Courtesy Back Road Pizza
Stay Safe and Stay Fed
So we're pretty sure nobody thought this is how this week was going to go. In fact, this is one of the weirdest experiences of all time…all the way up there with our first day of high school and that time we had a panic attack and convinced ourselves we had SARS. We didn't. And, as long as we're all smart and safe—which includes taking things like social distancing very seriously—we'll get through this. It probably won't be quick or particularly enjoyable, but the good news is this: American grocery store workers are freaking heroes.
We're not promising that every store will have every item imaginable in the coming days, but we've been monitoring our friends and our own lives, and it feels like the worst of the food and toilet paper hoarding has come to an end (thanks, bunches, people who panicked and caused more panic in that regard). We keep getting word that certain stores are closing earlier in the evenings to make sure they have time to restock for the following day, and that many across the country are making special contingencies for older people (currently the most vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19) to get supplies. Please take this seriously as well. We know it's a tense time, but imagine if you were at greater risk because some asymptomatic virus-carrying yahoo refused to wait an extra couple hours to buy chips.
It doesn't end at the grocery store, either, with New Mexico's Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announcing all restaurants in the state had to close down outside of to-go options. Many Santa Fe restaurants had already adopted a curbside service business model (Japanese eatery Kohnami and Back Road Pizza, for example, were all over it), and our guess is that countless others will join that model. We urge people to think about curbside pickup for a couple reasons. One, this period of isolation and social distancing is going to be absolutely devastating to the American economy. No, we're not an economist, but that's the plain and simple truth. Restaurants will be particularly hard hit as their margins are already razor thin. But they're also something that makes Santa Fe special. Honestly, anytime we've visited or lived other places, we miss our beloved local restaurants, and that's no joke.
The second reason you should think about curbside service has to do with undocumented workers. No, we're not political scientists, but we are the sort of newsletter writer who doesn't believe people in less-than-ideal circumstances deserve to not be able to provide for their families. This is going to be crucial, we assume—literal life and death in some cases. So just be cool. Save your posturing for another day and access your humanity and totally get a killer meal to go while you're at it. We'd be willing to bet those employees are going to be thrilled. It's worth noting here that many workers in foodservice are going to have a tough go of it in all positions, so be cool there, too.
Now, as we speak, food writer Cole Rehbein (who doesn't write The Fork, sorry) is at work on a piece about food banks and those most vulnerable right now. We'll share that piece with you when we get a chance, but without going too deeply into the subject, think about maybe donating financially to places like The Food Depot. Places such as that will surely be looking for volunteers, too, which could be another good thing to consider so long as your'e absolutely positive you're not sick. We're not doctors (dang, we're not a lot of things, apparently), but if you have even the slightest inkling, stay home and don't volunteer.
Before we forget, here's a link to SFR's ongoing coverage of COVID-19 and its affects on our community and our state, and here's a link to things we know to be canceled or postponed. And, if you're feeling like local journalism is something you can get behind, please consider checking out Friends of the Santa Fe Reporter. It's more important than ever for journalists to be able to do their work, and with even a small donation, SFR can continue its tireless efforts in keeping you informed. Here's a link, thanks for your consideration!
Finally, before we get too deep into the rest of things, we do want to point out that subsequent sections usually rely in some way, shape or form on people being able to go out and things happening. We're not sure what that's going to look like as we get deeper into the new world order, but as far as we know, we'll be here every week with that same Fork flair you've come to…would tolerate be the word?
Seriously, wash your hands, and if you don't know how or why, watch this video. We promise it's a video if you just click it.
Also
OK, so this, for example, is where you'd find a whole mess of local information, but since the song's pretty much the same for everyplace we can think of, we're going to start a list of Santa Fe restaurants we know to be doing curbside service and/or working with deliver apps like Dashing Delivery, and then we'll update that from week to week based on new information. These place aren't listed in any particular order, they're just the places we could find concrete information on. This list is going to grow. And evolve. It's alive! It's right behind you! Jay-kay.
If you have other info or want us to look into something, please email us or food writer Cole Rehbein at thefork@sfreporter.com or cole@sfreporter.com.
As always, call ahead or check online if you're not sure what's happening at these restaurants and understand that things are subject to change. We don't work at these places, and in case you're a real jerk or a crybaby, you might have noticed how things around here are changing all the time right now. Stay safe, and stay fed!
Order by phone or online, show up and call to announce your arrival, they'll bring your pizza out.
Similar to Back Road, call 'em then show up and pick up. We're also told that everybody's favorite Guadalupe Street Japanese joint is about to launch a new website to make ordering easier. Stay tuned.
Not only did owner.chef Paddy Rawal humiliate our sworn enemy Bobby Flay on television, he's gonna keep on cooking and allowing people to pick up food.
The BBQ joint with the big fat menu and the big fat patio we're gonna miss until this all blows over is totally doing takeout still.
From what we've been able to glean, the local brewery's original location is offering up takeout. We're trying to get to the bottom of the other locations, but it looks like it'll just be the original for now.
According to Instagram, the pizzeria is offering drive-thru at its downtown location in the Design Center (which is a thing we knew about and never told you because we wanted to keep it to ourselves because we're greedy pizza rats) and curbside service at its Southside spot. Centro also uses Dashing Delivery.
Bread Shop
The people behind what is arguably the best huevos rancheros we've ever had are getting into curbside service, too. Our sources tell us they're in talks with GrubHub for delivery, but that's not an immediate thing.
Ecco Espresso & Gelato
Love Yourself Café
The wood fire pizza restaurant has reduced its hours to 5-8 pm and is still doing takeout or delivery through the major services.
Sage Bakehouse
The St. Francis Drive location is still open for curbside or drive-thru service. It's just plain great coffee, too.
Dr. Field Goods Kitchen, Bakery and Butcher
Pho Ava Vietnamese Restaurant
Kai Sushi
New York Deli Downtown
Yin Yang Chinese Restaurant
Our sources tell us TVM has gone takeout, and that you can still get baked goods, market items and booooooze.
Cleopatra's Café
Paper Dosa
La Choza
True story—we once had a friend eat rattlesnake sausage here. Also true? We had the best eggplant parmesan of our lives at Sasella. Anyway, they're doing lunch and dinner to-go.
Flying Tortilla
Expect a rotating menu of items from chef Joel Coleman as well as curbside service.
We saw a pretty amazing photo of gargantuan enchilada trays ready to be picked up from The Pantry Dos, and we know the Southside eatery is ready to take your orders.
Crepes are basically the perfect food, and this crepe place is still doing takeout.
Not only is the gloriously nice place offering to-go, it has devised some wine pairings (because they also sell by the bottle!) to go with some of those things.
Horseman's Haven
Bring on the Mediterranean food! According to the website, you can order online now.
Tortilla Flats
Revolution Bakery
Lucky Goat
Joe's Dining
French food and baked goods and one heck of a brekkie croissant. Clafoutis is still doing to-go and offers delivery through Fetch.
Café Grazie
El Parasol
The restaurant inside Santa Fe's most Plaza-adjacent hotel is now offering curbside pickup for orders. We had an amazing breakfast there not long ago; can recommend, would return.
T-Mac Gourmet Mac & Cheese
So many items, so many beers, so much curbside service. We've loved Rowley for years and now you can, too. They do packaged beer sales as well, and some of those brews are HEADY. They've won awards. Seriously.
Chocolate Maven
Curbside service, including a pickup window. The pizza's great, the etc.'s also great.
Radish & Rye
Restaurants in the local concern's stable including Blue Corn Café, Maria's, Rio Chama, Rooftop Pizzeria and Las Casa Sena are all offering curbside service and/or delivery through the various apps.
The Cerrillos Road Chinese eatery is serving up dinner for takeout.
According to a photo we saw from outside of the Water Street restaurant, Café Pasqual's is on the curbside wagon as well.
As of this writing, the Eldorado and Downtown locations of the local pizza biz are both still offering takeout.
You can pick up tapas at La Boca, which is pretty cool if you're locked down with, like, a bunch of people who like to share (please use utensils).
Shake Foundation
Market Steer Steakhouse
Santa Fe Bar & Grill
Mucho Gusto
Piccolino Italian Restaurant
Amazing chocolate and amazing coffee. Seriously, it's in our top 3 coffee spots right now and we hear they're offering 5-pound bags at the curbside.
After a couple days of rest, the culinary pub is reportedly back to doing dinner takeout.
Izanami
Pizzeria Espiritu
Burritos for all at this downtown spot that proudly claims the slowest drive-thru in the world.
Word on the street (not the actual street, we're staying home as much as possible) is that El Mesón is kicking off delivery and takeout starting March 20.
The Burger Stand
Slightly reduced hours, yes—still offering delivery through the services and curbside service, also yes. It's Italian food.
Annapurna's World Vegetarian Café
Tiny's Restaurant and Lounge
The Guadalupe Street iteration of the the third-wave coffee/food spot kicked off a drive-in kind of thing wherein you park in the lot, fire off a text (505-629-0764) with your car make and color and they'll send someone out. You can order inside, too, but you can't hang around.
El Callejon
Café Castro
And again, we'll add more to this list as time goes by so there's no need to email us with snide remarks about that place you like being open for takeout…we'll get to it. Remember that Uber Eats, GrubHub, Fetch and Dashing Delivery are all operating as of the time of this writing, and that some even have an option for the driver to just leave the food on your doorstep. Do The Fork a solid, though, and leave a tip somehow. Those people are part of the new definition of hero, ie, people who are still working out in the world through all of this.
Of note: This newsletter will live on in website form at sfreporter.com, and we'll update the list of to-go places there as we are able. Obviously this isn't every last place, so if you know of one we missed or haven't gotten to yet, please let us know and please keep us in mind, ya knuckleheads!
OH, YEAH—THREE MORE THINGS ALERT!
Not really a to-go mention and not strictly local, but we've been told that starting March 20, Jimmy John's will offer free Little John sandwiches to school-aged kids in high school or younger for free. This offer is good Monday-Friday 11 am-1:30 pm and until they say otherwise.
The Farmers Market is still on, though in an email the folks behind it urge people to wash their hands (they've added a hand-washing station), to not handle items they've no intention of buying and to stay away from people if you're well, not show up at all if you think you're not. TAKE. THIS. SERIOUSLY.
The last item, however, is a bit of a sad one, as the board of La Monañita Co-Op has announced it will close its Westside and Grab-and-Go (at UNM) stores in Albuquerque. Très sad for good food options. Santa Fe's will live on, though, so there's at least that.
Finally
In the print edition of SFR, veggie aficionado Cole Rehbein developed some seasonal recipes for you to try out while stuck home cooking meals for yourself on the regular.
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A Totally Scientific Breakdown of The Fork's Correspondence
Number of Letters Received
35
*And more of you than we'd thought are John Bellairs/Edward Gorey fans. Huzzah!
Most Helpful Tip of the Week
“This is going to be over in a few days!”
*Thanks, not-a-doctor Fork reader!
Actually Helpful Tip
This one's from us to you instead of the usual other way around—Caveman Coffee is doing free shipping right now ("We know that coffee is a part of your daily routine and it's helpful to maintain some normalcy right now," they said) if you use the code FREESHIPPING.
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Hand-washingly yours,
The Fork
