Santa Fe “The City Different” is not just one of the oldest but also one of the top 10 best food cities in the US. Food in Santa Fe is always grounded whether subliminally or consciously in the terroir. Not many places in the present time have a signature cooking style that still living and vibrant like Santa Fe boasts. Food in Santa Fe is very different, flavourful, and hardy. Santa Feans believe that the bright sunshine, the humming bees on flowers, pollinated plants, the floral gardens, the orchards, and the rivers that go through this community farming, all are playing a role in the flavors of food and very much a part of the fabric of the culture. The Spanish brought so much and got mixed with Pueblo Indians, the history and the traditions are so unbroken and remain part of the culture. The best ingredients come to the farmers market everything is local and incredibly fresh. There are over two dozen different kinds of peppers which are available as smoked, dried or fresh. These chilies play a wonderful role in the cuisine of New Mexico. Visitors who come to Santa Fe traditionally expect to eat enchiladas, tacos, or tamales but what they discover that Santa Fe is a real international crossroads. Dining in Santa Fe can take you to some historical buildings where you savor the flavors of upscale Southwestern cuisine along with contemporary, international, and eclectic fare. From ancient architecture to thick adobe walls, traditional kiva fireplaces, and rambling outdoor gardens, this is uniquely Santa Fe’s spirit. The alluring ambiance of the restaurants in Santa Fe elevates your dining experience. We have a selection of bistros and cafes that are known as much for their past as they are for a place to enjoy culinary excellence. It will surely light up the romance between the loved souls.
Vinaigrette
The first Vinaigrette opened in November 2008, it is a stylish bistro in a funky adobe house in downtown Santa Fe. The Vinaigrette menu is built around flavorful salads, that serve fresh, organic entrée salads made from locally farmed produce; the restaurant’s homegrown organic ingredients are sourced from 10 acres local farm located about a half an hour drive north of Santa Fe in the village of Nambe. Erin Wade, a Harvard graduate who was completely fresher for the restaurant and food industry, is her unintended brainchild. But she remained no longer a neophyte, and now owns and operates two of New Mexico’s very best and most highly regarded farm-to-table restaurants, having expanded to Albuquerque’s Old Town district in November 2012. Vinaigrette has a salad-centric menu, but it also serves delicious soups and sides, hearty homemade sandwiches, and delicious desserts, along with several dinner specialties and seasonal fare. The restaurant has a casual and inviting atmosphere with an enclosed back patio for intimate dining in the shade of an old apricot tree. Visiting this Salad-centric bistro will be a fresh take on your romance.
The Staab House
The Ranch House
The Staab House is an Upscale drawing-room bar & patio at La Posada Hotel serving house cocktails & American small plates. It is housed in the former library of the Victorian mansion once home to a German émigré named Abraham Staab and his wife Julia Staab. The dining room at the new Santa Fe restaurant retains touches of the 19th-century flair for which the original Staab mansion was renowned. Many of the staff and guests have felt the presence and seen a Victorian-dressed lady in the hotel, it is believed that the ghost is Julia Staab. Nevertheless, Julia’s ghost is not described as “unsettling” or “frightening.” La Posada is proud to be a stop on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail, with both the Staab House Bar and the Patio featuring the “Juliarita,” a margarita named for Julia Staab’s ghost. The atmosphere at the bar is great for casual romantic dining, it’s dim and classy. Both indoor & outdoor options are romantic and ideal to snuggle up, either sit by one of the cozy fireplaces in winter or enjoy an outdoor patio in summer. Menus at the Staab House restaurant pay tribute to the building’s original residents with refined flavors and perfectly plated presentations, channeling Mrs. Staab’s inspired sense of occasion and style. Wednesdays through Sundays listen to live music while you dine on bar food or sip on Julia’s Manhattan or a glass of wine from their premium selection.
The Ranch House provides a warm and cozy atmosphere, so whether it is date night or a family outing, it is perfectly fit for all occasions. A bar and grill serve a range of healthy New Mexican and all-American fare, every plate comes in generous portions. In 2005, Josh Baum and his wife Ann Gordon started a small restaurant to showcase Josh’s passion for smoked meats. Josh’s BBQ became a mainstay of Santa Fe, So in December 2011 the couple expanded their vision and moved to a larger space. The Ranch House is an amazing result of their passion for Josh’s signature smoked meats and barbecue, for which the restaurant is famous. However, it also offers a selection of other dishes such as soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, burritos, and quesadillas. Bar fare can be ordered during Happy Hour, where a variety of handcrafted signature cocktails, premium wines, and beers can be enjoyed in a vibrant ambiance. An ambrosial aroma of smoky barbecue greets you at the entrance of The Ranch House, a southside restaurant with the feel of a historic Santa Fe hacienda-warm and inviting. The Ranch House boasts premium natural hormone/antibiotic-free Angus steaks sourced from Meyers Ranch in Montana and offers gluten-free and vegetarian options. There is no added MSG or partially hydrogenated oil in any of the dishes. The service in The Ranch House is outstanding.
The Staab House
The first Vinaigrette opened in November 2008, it is a stylish bistro in a funky adobe house in downtown Santa Fe. The Vinaigrette menu is built around flavorful salads, that serve fresh, organic entrée salads made from locally farmed produce; the restaurant’s homegrown organic ingredients are sourced from 10 acres local farm located about a half an hour drive north of Santa Fe in the village of Nambe. Erin Wade, a Harvard graduate who was completely fresher for the restaurant and food industry, is her unintended brainchild.
Sazón
Sazón is a contemporary restaurant that serves elevated Latin American cuisine, a staple on the city’s culinary scene since 1991. Executive chef Fernando Olea is behind the innate hospitality and flavors. The restaurant is best known for its delicious New Mexican mysterious mole dish, a recipe originally crafted to solemnize the City of Santa Fe’s 400th anniversary. The restaurant promotes itself as New World cuisine, “James Beard Award Winner” chef creates sophisticated flavors using Old Mexico’s indigenous and culinary traditions, and alongside it is easy to taste Asian and Middle Eastern influences.
Izanami Restaurant
Anasazi Restaurant Bar & Lounge
Izanami is housed inside the Ten Thousand Waves Resort & Spa that offers exquisite Japanese bar fare, artisanal sake & craft beer. It is an upscale Izakaya fare–small plates served in a casual atmosphere at an elegant farmhouse, Izanami serves an extensive selection of over 40 varieties of premium Japanese sake. The menu features kozara-small plate dishes of grilled meat and seafood, garden fresh salads, rice and noodles. Most of the pork, chicken, wagyu beef, and produce is organic or sustainably raised by trusted purveyors.
The Anasazi Restaurant and Bar at the Inn of the Anasazi is an upscale Southwestern restaurant serving innovative dishes & drinks amid rustically luxurious decor. It is considered one of the most amorous dining spaces, charming décor is Santa Fe style with American Indian accents which offers a romantic ambiance. The Anasazi is inspired by Santa Fe’s rich cultural and culinary history.
Arroyo Vino
Arroyo Vino is a relaxed bistro & wine shop located about 20 minutes northwest of Santa Fe, serving refined contemporary American fare sourced from its kitchen garden. The restaurant’s capacious dining room is casual and comfortable and sits adjacent to the wine shop, where rows of bottles create a cozy ambiance. Arroyo Vino has been committed to serving dishes that are incorporated with the best seasonal ingredients and products. The ever-changing menu keeps the comers interested and enthusiastic, and the wine shop is always ready with an impressive wine program of over 800 bottles.
The Compound
The Compound is a legendary and beloved Santa Fe restaurant, established in 1966 by Will and Barbara Houghton. Houghtons converted a two-story adobe home, which was associated with artists and bohemians since the 1920s. The Compound shows a seamless fusion of history and contemporary culinary excellence. This artistic place is a cornerstone of the culinary landscape in Santa Fe’s Arts District on Canyon Road and is elegantly located in the last surviving Alexander Girard-designed restaurant which acquires an enticing fusion of simple elegance with a dash of bright modernistic color.
Terra at Four Seasons Resorts Rancho Encantado
Terra Bar is the perfect pick to have a romantic evening. The bar is embedded in the Sangre de Cristo foothills with lovely views of the Jemez Mountains. The flavors of northern New Mexico are on display at our signature, fine-dining restaurant, where global influences meet regional delights. The bar menu features an array of small plates created by Executive Chef Andrew Cooper. Terra serves fresh and inventive interpretations of American cuisine.
