 W Alameda St., 954-0320
376 Garcia St., 983-3085
Coffee, espresso drinks, pastries and light meals. Plus, periodicals galore and rotating art exhibits.
El Molero Fajitas
Corner of Lincoln Avenue and E San Francisco Street
724 Canyon Road, 982-1500 The finest of fine dining in town is sure to please, according to travelers and locals alike.
legant fine dining and by the way, it’s pronounced El-oy-sa. No, really.
802 Canyon Road, 303-3581
Geronimo
Fresh ingredients go into gelato flavors that change with the season. They also have sandwiches if you’re peckish.
Drury Plaza Hotel, 228 E Palace Ave., 982-0883
THE BURGER STAND
225 Johnson St., 989-4367
That chile stain on your shirt is a badge of honor.
Mucho Gusto
Holy Spirit Espresso
839 Paseo de Peralta, 955-8402
The best coffee downtown, plus hand lotion all from a closet sized hole in the wall.
All that art can make you hungry. Here, the food and the ambiance are classy.
227 Don Gaspar Ave., 986-5859 Arrive hungry, because this ndian food satisfies
New York Deli
Izmi Sushi
420 Catron St., 982-8900
105 E Marcy St., 424-1311
The closest you can get to real bagels in New Mexico. They even have Snapple.
The slogan is ore fish, less rice,” because that’s what we want from our sushi.
The Old House Restaurant
Johnnie’s Cash Store
Eldorado Hotel, 309 W San Francisco St., 995-4530
420 Camino Don Miguel, 982-9506
Seriously romantic digs and deliciously fancy meals.
This general store’s tamales are nothing short of legendary.
L’Olivier
Julia
229 Galisteo St., 989-1919
La Posada de Santa Fe, 330 E Palace Ave., 986-0000 Three hots at the fine restaurant named after a ghost.
Inn and Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, 984-7915
Museum Hill Café
710 Camino Lejo, 984-8900
India Palace
Luminaria
You’ll be pleased to meet these Mexican dishes.
old Southwestern flavors are infused into classic French cuisine ri fi e too
Ortiz Café
Hilton Santa Fe, 100 Sandoval St., 988-2811
asual fine dining and a beautiful patio.
Light fare and pastries make this a good stop for recharging downtown.
Los Magueyes Mexican Restaurant
Osteria d’Assisi
31 Burro Alley, 992-0304
Tucked away in the alley, this spot feels like a hidden gem. Say hi to the donkey.
Mangiamo Pronto!
228 Old Santa Fe Trail, 989-1904
58 S Federal Place, 986-5858 This exceptional Italian food is highly regarded by locals and Italians alike.
The Palace Restaurant & Saloon
142 W Palace Ave., 428-0690
Every Italian restaurant should offer gluten-free options as good as these.
Sample the late-night grub until 1 am They have flashlights for the menus ‘cause it’s dark in there.
La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco St., 983-6697
El Mesón
Palacio Café
Bring some cash and a good appetite for casual French fare, bread and pastries.
Sample spectacular tapas and enjoy live music, sometimes even dancing.
213 Washington Ave., 983-6756
209 E Palace Ave., 989-3505 New Mexican and American classics always satisfy.
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DIRECTORY Palacio Café II
Santa Fe Village, 227 Don Gaspar Ave., 820-7888
1 DOWNTOWN
Santa Fe Bite
Garrett’s Desert Inn, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0544
Is Palace Avenue just a bit too far away? Don’t want to run into S R writers et your fi on Don Gaspar.
Regularly voted one of the best burgers in the country. Yes, the country.
Il Piatto
56 E San Francisco St., 988-3858
95 W Marcy St., 984-1091 It’s been 20 delicious years of fresh Italian dishes for Il Piatto.
The Pink Adobe
406 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-9762 For well over half a century, The ink has satisfied with ew e ican favorites
Plaza Café
54 Lincoln Ave., 982-1664 Not sure where to eat? This is always a standby for ine pensive, friendly fare
Santa Fe Espresso Co.
Coffee’s just the beginning here; they also have ice cream. Most folks know it simply as The Häagen-Dazs.
Sazón
221 Shelby St., 983-8604 Chef Fernando Olea serves sophisticated e ican food, with a focus on the mole.
The Shed
113½ E Palace Ave., 982-9030 Everything’s swimming in Santa Fe’s best chile (with a side of garlic bread, of course).
La Plazuela Restaurant La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco St., 995-2334
Dine in the historic hotel’s original patio sunroom.
Rio Chama
414 Old Santa Fe Trail, 955-0765 Dining is super elegant, the bar is super casual—it’s the best of both worlds.
Rooftop Pizzeria
Shohko Café
321 Johnson St., 982-9708 Santa Fe’s best upscale sushi and izakaya plates, with a sake menu to boot.
Sushi Land East
229 Johnson St., 982-0455
Roque’s Carnitas
Tabla de los Santos
Get a whiff of that mouthwatering smoke, already.
A seasonal menu might include everything from crispy quail to mac and cheese. A classy spot for holidays, too!
Santacafé
231 Washington Ave., 984-1788 Not just for special occasions, this town favorite serves a great Sunday brunch.
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210 W San Francisco St., 983-9880 Locals pack it in every morning for the best breakfast burritos.
Tonic
103 W Water St., 982-1189 This brand-new upscale lounge has noshes to soak up all the cocktails you’ll be drinking.
Travel Bug Coffee Shop
839 Paseo de Peralta, 992-0418 Coffee, maps and slide lectures about e otic locales es please.
Upper Crust Pizza
329 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0000 From the traditional to the unique (pine nut and broccoli pizza, anyone?).
Verde Juice Co.
105 E Marcy St., 983-8147
Il Vicino
Grab a good book and enjoy a cozy atmosphere. Gluten-free and vegan options available.
Head upstairs for happy hour— or maybe that electric-blue Walter White Margarita.
Tia Sophia’s
Reliable sushi at a friendly price point.
Enjoy a slice on the roof, as the name would suggest, or bring a pie into The Draft Station down the hall.
50 E San Francisco St., 982-2044
A second-story deck overlooks the Plaza. Try the prickly pear margarita.
Organic, fresh juice and cleanse kits are friendly to the body.
Sweet Lily Bakery
San Francisco Street Bar & Grill
50 Lincoln Ave., 490-6550
Santa Fe Arcade, 60 E San Francisco St. (enter on Water Street), 820-1178
Santa Fe Arcade, 60 E San Francisco St., Ste. 301, 984-0008
Corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and E San Francisco Street
Thunderbird Bar & Grill
Hotel St. Francis, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., 992-6354
The Teahouse
821 Canyon Road, 992-0972 Your stop for incredible tea options, not to mention breakfast, lunch and dinner.
TerraCotta Wine Bistro 304 Johnson St., 989-1166
n oy high class food and fine wine in a comfy and vibrant environment.
321 W San Francisco St., 986-8700 Not just pizza—get a great salad or sammy too, if that’s more your speed.
RAILYARD/ GUADALUPE STRETCH Andiamo!
322 arfiel St., 995-9595 Local ingredients and imported sensibilities make this an Italian feast to remember.
Atrisco Café & Bar
DeVargas Center, 193 Paseo de Peralta, 983-7401 Not your average mall food, this local spot features carefully crafted ew e ican entrees
BEST OF SANTA FE 1ST PLACE WINNER S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
2 RAILYARD/GUADALUPE STRETCH
Bambini’s Steaks & Hoagies 905 S St. Francis Drive, 699-2243 You’d think this food truck just rolled in from Philly, they serve it up so authentically.
Bang Bite Filling Station
Sage Inn, 725 Cerrillos Road, 982-5952 Hotel guests and locals alike should check out its varied menu.
400 block of W Water Street, 469-2345
Detour Kitchen
This food truck moves around sometimes, but find it for trailer fries and a burger with maple bacon jam.
American and ew staples.
Bouche French Bistro
451 W Alameda St. (enter on Water Street), 982-6297 A local mainstay still impresses, now with a little talian flavor mi ed in with French.
Boxcar
530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222 Bar food that’s way better than bar food.
Café Sonder
326 S. Guadalupe St., 982-9170 From the owners of Plaza Café comes a slightly more upscale (still hearty and comfortable) American restaurant.
Casa Chimayó
409 W Water St., 428-0391 Traditional ew e ican dishes tell the story of “New Spain.”
Caveman Coffee Cave 411 W Water St.
Coffee made with coconut oil and butter will mess you up in the best way. Local beer and merch too.
Chopstix Oriental Food
238 N Guadalupe St., 820-2126 et your hinese food fi from a friendly staff of take-out masters.
La Choza
905 Alarid St., 982-0909 If The Shed is too packed, visit its slightly-less-packed sister restaurant for amazing ew e ican food in a casual atmosphere.
Cowgirl BBQ
319 S Guadalupe St., 982-2565 THE PINK ADOBE
Derailed
Let your kids play while you down a margarita or a giant brisket sandwich.
1005 S St. Francis Drive, 780-5483 e ican
Dinner for Two
106 N Guadalupe St., 820-2075 Not just for couples, anyone can get finely finished plates and one heck of a happy hour.
Dolina Bakery
402 N Guadalupe St., 882-9394 Espresso and coffee, pies and soups with hints of Eastern uropean influences
Fire & Hops
222 N Guadalupe St., 954-1635 Let it become your favorite neighborhood gastropub, even if you don’t live in the neighborhood.
Jinja Bar & Bistro
510 N Guadalupe St., 982-4321 Get cozy with some of the best Asian dishes in the city and a killer cocktail list.
Paloma
401 S Guadalupe St., 467-8624 pscale e ican inspired dining with a sleek, traditionally inspired aesthetic.
Pizza Etc.
DeVargas Center, 556 N Guadalupe St., 986-1500 Grab a slice, y’all.
Pizzeria & Trattoria da Lino 204 N Guadalupe St., Ste. B, 982-8474
ood fired pie and talian classics might even bring a smile to a New Yorker’s face.
Pranzo Italian Grill
540 Montezuma Ave., 984-2645 Italian comfort food, plus some unique choices. Get the pear pizza. Trust us. There’s a piano cabaret too, so it’s real classy.
Radish & Rye
548 Agua Fría St., 930-5325 A great bourbon cocktail list accompanies a superb seasonal menu.
Rasa Juice Café
815 Early St., 989-1288 Ayurvedic choices abound. Indulge without guilt!
Santa Fe Bar & Grill
Joseph’s of Santa Fe
DeVargas Center, 187 Paseo de Peralta, 982-3033
Sophisticated fare, friendly staff and a great wine list.
Consistently good food, from American to e ican, and a full bar.
428 Agua Fría St., 982-1272
Kohnami
313 S Guadalupe St., 984-2002 From hand rolls to nigiri, your Japanese food cravings will be satisfied et that dolsotbab you won’t regret it.
Love Yourself Café
Second Street Brewery (Railyard)
1607 Paseo de Peralta, Ste. 10, 989-3278 Great beer and arguably the best wings in town, plus live music.
DeVargas Center, 199 Paseo de Peralta, 983-5683
Sky Coffee
Organic, gluten-free and clean eating in a charming, sunny spot in the mall.
Violet Crown Cinema and a founder of Iconik Coffee have teamed up. Pie and dessert too.
Macalicious
226 N Guadalupe St., 577-6495 Finding parking may be a challenge, but this gourmet macaroni and cheese is worth it. Breakfast coming spring 2018, so keep an eye out.
1609 Alcaldesa St.
State Capital Kitchen
500 Sandoval St., 467-8237 pert American dishes and three words you need to know: ploding assion alls This is our Restaurant of the Year, folks, and that ain’t no mistake.
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3 WEST ALAMEDA/AGUA FRÍA
Taco Fundación
235 N Guadalupe St., 982-8286 The old Bert’s location has come to life with tacos from the same folks who brought you Shake Foundation.
Talin Market
505 Cerrillos Road, Ste. B-101, 780-5073 Grab a healthy lunch any day at our only Asian grocery.
Tomasita’s
500 S Guadalupe St., 983-5721 This Santa Fe favorite is famed for its spicy chile and marvelous margaritas.
Vanessie
427 W Water St., 982-9966 Excellent cocktails, great steak and live entertainment for three decades.
Violet Crown
1606 Alcaldesa St., 216-5678 Bring your fancy pub grub into the movie theater, or skip a movie entirely and just enjoy those Brussels sprouts.
Whole Hog Café
320 S Guadalupe St., 474-3375 Award-winning barbecue served up fast and casual.
Whoo’s Donuts
851 Cerrillos Road, Ste. B, 629-1678 ni ue, irresistible flavors on hearty, cakey donuts. Oh yes.
The Kitchen
Plants of the Southwest, 3095 Agua Fría St., 465-9535 Open weekdays April through October, this seasonal locale serves one vegetarian lunch entree a day.
Masa Sushi
Solana Center, 927 W Alameda St., 982-3334 Check out the noodles and sushi.
La Montañita Co-op
Solana Center, 913 W Alameda St., 984-2852 Get healthy ingredients from the daily buffets.
Pho Kim
Solana Center, 919 W Alameda St., 820-6777 Chose from a varied Vietnamese menu.
Piccolino
2890 Agua Fría St., 471-1480 Delicious casual Italian fare. They even have checkered tablecloths, friends.
Tune-Up Café
1115 Hickox St., 983-7060 Breakfast, lunch and dinner never tasted so good at this American-New Mexican-El Salvadorean hotspot.
Valentina’s
Solana Center, 945 W Alameda St., 988-7165 Mexican and New Mexican favorites abound.
WEST ALAMEDA/ AGUA FRÍA Barrio Brinery
1413-B W Alameda St., 699-9812 If you think you don’t like pickled foods, give the handcrafted stuff a try.
The Betterday
Solana Center, 905 W Alameda St., 780-8059 Bring your laptop and get some work done with Stumptown coffee.
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BEST OF SANTA FE 1ST PLACE WINNER S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
SOUTH CAPITOL Capitol Coffee Co.
507 Old Santa Fe Trail, 983-0646 Nicely roasted coffee and maybe latte art to boot.
Chicago Dog Express
600 Cerrillos Road, 984-2798 Dogs that even get the approval of Windy City natives.
TOP 10
TOP 25
4 SOUTH CAPITOL
southern Indian dishes on for size.
Pizza Centro
Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 988-8825 The closest thing you can find to real New York pizza in town.
Pyramid Café
505 W Cordova Road, 989-1378 Mediterranean food of all stripes, from Greek to North African.
Restaurant Martín
526 Galisteo St., 820-0919 Chef Martin Rios serves up progressive, refreshingly unique American cuisine.
El Sabor Spanish Tapas y Másss
Corner of Paseo de Peralta and Old Santa Fe Trail, 316-5084 lash fried avo and fish tacos from a food truck? Yes please!
Sage Bakehouse
535 Cerrillos Road, 820-7243 Sage serves up the best bread in town, plus sandwiches and tarts.
Saigon Café
501 W Cordova Road, 988-4951 WHOLE HOG CAFÉ
El Chile Toreado
950 W Cordova Road, 500-0033 The best breakfast burritos in town can be found in this little food truck.
Clafoutis
333 W Cordova Road, 988-1809 Pastries that are rich, fresh and in a new locale with almost enough parking.
Cleopatra’s Café
Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 820-7381 Middle Eastern and Mediterranean specialties quick and savory.
Dulce Bakery & Coffee
1100 Don Diego Ave., 989-9966 Cupcakes almost too pretty to eat (but do eat them, they’re delicious).
Kakawa Chocolate House
1050 E Paseo de Peralta, 982-0388
The chocolate here isn’t just an indulgence—it can help heal your soul.
Kaune’s Neighborhood Market
511 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-2629 Yes, it’s a grocery store. Yet, the chopped salad bar and prepacked lunches are handy.
The Kitchen Window
Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 982-0048 All the basics, plus juice drinks, make you want to crawl right in.
Maria’s
555 W Cordova Road, 983-7929 Over 100 tequilas make this your spot for margaritas—and
Don’t let the humble locale fool you—this place is your ticket to Vietnam.
great New Mexican food.
Santa Fe BBQ
Mariscos La Playa
Check ahead to see if the food truck will be there, or just follow your nose.
537 W Cordova Road, 982-2790 ore fish than you can shake a stick at. We like the tiburon steak swimmin’ in butter.
Modern General
637 Cerrillos Road, 930-5462 Soup, smoothies, gardening tools and sandwiches. What are modcakes o find out
The New Santa Fe Baking Company
504 W Cordova Road, 557-6435 It’s back! Stop freaking out!
Paper Dosa
551 W Cordova Road, 930-5521 Most Indian food around is northern Indian—so try these
600 Old Santa Fe Trail, 573-4816
Saveur
204 Montezuma Ave., 989-4200 Especially great for a quick lunch, try the French bistro menu or buffet.
Shake Foundation
631 Cerrillos Road, 988-8992 Get your burgers, fries, shakes and more from a walk-up window.
Street Food Institute
Corner of Paseo de Peralta and Old Santa Fe Trail Culinary students offer a rotating menu. Get the info at streetfoodinstitute.org.
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DIRECTORY Tiny’s Restaurant & Lounge 1005 St. Francis Drive, 983-9817 Charmingly divey—get New Mexican and American that’s hearty and generous.
Vinaigrette
709 Don Cubero Alley, 820-9205 They’ll make a veggie believer out of carnivores.
Yin Yang
5 TRIANGLE DISTRICT/ST. MICHAEL’S DRIVE
Chow’s Asian Bistro
720 St. Michael’s Drive, Ste. Q, 471-7120 Asian fusion made with care for nearly three decades.
Counter Culture Café 930 Baca St., 995-1105
Bring cash for a diverse and delicious menu, plus huge cinnamon rolls.
Loyal Hound
Pizzeria Espíritu
Comfort food done really well, accompanied by great beer and wine.
Not just pizza, but the spirit of fine talian
Kai Sushi
1420 Second St., 989-1272
730 St. Michael’s Drive, 471-0440
720 St. Michael’s Drive, 438-7221 Fantastic rolls at low-brow prices.
Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 986-9279
Felipe’s Tacos
Everything you’d expect from a Chinese joint, plus many specials.
Get Santa Fe’s best tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
901 W San Mateo Road, Ste. A, 820-3121
Iconik Coffee Roasters
Brunch, lunch and dinner in an airy, comfortable space.
1711 Llano St., Ste. A/B, 473-9397
1600 Lena St., 428-0996
TRIANGLE DISTRICT/ST. MICHAEL’S DRIVE Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café
Midtown Bistro
Hand-roasted coffee and a new expanded menu of thoughtful food.
Mucho, The Gourmet Sandwich Shoppe
La Lecheria
If you like lots of stuff between slices of bread, there is nowhere else to go. Any place with a turkey-con-cranberry sammy year-round is awesome.
1708 Lena St., 205-1595 ni ue, handcrafted flavors of ridiculously awesome craft ice cream.
1711 Llano St., Ste. F/G, 473-7703
1722 St. Michael’s Drive, 424-8000
Ramblin’ Café
A perfect neighborhood spot for spicy chile, good prices and fast service.
Second Street Brewery (Original) 1814 Second St., 982-3030
Pull up a table for 10 or a stool for one.
Sunrise Family Restaurant 1851 St. Michael’s Drive, 820-0643
Like a brand new day, it’s just plain tasty!
Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen 1512 Pacheco St., Bldg. B, 795-7383 It’s all about good food,
1620 St. Michael’s Drive, 988-9688 Eat without fear—vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, clean, they do it all!
Back Road Pizza
1807 Second St., Ste. 1, 955-9055 You can’t top the delicious crispy cornmeal-dusted crust.
The Bonsai Asian Tacos 1599 S St. Francis Drive, 316-9418
A glorious food truck serves up tacos, Eastern-style.
Burrito Spot
1057 Cerrillos Road, 820-0779 One of three locations in town, hit Cerrillos/Cordova for a centrally located fast fi
Cuba Fe
1406 Third St., 820-0020 Legit Caribbean food from Cuban and Floridian owners.
Chocolate Maven
821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980 Great food, sure, but you’re really here for the exquisite desserts.
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CLAFOUTIS
BEST OF SANTA FE 1ST PLACE WINNER S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
6 CERRILLOS ROAD CORRIDOR
good vibes and community involvement. Vegan and glutenfree available!
Tecolote
1616-A St. Michael’s Drive, 988-1362 The best breakfast potatoes in town. Don’t you dare skip that bakery basket.
Verde Juice Co.
851 W San Mateo Road, 780-5151 Their organic juices nourish and detox at the same delicious time.
Dr. Field Goods Kitchen
2860 Cerrillos Road, Ste. A1, 471-0043 Adventurous yet comforting gastropub fare at its finest, a ton of beer and really dang good coffee.
Duel Brewing
1228 Parkway Drive, Unit D, 474-5301 The Belgian-style taproom also serves up hearty sandwiches, snacks and charcuterie boards, and hosts live music some nights.
India House
2501 Cerrillos Road, 471-2651
CERRILLOS ROAD CORRIDOR
Excellent Indian fare served by some of the friendliest servers around.
Jambo Café
Adelita’s Mexican Restaurant
3136 Cerrillos Road, 474-4897 Mexican food, mariachi music and karaoke nights!
Aldana’s Restaurant
3875 Cerrillos Road, Ste. 12, 471-0271 Meals sans frills via Mexico and New Mexico.
Baja Tacos
2621 Cerrillos Road, 471-8762
2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269 Locals and tourists alike salivate for the unique AfroCaribbean dishes. Plantain time!
Java Joe’s
1248 Siler Road, 930-5763 Joe brings good coffee to the industrial pocket of town, with great success.
Lu Lu’s Chinese Cuisine
3011 Cerrillos Road, 473-1688
Awesome tacos on the cheap.
Stop in for some of the best Chinese food around.
Bodega Prime
Lucia’s
1291 San Felipe Ave., 303-3535
2411 Cerrillos Road, 471-0585
The breakfast and lunch menu changes monthly, plus preserved treats to take home.
Fresh Mexican right where you need it—smack in the center of town.
Burrito Spot
MAMA’S World Take-Out
2207 Cerrillos Road, 474-6202
3134 Rufina St., 424-1116
Step away from the hand-held breakfast burrito. No, don’t. Eat 100 of them.
The name stands for Middle Eastern, American, Mexican, Asian and Salvadoran.
Café Castro
Mariscos Costa Azul
7 RODEO ROAD
El Paisano Café
El Rinconcito del Sabor
A grocery store with an awesome lunch counter is greater than the sum of its parts.
Fabulous food truck eats from scratch.
3140 Cerrillos Road, 424-9105
2864 Cerrillos Road (in the Cactus Centro parking lot), 913-1558
Palate
Rowley Farmhouse Ales
2601 Cerrillos Road, 386-6343
1405 Maclovia St., 428-0719
In the parking lot of an art supply store, load your food palette with unique New e ican Louisianan flavors
Great beer, great food and a dedication to the community have us sold.
Second Street Brewery (Rufina Taproom)
The Pantry
1820 Cerrillos Road, 986-0022 A local staple serves up nofrills diner food for breakfast (!), lunch and dinner.
El Parasol
1833 Cerrillos Road, 995-8015 Look for the colorful umbrella for mouthwatering burritos.
Pho Ava
2430 Cerrillos Road, 557-6572 Vietnamese options to bring a little Asia to New Mexico. Boba shakes too!
Pollo Asado
2864 Cerrillos Road (in the Cheeks parking lot), 316-4085 If you’ve ever driven down Cerrillos with your windows down, you’ve smelled this perfectly spiced grilled chicken.
Los Potrillos
1947 Cerrillos Road, 992-0550 Authentic Mexican and New Mexican dishes pack this local favorite daily.
2920 Rufina St., 954-1068
The local fave expands its brewing and food operations in a new midtown warehouse space.
Tokyo Café
1847 Cerrillos Road, 982-1688 All the Japanese food your heart desires, and a drive-thru if you’re in a rush.
Tortilla Flats
3139 Cerrillos Road, 471-8685 They boast it’s where the locals eat, and after trying it, you’ll see why.
Trinity Kitchen
1352 Rufina Circle (in the Meow Wolf parking lot), 216-6561 MW breaks into the food truck world with Cajun-Creole eats.
Weck’s
2000 Cerrillos Road, 471-9111 Generous portions of breakfast and lunch comfort foods.
Realburger
2641 Cerrillos Road, 474-7325 Burgers of all stripes at reasonable prices tucked away on Cerrillos.
Red Enchilada
1310 Osage Ave., 820-6552
RODEO ROAD Los Amigos
3904 Rodeo Road, 438-0600 Huge sopaipillas are just the beginning at this New MexicanAmerican restaurant.
2811 Cerrillos Road, 473-5800
2875 Cerrillos Road, 473-4594
A devout following swears by the local dishes served up friendly and tasty.
Date night or family night, just get some oysters in this colorful dining room.
A perennial locals’ favorite serves up super-authentic Mexican, Central American and New Mexican.
El Comal Restaurant
Ortega’s Jerky
Restaurante El Salvadoreño
3005 S St. Francis Drive, Ste. D3, 989-8880
Carne seca at its best. Let it rain.
If you’ve never had a pupusa, let them show you how it’s done.
Fresh Chinese food that’s served up seven days a week— and late, too. Well, late for Santa Fe (10 pm on weekends).
3571 Cerrillos Road, 471-3224 Tourists and locals alike love the Mexican food and friendly service.
2841 Cerrillos Road (in the Cheeks parking lot)
2900 Cerrillos Road, 474-3512
Double Dragon
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Garbo’s Restaurant
comes gluten-free, if you want.
Indulge in classic continental dishes in this unique retirement community.
Cleopatra’s Café
Montecito Santa Fe, 500 Rodeo Road, 428-7777
Gelato (Low-fat italian ice cream)
handmade fresh daily on premises, using only natural & organic ingredients
authentic espresso, lattes cappuccinos, shakes, chai, tea, italian sodas & frappes
Locally Owned & Operated
128 E. Marcy St.
505-986-9778 www.eccogelato.com
monday-sunday early-late
sandwiches, panini & salads
Fresh Sage Bakehouse bread
quick, Fresh & Natural!
Po sa ’ss
3482 Zafarano Drive, 474-5644
Home Run Pizza
Rodeo Plaza, 2801 W Rodeo Road, 424-6666
Belly dancers frequent this space, and the TVs always have the coolest Middle Eastern music videos playing.
A neighborhood favorite serves pies up hot and fresh.
La Cocina de Doña Clara
Java Joe’s
4350 Airport Road, Ste. 4, 473-1081
Some of the best coffee in town in a comfy atmosphere, or hit the drive-thru.
Los Dogos
Rodeo Plaza, 2801 Rodeo Road, Ste. B8, 474-5282
Joe’s Dining
Rodeo Plaza, 2801 Rodeo Road, 471-3800 Unrelated to the other Joe at this address, get upscale farm-to-table diner fare and a full bar.
Maki Yaki
3003 S St. Francis Drive, Ste. C, 820-1930 Affordable and fast sushi and bento boxes.
The Southside outpost of the downtown restaurant serves up authentic Mexican.
3985 Cerrillos Road, 455-6147 Surrender your taste buds to this evening food truck’s Juárez-style dogs.
Flying Tortilla
4250 Cerrillos Road, 424-1680 When the Pantry’s line is out the door, visit the sister restaurant that’s just as tasty.
Horseman’s Haven
4354 Cerrillos Road, 471-5420
Posa’s El Merendero
Accept the challenge of their claim to the hottest green chile in town.
e always hope that o ce lunches will be bags and bags of tamales.
JC’s Express
1514 Rodeo Road, 820-7672
4350 Airport Road, Ste. 15, 424-8889 A place that actually delivers Chinese? Woah.
SOUTHSIDE
Posa’s
Miraculous New Mexican cuisine.
Chef David Sundberg presents great grub and beer on the Southside, and a different menu from the downtown location.
Nana Pancha
Burrito Spot
5741 Airport Road, 471-1602
a Santa Fe Tradition
New Mexico’s #1 Tamale Makers Since 1955. Tamales Are Still Made The Original Way... By Hand.
Posa’s Enjoy our Weekly Specials | Kids meals available
3538 Zafarano Dr.
1514 Rodeo Rd.
Mon-Sat 6 am to 9 pm • Sunday 7 am to 8 pm
Mon-Sat 6 am to 8 pm • Sunday 7 am to 6 pm
473-3454
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820-7672
Feed the addiction with burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more.
Cafe Grazie
3530 Zafarano Drive, Ste. C-3, 471-0108 Italian fare for the fam even
BEST OF SANTA FE 1ST PLACE WINNER S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
3482 Zafarano Drive, Ste. C, 474-2888
Blue Corn Brewery
4056 Cerrillos Road, 438-1800 New Mexico’s #1 Tamale Makers Since 1955. Tamales Are Still Made The Original Way... By Hand.
El Milagro
4434 Airport Road (in the Latinos Unidos parking lot), 577-1265 Complete your Airport Road food truck tour right here with Mexican food and drinks.
New York Deli
4056 Cerrillos Road, 424-1200 Start spreading the news: Breakfast is served all day at this hotspot. Come here if the downtown location’s parking sitch drives you batty.
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8 SOUTHSIDE
Panadería y Lonchería Esmeralda 6417 Airport Road, 424-9452
Their baked goods will keep you coming back. ¡Y queso fresco también!
El Parasol
298 Dinosaur Trail, 995-8226 Good taste is not extinct here. This location has a dining room, too.
PC’s Restaurant & Lounge 4220 Airport Road, 473-7164
Their authentic New Mexican food is a favorite of folks all over town.
Pizza Centro
3470 Zafarano Drive, Ste. D, 471-6200
Refresquería Las Delicias 4350 Airport Road, Ste. 13, 438-0280
Mexi snack foods that satisfy the sweetest tooth. Bring on the fresas con crema!
El Rey del Pollo
4350 Airport Road, Ste. 18, 570-1380 Is the chicken-suit guy dancing outside? No? You missed him. (Not to be confused with Los Pollos Hermanos, which does, in fact, not exist.)
San Q South
3470 Zafarano Drive, Ste. C, 438-6222 Sushi, traditional donburi bowls and tapas.
Santa Fe Capitol Grill 3462 Zafarano Drive, 471-6800
Change it up with New Yorkstyle pizza that does not disappoint.
A solid menu is made even better by a full bar and happy hour too.
Plaza Café Southside
El Tapatío Restaurante
3466 Zafarano Drive, 424-0755
The downtown institution brings its fresh diner food and New Mexican dishes way down Cerrillos.
6417 Airport Road, 467-8494
Stop in for authentic Mexican food.
Taquería Argelia
Posa’s El Merendero
4720 Airport Road (in the Airport Road Car Wash parking lot), 204-5211
Just buy 50 tamales and call it a day.
A big menu and reasonable prices, aka everything you want from a food truck.
Puerto Peñasco
Thai Café & Noodle Treats
3538 Zafarano Drive, Ste. A2, 473-3454
4681 Airport Road, Ste. 1, 438-6622 If you haven’t tried Mexicanstyle seafood, you’re truly missing out.
El Queretaño
4430 Airport Road, 204-0306 Some call it the best food truck on Airport. Try it and report back to us.
The Ranch House 2571 Cristo’s Road, 424-8900
Best ribs in town. Though, honestly, everything here is good. Everything.
3486 Zafarano Drive, 424-1818
A smart choice in the area’s growing restaurant district and one of the only Thai joints left (if not the only one).
Tres Colores
Fashion Outlets of Santa Fe, 8380 Cerrillos Road, 919-7181 The Fashion Outlets (no, seriously has terrific mole
Tribes Coffeehouse
3470 Zafarano Drive, Ste. A, 473-3615 Stout coffee, pastries and light fare, and local art for sale. Bring your laptop, stay awhile.
POSA’S
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DIRECTORY
9 NORTH OF SANTA FE
Lov’n Oven Bakery
NORTH OF SANTA FE Angelina’s
1226 N Railroad Ave., Española, 753-8543 Hit up this favorite family eatery for great Mexican and New Mexican food.
Arroyo Vino Restaurant & Wine Shop 218 Camino La Tierra, 983-2100
Inspired American fare and impeccable service from our 2016 Restaurant of the Year.
The Artesian Restaurant
Ojo Caliente Resort and Spa, 50 Los Banos Drive, Ojo Caliente, 505-583-2233 Attentive service, fine food and a casual atmosphere round out your spa day.
Chili Works
1743 Trinity Drive, Los Alamos, 662-7591 Stick with their in-house protocol when ordering a burrito for breakfast or lunch.
Dandy’s Burgers
424 S Riverside Drive, Española, 753-4234 You’ve never seen a more dapper hunk of ground beef!
Gabriel’s
4 Banana Lane, Pojoaque, 455-7000
107 N Riverside Drive, Española, 753-5461 Come early and bring cash; they sell out long before noon and don’t take plastic.
La Mesita Eatery
The neighborhood haunt for folks from Tesuque and beyond.
El Nido
1577 Bishops Lodge Road, Tesuque, 954-1272 Something’s roasting on an open fire and served with a savory, satisfying sauce.
Painted Parrot Buffet
Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, 20 Buffalo Thunder Trail, 819-2060 What’s a casino without an awesome all-you-can-eat trough? Lame, that’s what!
Pajarito Brewpub & Grill
614 Trinity Drive, Los Alamos, 662-8877 Trivia Mondays, karaoke Tuesdays, great food all the time!
El Paragua
603 Santa Cruz Road, Española, 753-3211 Who’s ready for tacos?
El Parasol
30 Cities of Gold Road, Pojoaque, 455-7185
300 Juan Medina Road, Chimayó, 984-2100
Rancho de Chimayó Restaurante
For over 50 years, this James Beard-nominated staple has served up traditional New Mexican food.
Red Sage
938 N Riverside Drive, Española, 753-1334
Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, 20 Buffalo Thunder Trail, 819-2056
Traditional New Mexican food served in a great setting.
Creative dishes and a happy hour too!
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A breathtaking dining room is the backdrop for innovative American cuisine.
After you check out the Poeh Cultural Center, stop in for lunch or dinner at this thirdgeneration modern American restaurant.
Izanami
JoAnn’s Ranch O Casados
Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, 198 State Road 592, 946-5700
Tesuque Village Market
Tacos! Tacos! Tacos! Tacos!
Locally sourced Japaneseinspired small plates complement your soak at Ten Thousand Waves.
Terra Restaurant
86 Cities of Gold Road, Pojoaque, 455-7004
The tableside guacamole service is famous for a reason—they whip it good.
21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, 982-9304
10 SOUTH OF SANTA FE
138 Tesuque Village Road, 988-8848
Java Junction
2855 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 438-2772 Local coffee pairs well with local pastries and local people.
Mama Lisa’s Ghost Town Kitchen and No Pity Café
2859 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 471-5769 If you can catch ‘em when they’re open, Mama Lisa makes a mean dish! (That means tasty.)
The Mine Shaft Tavern
2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 473-0743
SOUTH OF SANTA FE
One of the last great roadhouses is almost sure to change your life.
Oasis Café Arable
7 Avenida Vista Grande, Ste. B6, 303-3816 The fine folks who brought you Loyal Hound in town now make Eldoradans nice American fare from scratch.
The Bourbon Grill
104 Old Las Vegas Hwy., 984-8000 After working out at El Gancho, you totally deserve that steak.
Blue Heron Restaurant
Sunrise Springs Spa Resort, 242 Los Pinos Road, 780-8145 The region’s only waterside dining is fine, refreshing and a great companion to a hot tub soak.
La Tienda Shopping Center, 7 Caliente Road, Eldorado, 467-8982 Plates for omnivores, as well as vegan and vegetarian options, abound at this Mediterraneaninspired spot.
Pecos Trail Café
Pecos Trail Inn, 2239 Old Pecos Trail, 982-9444 Authentic New Mexican grub for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Pizza Centro
Agora Center, 7 Avenida Vista Grande, Ste. D7, Eldorado, 466-3161 Eldorado dwellers don’t have to come all the way to Santa Fe for a great pie.
La Plancha de Eldorado
Café Fina
624 Old Las Vegas Hwy., 466-3886 Brunch and lunch in a spot that’s housed many a fine restaurant, but this one may be the best.
Harry’s Roadhouse
96B Old Las Vegas Hwy., 989-4629
La Tienda Shopping Center, 7 Caliente Road, Eldorado, 466-2060
Original Latin flavors and more in a relaxed setting.
San Marcos Café 3877 Hwy. 14, 471-9298
The place to go eat when you can’t decide where to eat.
Don’t worry, those geese out front are plastic. Come early for the cinnamon rolls. Don’t forget your chicken feed too.
The Hollar
Upper Crust Pizza
2849 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 471-4821 Refined Southern food and barbecue specials from the smoker from chef/owner Josh Novak.
5 Colina Drive, Eldorado, 471-1111 The pizza choices for Eldorado just keep on coming! Get a pie without schlepping into town.
BEST OF SANTA FE 1ST PLACE WINNER S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
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Foodof ofthe the Southwest Southwest and Food andOld OldMexico Mexico
Tel: 505 455 7000 Tel: 505 455 7000 reservations recommended • open daily for lunch and dinner guacamole prepared at your table • handmade corn tortillas reservations recommended open daily for lunch and dinner
guacamole prepared at your table Zagat rated "one of America's Best" patio dining with mountain views handmade corn tortillas The Source For Fine New Mexican Art fine art • sculpture • jewelry • furniture Available for Private Events Tel: 505 455 9230 www.gabriel-gallery.com
Ne
! h c n u Br d n e k w Wee Food of the Southwest and Old Mexico
Tel: 505 455 7000 reservations recommended • open daily for lunch and dinner guacamole prepared at your table • handmade corn tortillas
Exit 176 Cuyamungue Highway 84/ 285 5 minutes North of the Opera Santa Fe, NM
www.gabrielsofsantafe.com S F R 2 0 1 7-2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T G U I D E
The Source For Fine New Mexican Art
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C OWBOYS AND I NDIANS AND COWBOYS INDIANS SANTA FE SANTA FE
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72 EAST SAN FRANCISCO STREET, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501 EAST STREET, SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501 P72505 982SAN 8280FRANCISCO • F 505 982 8283 • COWBOYSINDIANSSF@AOL.COM P 505 982 8280 • F 505 982 8283 • COWBOYSINDIANSSF@AOL.COM