The city of Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico state, and among other notable considerations is the oldest state capital in the USA. At 2,194 meters (7,199 feet) above sea level, it is also the highest, and these aspects are both influential in making it one of America’s most intriguing cities. A wide range of attractions found here include the famed wedding venue at Loretto Chapel, and a museum to Georgia O'Keeffe, the mother of American modernist art, who made the city her final resting place. Both the traditionalist and the postmodernist will find plenty to intrigue them in this always-surprising city and, due to the state’s history as part of the Mexican nation, there are traces of Mexican culture everywhere. This includes the hugely popular national cuisine, which you must sample while here. Check out these Mexican restaurants in Santa Fe for a dining experience worth remembering.
1. Pantry Restaurant
The Pantry is a Santa Fe institution - with Mexican classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it has been attracting locals for over sixty years and people keep coming in large numbers to taste their Huevos Rancheros, quesadillas and fajitas. There is a broad enough menu, featuring sandwiches, burgers and steaks, to keep everyone in your party fed even if they’re not spice fans - but for those who love Mexican food, everything you can possibly desire is here, cooked to perfection and served simply at a price you can afford.
Pantry Restaurant
Opening hours 06:30 - 20:30 daily, except Sunday (07:00-20:30)
Average price for two people:under USD 10
Address: 1820 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Website: Pantry Restaurant
2. El Callejon Taqueria and Grill
This unpretentious taco restaurant is an ideal place to get a taste for Mexican cuisine as it should be. El Callejon - whose name translates directly as “The Alley” - offers a wealth of traditional cuisine, with starters including chips and salsa or the ever-popular Nachos Grande. The menu is largely uncomplicated and filled with the classics - large, well-garnished burgers served on buns or in tortillas, plus of course the specialities such as fajitas and enchiladas. As ever, there are lighter options, including a modest kids’ menu, for those who want a little less fire.
El Callejon Taqueria and Grill
Opening hours: 11:30 - 20:30, closed on Mondays
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 208 Galisteo St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: El Callejon Taqueria and Grill
3. Sazon
This traditional Mexican joint is filled with touches of the old country, from the Frida Kahlo prints that adorn the walls, to the freshly made “mole” sauces that give their dishes a wonderful, earthy kick. Unlike many of the Mexican restaurants which you’ll find in the city, the dishes on offer go beyond the traditional bites that have gone worldwide in terms of popularity. Instead, foodies will be delighted by the difference offered by shrimp enchiladas, peppered beef tenderloin and stuffed poblano peppers. For fine dining the Mexican way, you’ll love Sazon!
Sazon
Opening hours: 16:00 - 22:00, closed on Sundays
Average price for two people: USD 31-60
Address: 221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: Sazon
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4. Tecolote Cafe
You’ll notice something of an “owl” motif to this restaurant, and the reason for that is that Tecolote is an old Aztec word meaning owl. Opened in the early 1980s, the place has changed little in the intervening years, save for adding more pictures and figurines of the eponymous nocturnal bird. The menu is hugely varied and appetising, with breakfast favourites like corned beef hash and Carne y Huevos, while dinners include all the usual options in addition to chicken fried steak and Frito pie. No wonder this spot has become a local favourite.
Tecolote Cafe
Opening hours: 07:00 - 14:00 daily, then 17:00-22:00 Thurs-Sun; closed on Mondays
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 1616 St Michaels Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Website: Tecolote Cafe
5. La Plazuela
Attached to the La Fonda hotel, this innovative hotel takes the usual Mexican fayre and stamps an unmistakable modern twist on it. On its dinner menu, favourites such as tacos and fajitas are jazzed up with innovative salsas and gourmet fillings such as marinated skirt steak or grilled red snapper. There are plenty of non-Mexican dishes for those with different tastes, from a tender leg of lamb to their creamy shrimp pasta. All of these options are served in a refined, and unmistakably traditional atmosphere.
La Plazuela
Opening hours: 07:00 - 14:00 and 17:00 - 22:00 weekdays, 07:00 - 15:00 and 17:00 - 22:00 weekends
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 100 E San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: La Plazuela
6. Tia Sophia's
As the name suggests - Tia means “Aunt” in Spanish - your dining experience in this excellent restaurant will be a family-style experience. Plenty of classic, traditional flavour is on offer from the traditional chilli bowls to their daily lunch specials - shredded beef burritos one day, chicken adovado the next. There’s also a plentiful array of side dishes that will ensure your dining experience is filling, as well as being affordable and, most importantly, delicious.
Tia Sophia's
Opening hours: 07:00-14:00 daily, except Sundays (08:00-13:00)
Average price for two people: Under USD 10
Address: 210 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: Tia Sophia’s
7. Bumble Bee's Baja Grill
The depth of the menu at this grill - proud owner of the World’s Slowest Drive Thru, because some things are worth waiting for - makes it an attractive proposition for anyone who wants to try a diverse range of dishes. Their spicy stews, including a green chile stew with a choice of meats or veggie options, are particularly popular, and all the classics are also right there on the menu. With plenty of seafood options, and roast chicken dishes, this is the ideal spot for a really filling, tasty meal.
Bumble Bee's Baja Grill
Opening hours: 11:00 - 20:00, except on weekends (11:00 - 20:30)
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 301 Jefferson St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill
8. Atrisco Cafe & Bar
There’s nothing particularly revolutionary about the menu at Atrisco - everything that you think of when it comes to Mexican cuisine, they’ve got it, large, well-filled plates of it cooked just the way it should be. If you fancy a simple, quick meal then their Chile Rellenos and Huevos Rancheros come highly recommended, while favorites such as empanadas and chalupas offer a delicious, spicy meal served with plenty of flavourful sides. An intriguing range of sides includes a brownie sundae, traditional flan, and fried sweet sopaipillas.
Atrisco Cafe & Bar
Opening hours: 11:00 - 21:00 weekdays, 08:00-21:00 weekends
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 193 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: Atrisco Cafe & Bar
9. La Choza Restaurant
Award-winning Mexican dishes and refreshing, delicious margaritas await you at this down-the-line, varied restaurant with a hugely extensive menu. With affordable prices and excellent, attentive wait staff, you’ll find this to be one of the finest restaurants in all of Santa Fe. The dishes are much as you would expect, but time and effort goes into making them just perfect, and garnishes such as their tangy pico de Gallo really reward your tastebuds for the wait. You might have to wait in line for a table, but it is worth it!
La Choza Restaurant
Opening hours: 11:00 - 21:00, closed on Sundays
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 905 Alarid St, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Website: La Choza Restaurant
10. The Shed
A well-curated menu at this off-beat diner brings together all the usual Mexican dishes with a few new ideas and it is all the better for it. Charbroiled Steak and Enchilada plates, along with Pollo Adobo, sit next to the trad favorites on a well-priced menu that is really set off by a wonderful range of home-made desserts, including a perfect cheesecake and a magnificent take on the classic apple pie. A very solid list of drink options, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike, will have something for everyone.
The Shed
Opening hours: 11:00 - 14:30 and 17:00-21:00 daily, opens at 10:30 on Thursday, closed on Sunday
Average price for two people: USD 11-30
Address: 113 ½ E Palace Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Website: The Shed
Take a tasty trip to Santa Fe, and enjoy glorious Mexican food
Mexican food is justifiably popular worldwide for the texture and spice that it offers, and in Santa Fe, formerly a Mexican city, you’ll find no shortage of restaurants providing their own takes on the dishes we know and love, as well as more than a few options which you may not be so familiar with. Whether you’re excited about enchiladas, want a brilliant burrito, or are a fan of fabulous fajitas - or even if you want to try something new - there are few better options than trying one of the many excellent traditional restaurants in this beguiling city.
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