The food and drink scene in Santa Fe today embraces the outside world, while maintaining a rootedness in this place. Gone – for the most part – is the kitsch of kokopellis and howling turquoise wolves, replaced with a matured scene of greater authenticity, and an embrace of contemporary restaurant design that leads to restful, tasteful vibe. Cultural diversity is also on the menu. And, of course, there’s deliciousness at every turn. Bill Smith takes us on a tour.
Palace’s Chef Angel by Gabriella Marks.
Touring the Food and Drink Scene of Santa Fe
While the culinary style of Santa Fe has evolved over the past decades, a handful of restaurants continue to underscore the timelessness of exceptional dining that exudes Santa Fe style. This group includes restaurants like Canyon Road’s The Compound (established in 1966) and Geronimo (1991), as well as Coyote Café (1987) and SantaCafe (1982) downtown. Friends in from DC and no slackers when it comes to fine dining, couldn’t rave enough about Geronimo. The same for The Compound which was a finalist for the coveted national Outstanding Restaurant award, thanks to dishes like their iconic Maine lobster and bay scallop with avocado, squid ink brioche, fine herbs and mustard-chive beurre blanc.
Palace’s Whole Branzino by Doug Merriam.
The Evolution of the Santa Fe Restaurant Scene
Today, both Coyote Café and SantaCafe are in the trusted stewardship of Quinn Stephenson, who began as a busboy at Coyote Café more than 25 years ago. “The old timers have seen (Coyote Café) go from cowhide chairs to LED artwork, from wooden mariachis to gorgeous murals, from hot dogs on the patio to filet mignon, from margaritas to liquid nitrogen martinis, and from a few dozen wines on a list to a curated global selection,” he says. “I enjoy the evolution and I’m proud that both of our restaurants are staying relevant.”
Long before the limelight of these restaurants, traditional New Mexican food was painstakingly prepared in legendary establishments like The Shed (1953) and thirty years later its sister restaurant, La Choza. Crowds of both locals and tourists, continue to line up for a table at these restaurants and others like Cafe Pasqual’s, where Katharine Kagel has been delivering the flavors of both Old and New Mexico since 1979.
Cocktails and at Santa Fe’s Alkeme by Doug Merriam.
Diversity has grown, thanks to the rise of food trucks which have popped up everywhere, serving everything from pizza to El Salvadoran pupusas, to Thai curries and the best tacos and burritos. Food halls, on the other hand, which have blossomed elsewhere, have struggled with just two, Capital Coal and Chomp. But plans to launch a new mega-food hall downtown by the same team behind Sawmill Market in Albuquerque may change that.
Chá Cá-Crispy Turmeric Cod at Alkeme.
Bite Into Something Contemporary
Contemporary international cuisine is flourishing with restaurants like Joseph’s Culinary Pub drawing crowds. Asian options are perhaps more sparse, with Alkeme and Izanami leading the way. Both have carved out niches and very loyal followings. Chef Ahmed Obo and his James Beard award-nominated Jambo Café reflect our growing love of and interest in different cuisines as well as the growing diversity of our population. His Caribbean spiced ox tail with mofongo and collard greens is a unique standout.
The dining area at Santa Fe’s Alkeme.
A Special Look at Santa Fe Bars
The bar scene has never been stronger. Watering holes like all-cash Evangelo’s as well as Tiny’s and The Matador blissfully persist while more recently opened establishments elevate the humble cocktail to star status. Places like the renovated bar at the Palace where the House Old Fashioned finds a perfect Santa Fe interpretation, replete with aged Mexican rum and mole bitters. At this new breed of bar, the food holds its own thanks to chefs like Palace’s Angel Franco – one of the most exciting new chefs to make Santa Fe his home – with dishes like his lamb tagliatelle with fresh pasta, merguez sausage, tomato and mint.
Capital Coal’s Tacodilla and Chef Dakota Weiss at work by Doug Merriam.
At the Tack Room, tucked into the recently re-opened Market Steer (where tapas-focused El Meson operated for a quarter of a century), the sexy, dreamy bar gleams under subtle lighting. It encapsulates the casual elegance and often neutral palette of today’s Santa Fe style. The cocktails deliver on the promise of the look of the place, like the Manhattan Steer, deploying barbeque bitters for a steak house vibe and the Tequila Mockingbird with muddled watermelon and jalapeño that might well entice Atticus Finch into intemperance. With the restaurant’s full menu available at the Tack Room, it’s the best of both worlds.
Cafe Pasqual’s, a local institution.
Locally Crafted Brews
New Mexico-based microbreweries, distilleries, and vintners are another welcome addition to the scene. In the railyard, both Second Street Brewery (which has shuttered its namesake location) and Nuckolls Brewing are serving craft brews alongside great pub grub. And if, on one of our perfect, temperate afternoons, you’ve never been to Santa Fe Brewing’s location by their production facility out off Highway 14, you’re missing out.
Gracious outdoor dining at SantaCafe.
Distillers like Santa Fe Spirits, Tumbleroot, As Above So Below, and Los Poblanos (at their stylish Bar Norte location on Washington Street) are all creating an exciting cocktail culture that goes way beyond the standard fare. Los Poblanos’ Lavender Gin, with botanicals from their property in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, is an exquisite expression of the spirit.
Chef/Owner Joseph Wrede and refined pub fare at Joseph’s Culinary Pub by Doug Merriam.
Similarly, winemakers across the state have established a presence in Santa Fe, demonstrating the staying power of wine making in the oldest wine making region of the United States. Both Hervé and more recently, Vara, have tastings rooms where you can not only imbibe reputable wines, but also partake in small bites and well-curated charcuterie.
Los Poblanos’ Santa Fe outpost Bar Norte by Doug Merriam.
Truly From Farm to Table
And finally, there is an increasing connection between local farmers and restaurants with an eye to creating a sustainable food ecosystem. I love bumping into local chefs at the farmer’s market, knowing they are assessing the availability of local produce and proteins that will shortly make their way to diner’s tables. The kitchen at Plants of the Southwest is another example of this trend, as is the array and quality of produce made available by the non-profit Reunity Resources.
Cocktails at Los Poblanos’ Santa Fe outpost Bar Norte by Doug Merriam.
And of course, we have just scratched the surface of the great diversity in offerings for all things food and beverage in Santa Fe. It is truly an embarrassment of riches that continues to evolve in exciting and inviting ways. Salud!
Dessert at Coyote Cafe.
Story by Bill Smith
Featured Photography by Doug Merriam
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