We are planning a quick trip to Santa Fe in October, just 3 nights.
Favorite restaurants?
Do we need a car or is there enough to do in Santa Fe...worth getting a car for day trips?

Thank you!

My favorite downtown meal was lunch at Plaza Café; From my notes, I had "Cashew Mole Bowl (pinto beans, Spanish rice, shredded chicken, mole chili), Rioja $13.5"

Here's my trip report for more ideas...lots of ideas from other posters, thenscroll down to #16 for my trip:

Santa Fe Getaway 2018

Please let everyone know where you end up!
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Three nights is only 2 full days which you can easily fill with sights in SF. If you have more days or if you're flying in/out of Albuquerque, there is a lot to see in the area.

https://wanderlog.com/drive/between/...santa-fe-drive

We visited Santa Fe last year, just as the world was opening up, but still had to wear masks. Which, btw was a painful experience in Santa Fe, with the altitude, we were literally gasping for air!

DH and I are not food snobs (we generally like street food), but really couldn't go wrong anywhere we ate in Santa Fe. New Mexico cuisine is right up there in flavor and spice, and we are spice addicts.

We followed the recommendations of several friends who spend lots of time in Santa Fe, that we must go to The Shed. They have a very weird reservation mandate, meaning you have to call them at 4 p.m. and get put on the waiting list for dinner. Then I think they text you or something like that when you're next in line to come in and have about 10 minutes to get there. It was easy for us, as we stayed at La Fonda on the Plaza, so a very short walk.

Next, highly recommend the Coyote Cafe, an upscale southwest restaurant with a rooftop bar. Food can be had at the rooftop bar, but the food there is absolutely nothing like the restaurant below it. The rooftop bar is loud and fun and really for the young and young at heart. Coyote Cafe is the complete opposite, with an innovative menu and the best and most interesting cocktails I think I've ever seen.

Finally, for simple beauty, La Plazuela at La Fonda. Food was good, not great, but what WAS outstanding were the sopaipilla served with the meal.

Thank you! We are staying at La Fonda!

The Plaza is not close to several museums including the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Santa Fe Botanical Garden, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian,and Museum of International Folk Art. Not sure if accessible by bus but you can always Uber. Also, the Tesuque Pueblo is ten miles north of the city.

Be sure to eat traditional New Mexican food (different from TexMex) which includes green-chile stews, blue corn dishes, purple pinto beans, Chile rellenos, blue-corn enchiladas, Menudo, huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, Posole, and Sopapillas.

If you like Indian food, don't miss Paper Dosa!

Maybe you'll get some more ideas from my trip report:

Eating our way through Northern New Mexico

We loved La Fonda. They have a car rental office on site, and we rented a car for one day, to drive to/from Taos.

Be sure to sign up for their historic tour of the hotel. It's fascinating to hear the story of the art and architecture.

We really liked this little restaurant, walking distance from La Fonda: [size=13px]Cafe Pasqual’s[/size]
[size=13px]https://pasquals.com
(My link isn't working. It's at Pasquals dot com)

Have fun! Stay longer![/size]

We also like Paper Dosa but you'll need a car or other transportation. They also don't take reservations.

Within walking distance of where you're staying, we like La Boca and Sazon. La Plazuela at La Fonda is very pretty. I would have breakfast there. We liked breakfast at Cafe Pasqual too.

"Not sure if accessible by bus..."

There was a circulator when I was there...do check their stops.

We love La Fonda too. Make sure you visit Taos.

Thank you all!! Such good information.

Tomasito's Mexican food was so good we ate there twice. Highly recommend. Fun place. Reasonable prices.

Will you be there on October 14? There is an annular eclipse of the sun that morning.

Albuquerque is actually right on the center line, but Santa Fe gets 2 minutes and 47 seconds of annularity.

If that happens to be your date you will need eclipse glasses to observe it.

Another vote for Tomosito's but beware of the Matgaritas if you're driving. And if you're not accustomed to higher altitudes, beware of any alcohol as you will get drunk a lot faster. I'm not joking.