Play in Santa Fe
Restaurants
Near the Plaza:
Santacafe: Our current favorite; always excellent service. Texas red fish with polenta is great; also their bolognese. They have the most beautiful patio in Santa Fe.
315 Restaurant & Wine Bar: We’ve never had a bad meal there. I love their trout rillettes.
Sazon: The chef received a James Beard award for the Southwest last year. He specializes in creating wonderful moles (sauces) which you can taste to see which you like best. Share the sopa d’amour – incredible and rich. If you want to go here, reserve two to three months ahead.
Geronimo: On Canyon Road, has valet parking. Beautiful space and great food.
Sassella: Modern Italian, next to the O’Keeffe museum.
Tia Sophia’s: They claim to be the creators of breakfast burritos. Whether or not this is true, we like theirs the best.
Del Charro: Restaurant and bar on a corner downtown. We like the atmosphere. Associated with the Inn of the Governor’s hotel.
San Francisco Street Bar and Grill: Upstairs, but has an elevator. Their menu has something for every taste.
Plaza Café: Old Santa Fe; has been around for a long time. New Mexican and American food.
Outside downtown:
El Nido: A few miles north of Santa Fe, near the Opera. Nice outdoor patio.
Atrisco Cafe & Bar: A locals hangout. Owned by the same people as Tomasita’s, but much less touristy.
Bumblebee’s Baja Grill: Very good Mexican “fast” food. Just a few blocks from the O’Keeffe Museum. Has a drive-up window.
Cowgirl BBQ: A couple of blocks south of downtown, on Guadalupe. Great burgers and chicken fried chicken, among other dishes. Has a good patio and live music on the weekends.
Back Road Pizza: Lesbian owned, delicious pizza, good beer selection, best chocolate chip cookies in Santa Fe! Pool tables upstairs, nice patio.
Santa Fe Bite: Excellent desserts, great burgers, good for breakfast.
Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen: Entirely gluten-free.
Yamas Greek Rotisserie: Excellent Greek food. And from living outside of Detroit, we know Greek food.
Breakfast and Lunch
Tune-Up Cafe: A current favorite.
Clafoutis: A French cafe, great for breakfast, also sells French pastries.
Mille: Competition for Clafoutis! Across Guadalupe from the downtown Hilton.
Dolina Bakery & Cafe: Eastern European, great pastries to take with you. Just a few blocks north of downtown.
Baked and Brew: Very French; excellent coffee, pastries and soups. Open until 3 PM.
Pantry Rio: Right downtown near the Inn of the Governors. Nice inside and great for people watching outside.
Breweries & Taprooms: We are not big beer drinkers, but we’ve consulted with people who are.
Second Street Brewery Rufina Taproom: Good beer, good food, with great servers, atmosphere, and a deck.
Santa Fe Brewing Company: The Brakeroom is in a small, historic building in downtown Santa Fe with 18 tap handles, cider, and wine, plus delicious food trucks. The Beer Hall at HQ is a few miles south of town, with more drink options, more food trucks, and beautiful views of the mountains from their giant green space.
Violet Crown: A movie theater in the Railyard with an excellent beer selection, food, and nice indoor/outdoor seating. Great place to hang out, people watch, and no movie required!
Nuckolls Brewing Company: A taproom in the Railyard.
Coffee Shops
Iconik Lupe (on Guadalupe across from Cowgirl BBQ): Has good food too.
Java Joe’s at 1248 Siler Road: Our friends Wendy and Alicia’s favorite locally owned coffee shop. Excellent coffee and pastries. Try a Mexican Mocha!
Counter Culture: Excellent food and coffee. They prefer cash, and charge extra for credit cards. Has a nice outdoor patio.
Our Favorite Things to Do
The Santa Fe Railyard is home to the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market, numerous restaurants and shops, two movie theaters, a bookstore, and more. It’s less than a mile to walk from downtown. Stroll down Guadalupe for more shopping and food options on your way!
Galleries and Museums
New Mexico Museum of Art on the Plaza: Right downtown. Current exhibition: Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Southwest 1900-1969. We’ve seen it and enjoyed it.
Vladem Contemporary: Recently opened modern art museum. We loved it on our first trip there. On Guadalupe near the Railyard.
Museum Hill: There are three museums here: The Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. The Museum Hill Cafe has very good food and a nice atmosphere. The Santa Fe Botanical Garden is down the hill.
SITE Santa Fe: Very contemporary art, in the Railyard.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum: If you like O’Keeffe, this is a must. Get tickets ahead of time; entry times are available for every 15 minutes until sold out. Also has a good gift shop.
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts: Home to the largest collection of contemporary Native Art in the world. Located downtown across from the Cathedral.
Canyon Road: Walk up one side of Canyon Road and down the other to browse in art galleries featuring work in many different styles. Get a bite to eat at El Farol (tapas) or Thai on Canyon, which we’ve heard is very good. More than 100 art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants in one half mile.
Spas
Ten Thousand Waves: Incredible Japanese spa with beautiful hot tubs; massages are great. Get dinner at Izanami after. It’s a beautiful 30-minute drive from downtown.
Ojo Santa Fe: About 20 minutes south of downtown; has some tubs; good restaurant.
Hiking
Check online to find hikes according to your abilities. We have some books we can lend you too. There are links to various trails and maps on the City’s Hiking page.
Dorothy Stewart Trails
Dale Ball Trails
Santa Fe River Trail
La Tierra Trails
Meow Wolf is its own category. This was the first one, developed by George R. R. Martin. Now they are in other cities, including Las Vegas, Denver, and Grapevine, Texas. Here is a great article describing the Santa Fe Meow Wolf exhibit, The House of Eternal Return. Reserve tickets ahead of time.
For more ideas: