NewbE

Hi, all!

There have been a few restaurants mentioned on another thread, but it's primarily about accommodation, so, since we'll be there next week, I selfishly decided to start a separate one just about FOOD.

Any and all suggestions, from high to low, are welcome. We will be staying in Santa Fe but driving all around, so ideas for surrounding area are also welcome and will make this thread more universally useful.

I am behind in my planning, but was thinking The Shed, Geronimo...??? Also, what do you all think of this list?
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/20...-fe-new-mexico
Maybe Compound?

Thanks in advance!

jayne1973

So much food, so little time in Santa Fe! The list looks pretty good.

For something different and a pretty cool local experience, head a little way out of town for dinner at Tesugue Village Market. There's a little store and outdoor restaurant with a big brick pizza oven. Lots of other good food, too. They also have a dessert case so you can take home something delicious for later. www.tesuquevillagemarket.com.

On the plaza, we always make a stop for lunch at Plaza Café.
In case you need a break from Mexican food, they have some good Greek selections. They also make a good turkey burger. www.thefamousplazacafe.com

martym

Here are some restaurants we enjoy

La Boca and Taberna http://labocasf.com/
Restaurant Martin http://restaurantmartin.com/
Santa Café http://www.santacafe.com/
Zia Diner http://www.ziadiner.com/
Swiss Bakery http://www.swissbakerysantafe.com/bistro.html

We're going to Bouche Bistro in September--has had great press http://www.bouchebistro.com/

Rancho de Chimayo - if you're visiting the Santuario or driving the high road to Taos http://www.ranchodechimayo.com/

slcbbrown

We spent a long week between Santa Fe and Taos, last March. The best (easily) high end dinner was the restaurant in the Anasazi Hotel, just off the square. One of the neatest was Clafoutis-- for breakfast, pastries, fresh bread. Kakawa Chocolate is a tiny chocolate shop that has the best hot chocolate.

DebitNM

In no particular order:
La Choza [more local than it's sister, The Shed]
Chocolate Maven and Bakery
Il Vicino for pizza
Vinaigrette for lunch for great salad
The Compound
315 Restaurant & Wine Bar
Cafe Vingt Cinq [a bit out of town, in Outlet Mall but really good food for lunch]
Andiamo! for solid Italian, not chic chic Italian
Cowgirl [ not for food which is ok, but for atmosphere which is as the name implies, cowgirly]
Bumble Bees Baja Grill lunch or dinner
Mariscos Costa Azul for fish tacos
-----

If you are around on a Friday or Saturday night @ 7pm. - head over to Hotel Santa Fe for predinner drinks. Grab a Prickly Pear Margarita and listen to the wonderful sounds of Ronald Roybal. http://www.ronaldroybal.com/performance_schedule/
I love listening to him play his truly magical flute.

BeachGirl247

I think the list is good and the only one I disagree with is Maria's. Their food is just average for me and a lot of locals feel the same.

Favorites for a nice dining experience:
Geronimo
The Compound - nice lunch or dinner
Galisteo Bistro
La Boca (happy hour 3-5 on wine & appetizers)
Bistro 315 (their patio is cozy & charming)

Haven't been to Santa Cafe since the chef left and I'm hearing unfavorable comments about it's consistency and service.

The Shed (their red chile is the best!)
Tomasita's
Taberna (sister restaurant to La Boca) Happy Hour 3-5 for wine and appetizers, too
Tune-Up Cafe (off the plaza)
Anasazi patio
Midtown Bistro (off the plaza)
Bumble Bee (very casual but good, fresh food)
Cafe Cafe (off the plaza)
Clafouti's
Blake's Lottaburger for a green chile burger or a quick breakfast burrito

Deck at 221 is new and fun. It doesn't have a lot of shade but it's nice. It's part of Tante Luce (which I need to give another chance.)

There are a couple of cafés on Canyon we haven't eaten at yet but they look very cute. Teahouse on Canyon we like for a light snack and cold drink or coffee.

Also, if you're on Museum Hill the cafe is very good and has a nice view of Santa Fe if you snag a window seat.

Tesuque Village Market used to be good but they disappoint us regularly. Last week we had slow service, wrong order, and who runs out of red chile in New Mexico?!! Anyway, it's cute and charming but don't expect much from them. They do sell a green chile cheese bread that is good and their margaritas and huevos rancheros are tasty.

DebitNM

I was also going to nix Tesuque Market, thanks for the reminder, BeachGirl. It has slid far from grace.

If you head that way, stop in at Shidoni Foundry. http://www.shidoni.com/html/home.asp The brass pours are neat, call and be sure they are pouring on the day you want to go. A tour is also neat.

NewbE

Wonderful suggestions, thank you all! And so many, yikes I may focus on the areas of congruence--some names come up over and over.

We'll be there Sunday through Friday, so will miss Roybal and the brass pours, alas...

But that reminds me, a good bar or two besides the ones already mentioned would be good to know about--craft beers or craft cocktails a plus, but atmosphere very important, too.

DebitNM

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/36
{Second St; Marble, Il Vicino, Santa Fe}

The Hotel Santa Fe still for atmosphere and those Prickly Pear Margaritas.

Bell Tower at La Fonda.

BeachGirl247

Now you're talkin'! ;-)

Anasazi Bar - no tv. Small and cozy. Nice cocktails, wine, single malts.Our favorite.
Secreto Lounge (St. Francis Hotel) - interesting concoctions.
Bistro 315 - good wine by the glass (= good wine not cheap wine)
La Casa Sena courtyard has a small bar area but it's the best courtyard in SF.
**forgot to mention it for a recommendation for lunch or dinner. It's a go-to favorite of ours
Coyote Cantina - get a seat along the wall for good people watching. Margarita/Beer kind of place. Or go inside to Coyote Cafe. It's small but the drinks are really good.
Thunderbirds (used to be Ore House) has a good patio for plaza people watching.
Marble Brewery - patio overlooks plaza - no cocktails
Deck at 221
Geronimo - schoozy, small bar in an historic space
The Palace - don't eat there but go to the bar. Hopefully, it's still ok for drinks but that place seems to be cursed in the food department.

I know I'm forgetting some so I'll come back when I remember.

I also wanted to mention Bouché. We've eaten there a few times. Love the chef. The inside space is *very* noisy. I'm not hard of hearing but I could barely hear our conversation over those around us. Get a spot on their patio if you can. It's across the street from Vanessie's.

BigRuss

Why don't you just look up Beach Girl's post from a couple of years ago - there's all the info you need.

Would take Tomasita's > La Choza any day.

DebitNM

Tomasita's and La Choza aren't comparable. OP asked for different options, La Choza is where the locals eat. Nothing fancy, good solid NM food.

BeachGirl247

I have to say I sit at the counter with regulars many times a week at The Shed. La Choza has some, too. One is in the plaza the other is not. For me, that has a lot to do with choosing one over the other, too. They're both good.

ElendilPickle

I've only eaten at Cowgirl and Gabriel's from the Guardian article. Cowgirl is tasty and fun; we had horrible service at Gabriel's, but that was a few years ago so it might have improved.

We like the Plaza Cafe, Andiamo, and Tune-Up Cafe. Vanessie's is fun for drinks in the piano bar, and we also enjoyed the Staab House bar at La Posada.

Lee Ann

BeachGirl247

Gabriel's is still the same, LeeAnn. Slow service.

We enjoy Staab House, too.

BigRuss

Tomasita's has a local and devoted following. Can't all be tourists lining up outside the place when it opens.

Andiamo is also good, ditto Cowgirl. Try real hard and you can go wrong. Otherwise, you'll default into above to WAY above average in most non-chain establishments.