Day-by-day eating plans for Santa Fe. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Santa Fe one-day: Plaza classics done right ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, one full day1 day

One walking-distance day around the Plaza built around the canonical dishes (red and green chile, blue corn enchiladas, sopaipillas) and the rooms that codified them.

  1. Day 1: Plaza, Canyon Road, rooftop sunset

    Morning
    Walk-in breakfast burrito at Tia Sophia's on West San Francisco Street, then a pour-over at 35 North Coffee in the Plaza arcade. Walk one block to Kakawa Chocolate House for a three-cup historic drinking-chocolate flight.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at The Shed on East Palace Avenue: blue corn enchiladas Christmas with posole and a sopaipilla. Walk Canyon Road, stop at The Teahouse for tea on the patio.
    Evening
    Cocktail at Secreto Lounge in Hotel St. Francis (smoked sage margarita), then dinner at Sazon on Shelby Street for Fernando Olea's New Mexican mole. Nightcap rooftop at Coyote Rooftop Cantina if it's April through October.

Santa Fe two-day: chile country and Saturday market ★ 4.6

Returning visitor, two days, has a rental car2 days

Two days that build out from the Plaza into chile country, with the Saturday Farmers Market as the second-day anchor and a Chimayo day-trip lunch.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: market morning, brewery lunch, fine-dining dinner

    Morning
    Santa Fe Farmers Market at the Railyard from 08:00; eat a green chile bagel and watch the chile roasters smoke. Coffee next door at Iconik Coffee Roasters Lupe.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Rowley Farmhouse Ales on Maclovia Street: saison flight plus the farm-to-table burger. Walk Baca Street galleries and stop at Counter Culture Cafe for an iced coffee.
    Evening
    Cocktails at Tonic on East Water Street, then dinner at The Compound on Canyon Road for Chef Dale Kester's contemporary-American menu under owner Mark Kiffin. End the night at Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery for late music.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Chimayo day trip, Plaza dinner

    Morning
    Drive 45 minutes north via NM-503/NM-76 (the High Road to Taos) to Chimayo. Stop at the Santuario.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Rancho de Chimayo: carne adovada, blue corn enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas with Bosque Farms honey. Drive back via Espanola to Santa Fe.
    Evening
    Pre-dinner pour at La Boca on West Marcy Street (Spanish tapas, happy hour 15:00 to 17:00 if you arrive early). Dinner at Cafe Pasqual's for the grilled prime ribeye ranchero or the mole enchiladas. Late chocolate flight at Kakawa Chocolate House if still open.
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