Best Santa Fe Restaurants
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In the heart of New Mexico, Santa Fe is not only a hub for arts and culture, but is also a place to discover the scintillating flavors of the Southwest. With over 400 restaurants, Santa Fe is the place to find authentic food from casual to award-winning dining experiences. Whether you are a Santa Fe local or visiting from around the world, this town has a special dining experience for you!
Southwestern Flavors
The core of Santa Fe’s culture is the Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influence that has developed over centuries. The connection to these cultures are the reason Santa Fe has a unique culinary scene. New Mexico is the chile capital of the world. They are famous for the green chile with a complex heat and smokiness that will elevate any dish.
When you come to Santa Fe, New Mexico, get ready for the question: “Red, Green, or Christmas?” Your server isn’t asking about holiday plans, they’re talking about what kind of sauce you’d like! The ‘red’ is made with sun-dried chiles, the ‘green’ with fresh ones, and if you’re feeling adventurous, ‘Christmas’ is both at the same time.
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Ingredients like corn, chilies, pinto beans, avocados, and fresh herbs are most common in Santa Fe rather than the Tex-Mex style of flour, beef, yellow cheese, and black beans.
Santa Fe’s Iconic Dishes
A few iconic foods of Santa Fe include:
Green Chile Stew: This soup is a must for the colder seasons. Cooked with potatoes, onions, veggies, and your choice of protein (usually pork or beef).
Posole: A classic corn dish that was traditionally served as a dish for family gatherings. The corn kernels are dried after the harvest and then soaked in a lime solution and hulled before being combined with meat (typically pork), garlic, onions, red chile, and a variety of spices.
Tamales: This spicy dish is a pork filling wrapped in thick corn dough, traditionally enclosed in corn husks and steamed. Tamales are typically served as a Christmas Eve tradition.
Frito Pie: Also known as a walking taco is a simple and delicious on the go meal. It consists of Fritos corn chips, with New Mexico chile, beans, lettuce, cheese, tomato, onions, and spicy ground beef. The Five & Dime General Store is where you can find one of the original Frito Pies.
Santa Fe Restaurant Guide
The Plaza Cafe
Your first stop for food should be the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe. The Plaza Cafe is a traditional New Mexican restaurant that serves classics like burritos, enchiladas, and sopapillas. It is located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe at the central plaza.
Tia Sophia’s
For an authentic New Mexican breakfast, Tia Sophia's is a classic. They are famous for their breakfast enchiladas and their friendly atmosphere.
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Sazón
Before you leave Santa Fe, Sazón is an award-winning, traditional Mexican restaurant that is famous for their authentic moles. Mole is a sauce of complex flavors that usually includes toasted and ground spices, seeds, nuts, chocolate and chile. Many mole recipes contain more than thirty ingredients and some recipes have five varieties of chile alone.
The Shed
Visit this fun and vibrant restaurant and try the amazing green chile corn chowder. The Shed is one of the coolest restaurants in town with a delicious menu and a wide variety of craft Margaritas.
Paloma
This restaurant is located outside of downtown and is the spot for specialty Mexican cocktails. At Paloma, the bar is agave-focused with a festive selection of freshly-made cocktails and a stellar list of mezcal, tequila, sotol, and other agave spirits. In addition, all of the ingredients are carefully and sustainably sourced.
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La Boca
If you are visiting with a group of people, La Boca is a great place to try. Their menu is loaded with small dishes called tapas that are intended to share. Make sure to reserve a table!
Coyote Cafe
Voted in Best of Santa Fe 2024, Coyote Cafe has a wonderful atmosphere and provides a taste of Southwest culture. The rooftop views are unmatched.
Visiting Santa Fe?
Come stay at Casa Encantado to make your trip to Santa Fe complete. On 4.5 acres just minutes from the plaza, our beautiful home with Southwestern design is waiting for you.
For more information on bookings check out Casa Encantado Santa Fe.