Cafe Pasqual's ★ 4.8
Chef Katharine Kagel has cooked seasonal Pueblo-meets-Mexico-meets-Mediterranean at Cafe Pasqual's just off the Plaza in Santa Fe since 1979.
Signature: Huevos motulenos, Chile relleno con huevos, Mole enchiladas
The restaurants worth the trip in Santa Fe. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Our picks in Santa Fe
The Shed ★ 4.7
The Shed's red chile, grown out at the family farm and ground in-house, has anchored a Santa Fe lunch line since 1953. Sister room of La Choza.
Signature: Red chile enchiladas, Blue corn enchiladas, Mocha cake
Geronimo ★ 4.7
Geronimo cooks fusion-forward fine dining in a 1756 Canyon Road adobe, the city's sole AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four Star room since 1991.
Signature: Tellicherry-rubbed elk tenderloin, New Mexico Four Corners grilled rack of lamb, Green miso sea bass
The Compound ★ 4.8
Mark Kiffin, 2005 James Beard Best Chef Southwest, owns The Compound on Canyon Road; Chef Dale Kester took over the kitchen at the storied adobe in 2026.
Signature: Tuna tartare, Roasted chicken with foie gras, Liquid-centre chocolate cake
Sazon ★ 4.8
Fernando Olea, 2022 James Beard Best Chef Southwest, has cooked in Santa Fe since 1991; Sazon opened on Shelby Street in 2015 with a Degustacion menu.
Signature: Chef's Degustacion nine-course menu, Seabass in mole verde, Duck with mole poblano
Restaurant Martin ★ 4.7
Chef Martin Rios, a ten-time James Beard nominee, cooks seasonal progressive-American tasting menus at Restaurant Martin, in a quiet downtown garden.
Signature: Tea-smoked Peking duck breast, Wagyu beef tartare, Roasted pheasant
Izanami at Ten Thousand Waves ★ 4.6
Izanami serves elevated izakaya plates and one of North America's deepest premium-sake lists inside the Ten Thousand Waves spa, off Hyde Park Road.
Signature: Nami burger with wagyu, Black sesame noodles, Robata-grilled skewers
Coyote Cafe ★ 4.5
Coyote Cafe pioneered modern Southwestern under Mark Miller in 1987; today the downtown room serves elk and tellicherry ribeye, with a rooftop cantina.
Signature: Elk tenderloin with huitlacoche, Tellicherry-crusted ribeye, Buttermilk pecan pie
Joseph's Culinary Pub ★ 4.6
Chef Joseph Wrede, Food and Wine Best New Chef and multiple AAA Four Diamond winner, runs this 2013-opened pub-meets-fine-dining adobe on Agua Fria.
Signature: Duck-fat fries with truffle salt, Pork cheeks with mole, Lamb posole
La Boca ★ 4.6
Chef James Campbell Caruso, an eight-time James Beard nominee, opened La Boca in 2006; modern Spanish tapas, an all-Spanish wine list and deep sherries.
Signature: Jamon Iberico de bellota, Patatas bravas, Gambas al ajillo
Anasazi Restaurant at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi ★ 4.5
Cristian Pontiggia, 2023 New Mexico Chef of the Year, leads the Anasazi kitchen at Rosewood with a contemporary-American menu on Washington Avenue.
Signature: Wagyu beef carpaccio, Hand-rolled cavatelli, Tea-smoked duck
Arroyo Vino ★ 4.6
Arroyo Vino pairs a 600-bottle wine shop with a Contemporary American kitchen ten minutes west of the Plaza; bottles are retail-plus-$20 corkage.
Signature: Housemade spaghetti al Amatriciana, Stracciatella with pickled strawberries and prosciutto, Classic meatballs with grilled focaccia
Radish & Rye ★ 4.5
Radish & Rye pairs farm-to-table Southern plates with 175 American brown spirits in an Agua Fria adobe; bourbon flights and steak tartare lead.
Signature: Steak tartare with Calabrian chili, Bourbon-braised short ribs, Buttermilk fried chicken
Estevan Restaurante ★ 4.5
Chef Estevan Garcia cooks Chimayo red chile, posole, chicos and calabacitas with French technique upstairs in Hotel Chimayo near the Santa Fe Plaza.
Signature: Mushroom duxelle-stuffed chile relleno, Carne adovada ravioli, Chimayo red chile plates
Paloma ★ 4.5
Paloma cooks fresh, handmade Mexican plates and pours an extensive agave spirits list a block north of Tomasita's in the Guadalupe district.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Aguachile verde, Mole negro
Vinaigrette ★ 4.5
Erin Wade grows the lettuces and produce at her 10-acre Nambe farm, then drives them daily to Vinaigrette's Don Cubero Alley adobe for entree-sized salads.
Signature: Sycamore salad, Omega salad with seared tuna, Hanger steak with chimichurri
Jambo Cafe ★ 4.6
Chef Ahmed Obo cooks Swahili-inflected East African and Caribbean stews at Jambo Cafe in Santa Fe's College Plaza on Cerrillos Road, open since 2009.
Signature: Coconut goat stew, Jerk chicken sandwich, East African curries
Dr. Field Goods Kitchen ★ 4.3
Chef Josh Gerwin's Dr. Field Goods centres on a butcher and bakery; the Devargas-mall kitchen turns own meats and bread into chile-laced burgers and pizza.
Signature: House-made charcuterie board, Green chile cheeseburger, Wood-fired pizza
Atrisco Cafe & Bar ★ 4.3
Atrisco builds family-recipe red chile from sun-dried whole pods at Devargas Center, served with local Santa Fe lamb, beef and honey-glazed sopaipillas.
Signature: Red chile with sun-dried pods, Carne adovada plate, Sopaipillas with local honey
Casa Chimayo ★ 4.4
Casa Chimayo cooks family Chimayo red and green chile and Dine accents downtown; Guy Fieri filmed Diners, Drive-Ins for the blue corn enchiladas.
Signature: Blue corn enchiladas, Carne adovada with red chile, Tamales