These days, meals are all too often eaten straight out of the microwave, crammed in between a thousand more important commitments. But when you’re in the mood to linger over every scrumptious bite, enjoying hushed conversation to the clink of crystal while a discreet waitstaff attends to your every need, Santa Fe offers bountiful opportunities for fine dining. Here are some of the best, in alphabetical order. Don’t forget to call ahead; hours and menus change seasonally at most restaurants, and reservations are recommended.
Anasazi Restaurant & Bar
Inn of the Anasazi, 113 Washington Avenue, 505-988-3030. www.innoftheanasazi.com
Located in the heart of the Plaza area in downtown Santa Fe, the Anasazi Restaurant combines refined elegance with Southwestern rustic flair. Acclaimed Executive Chef Martin Rios, two-time winner of the New Mexico Restaurant Association’s Chef of the Year award, pairs “Southwestern and Asian influences with a refined French technique” for a true fusion experience. Anything you order will be stunning, but in a city far from the ocean the Anasazi is one of the better choices for fresh, creatively prepared seafood. Start with leek and Pacific oyster bisque served with crispy lobster beignets and green grape chutney, then dig into an East Coast black cod bouillabaisse with champagne-poached prawns, diver scallops, mussels and baby calamari in a light spiced shellfish broth. Not into seafood? Enjoy one of the landlocked options such as organic Berkshire pork tenderloin. Save room for a tastebud-busting dessert like blackberry clafoutis cake with Sicilian pistachio gelato, chilled blackberry soup and housemade caramel popcorn. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily; brunch on Sunday. The Inn also offers innovative small-plate dining at The Patio and private dining in the award-winning Wine Cellar.
Bistro 315
315 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505-986-9190. www.315santafe.com
Award-winning Provençal-inspired dining in the high desert? Absolutely. Known to locals as simply “315,” this tiny gem is a perennial favorite. In the winter, cozy up to a crock of French onion soup gratinée in the intimate dining rooms; in the summer, enjoy a lazy meal on the garden patio. For dinner, you might start with country pâté with pistachios and green peppercorns; move on to sliced duck breast with dried cherries accompanied by a duck confit potato galette and ribbon vegetables; and finish with a pot de crème or poached pears. Or, be adventurous and try one of chef Louis Moskow’s nightly specials. If you prefer to drink your dinner, plant yourself at the “authentic European” wine bar and choose from over 20 wines by the glass or more than 250 bottles from around the world. If you’re feeling peckish, create your own tasting menu to accompany your sipping. Featured in Gourmet Magazine’s “Where to Eat Right Now in 30 American Cities,” October 2004. Dinner nightly; lunch Fridays only off-season.
The Compound
653 Canyon Road, 505-982-4353. www.compoundrestaurant.com
Renowned since the 1960s for its “distinctive style and elegance,” the Compound was revamped in 2000 with the arrival of celebrated chef Mark Kiffin, named the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef of the Southwest 2005. The historic building was originally part of a group of houses known as the McComb Compound, where movie stars and wealthy industrialists visited to get away from it all. Today, it retains its historic atmosphere and flavor. Kiffin has focused his menu around traditional Southwestern ingredients initially brought to the area by the Spaniards, adding his own delicious modern flair. Signature dishes include tuna tartare topped with Osetra caviar and preserved lemon; grilled tenderloin of natural Harris Ranch Black Angus beef with Cepe O'Brien potatoes and foie gras hollandaise; warm bittersweet liquid chocolate cake with pinot noir Amarena cherries, chestnut chocolate tuile and crème fraiche. The wine list includes over 200 selections. Events; private dining rooms; two patios open April to mid-October. Listed in Gourmet Magazine’s 2002 “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants.”
Fuego
La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, 330 East Palace Avenue, 505-986-0000. www.laposada.rockresorts.com
The moment you sink into one of Fuego’s oversized chairs in front of a blazing fire or outside under the stars, you’ll know you’re in for a level of luxury seldom experienced in Santa Fe. And Executive Chef Maxime Bouneou’s innovative cuisine, the world-class wine selection and attentive service more than deliver on the promise. For dinner, be adventurous and try the exotic chef’s Grand Tasting Menu (even if you can’t pronounce it): Langoustine tartelette and vanilla mascarpone cream with Ossetra caviar; foie gras stuffed peppered pig feet, fig and maletti balsamic vinegar; squash and blossom with garlic chive emulsion; red mullet filet with Badianne infusion; hibiscus gratiné; rabbit “rabble” with maniguette, changerelle, picholine, and marjoram fricassee; cardamom and orange panna cotta; jasmine and roasted plum gateau; and mignardise. Or, for a truly decadent occasion, treat yourself to the five-course Rancher’s Brunch. It’s expensive but heavenly—and you won’t need to eat for the rest of the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily; Rancher's Brunch on Sundays. 2006 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence; AAA Four Diamond Award.
Geronimo
724 Canyon Road, 505-982-1500. www.geronimorestaurant.com
Over the past 15 years, the name Geronimo has become synonymous with the best in Santa Fe dining. Nestled amid galleries in a 1756 adobe home, Geronimo’s epitomizes understated quality and style. Self-described as “global eclectic,” the cuisine changes seasonally. For the full experience, order from the chef’s stellar five-course tasting menu. A sample: House made spinach & saffron ricotta cheese ravioli with sweet corn, English peas, sautéed leeks and brown butter mushroom cream; petite spicy diver scallop and lobster “martini” with black pepper lemon hotcakes; Colorado Lamb “Diane” topped by green peppercorn and cognac cream with New Mexican fingerling potatoes, green beans and Cremini mushroom ragout; and Meyer lemon mousse with melon sorbet and fresh fruit. Each course is complemented with a sommelier’s wine selection. Or, order off the tempting a la carte menu. A perennial favorite: peppery elk tenderloin and apple wood smoked bacon topped with a creamy brandied mushroom sauce. Patio dining along Canyon Road in the warmer months. Mobil 4-star rating; AAA 4-diamond award.
Santacafé
231 Washington Avenue, 505-984-1788. www.santacafe.com
With its O’Keeffe-inspired courtyard patio, cozy bar and warm yet minimalist dining rooms, Santacafé has dished out casual elegance in Santa Fe since 1983. The New York Times hails it as “a restaurant to love, offering perhaps the best combination of inspired food and attractive surroundings in the city.” Locals and tourists agree, flocking to Santacafé for lunch and dinner year-round to savor its “unique American cuisine with a Southwestern flair.” Start your meal off with the best calamari in town—crispy but not over-breaded, served with a four-chile dipping sauce. Sample dinner entrees include a roasted poblano relleno with three-mushroom quinoa and chipotle cream; grilled rack of lamb with potato-leek gratin and balsamic demi-glace; and sautéed diver scallops with kalamata olive housemade linguine and wild mushrooms. For dessert? Perhaps a chocolate bread pudding torte with with pecan-coconut caramel and brandied whipped cream or a trio of house-made sorbets. Lunch at Santacafé is popular and affordable, with sandwiches, salads and heartier choices all in the $10–13 range. Featured on Food Network's Giada's Weekend Vacation, February 2007.
Trattoria Nostrani
304 Johnson Street, 505-983-3800. www.trattorianostrani.com
Like many Santa Fe treasures, Trattoria Nostrani is so understated that you’ll miss it if you’re not really looking for it—but as the City Different’s only gourmet Northern Italian restaurant, it’s worth the search. A passionate dedication to food and wine sparks the longtime collaboration between Executive Chef Eric Stapelman and chef Nelli Maltezo, who serve up constantly changing fare in a carefully preserved 1883 territorial-style home (formerly Rociada). The menu features fresh seasonal ingredients, earning an enthusiastic nationwide following and accolades from Gourmet Magazine. Take your time to browse one of New Mexico’s most comprehensive wine lists featuring over 400 selections; Stapelman has received several Wine Spectator Awards of Excellence. Then, dive into delicacies such as fried squash blossoms; beet and gorgonzola ravioli; lobster risotto with saffron and roasted plum tomatoes; chicken stuffed with sweet Italian sausage, fontina and asiago; and veal scaloppini with marsala reduction. Find some room to finish it off with almond mascarpone cheesecake, or perhaps a vanilla panna cotta. Named a “rising star” in N.A.R.A. America's Elite 1000 of 2001.
In brief— a few more notable high end restaurants:
Aqua Santa. 51 West Alameda Street, 505-982-6297. Chef-owned and operated by Santa Fe innovator Brian Knox, this tiny gem will always surprise and delight. Never the same menu twice!
Baleen. Inn at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail. 505-984-7915. www.innatloretto.com. “Strikingly original” award-winning entrees fuse modern New Mexican flavors with indigenous ingredients from local farmers. Warm and lovely décor inside melds into a fairytale patio.
Coyote Café. 132 West Water Street, 505-983-1615. www.coyotecafe.com. International restaurateur and culinary visionary Mark Miller’s creation offers up innovative fare in a warm second-story setting. Popular rooftop cantina open seasonally.
El Nido. County Rd. 591 at Bishops Lodge Road, 505-988-4340. www.999dine.com/nm/elnido. Take a drive to idyllic Tesuque and savor the deceptively simple flavors of one of the area’s favorite restaurants for over 50 years. Don’t miss the unexpectedly hopping local scene at the bar!
La Casa Sena. 125 East Palace Avenue, 505-988-9232. www.lacasasena.com. For a true Santa Fe dining experience, enjoy creative American Southwestern cuisine in the historic Sena Plaza. In summer, enjoy one of the greenest, most secluded patios in town. Eat more casually with singing waiters in the Cantina, or browse the on-site wine shop.
O’Keeffe Café. 217 Johnson Street, 505-946-1065. www.okeeffecafe.com. Strasbourg born and trained Executive Chef Laurent Rea uses “classical French techniques” while incorporating worldwide ingredients. Dramatic O’Keeffe-inspired décor; extensive wine list; patio dining.
Ristra. 548 Agua Fria, 982-8508. www.ristrarestaurant.com. Enjoy simple elegance in a restored Victorian. Ristra's bold cuisine mingles the flavors of France and the Southwest. Zagat’s America’s Top Restaurants 2001.
Tulips. 222 North Guadalupe Street, 505-989-7340. www.tulips-santafe.com. Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior: just months after its 2000 opening, Tulips was selected by Condé Nast Traveler’s “Hot List” as one of the “Top 100 New Restaurants in the World.” Squeeze into its intimate dining rooms for eclectic fusion fare.
