Though a little part of me will always miss the old HoneyMoon Brewery that once dropped killer live shows alongside some of the best hard kombucha in this or any town, if our consolation prize comes in the form of the newly opened Time Travelers Gastropub, Santa Feans can rest easy knowing there’s another kickass restaurant in our fair city.
Time Travelers is the brainchild of Craig Moya, a name you might know if you frequent the New Mexico Hard Cider Taproom. Moya founded that brand about a decade and change ago, and its comfy little spot in the CHOMP food hall downtown remains a popular waystation for regulars, n00bs and all-around fans of crisp fruit-based alcoholic beverages. To put that another way, Moya and his wife Heather are a proven two-pronged commodity in a town that sees more restaurants pop up and fade away than seems possible for its size. With Time Travelers, they’ve really outdone themselves, too, which is especially notable given that the place has only been open a few short weeks.
My companion and I arrived with visions of British pub fare dancing in our heads, mainly because that’s Time Travelers’ bread and butter. Moya has reportedly traveled through Europe kind of a lot, and he’s picked up a few tricks while doing so. To play devil’s advocate, British food usually conjures images of boiled meats and beans-on-literally-everything; Time Travelers’ menu is entirely more elevated. Yes, you’ll find the requisite fish and chips, mashed peas and various fried foods, but thanks to a food menu brimming with familiar yet altered dishes and a small but enticing cocktail menu—all of which, our server said, could be made sans-booze—there’s novelty to explore.
To wit, I began with a mock version of the rosemary rush cocktail, a combination of grapefruit juice, simple syrup and fizzy water. At $10, this was perhaps a splurge for a few simple ingredients, but it’s nice to get something a little more complicated than water when dining out, and the bitterness of the grapefruit against the sweetness of the syrup proved satisfying.
Food was another story, however, and we struggled to choose between tried and true dishes such as the aforementioned fish and chips ($18) and elevated ones like the brisket short rib smash burger ($17); the pig and whiskey sous vide pork dish with whiskey butter sauce ($24); and the blue corn po boy with breaded oysters and green chile ($19). As it felt like a mandate to try the fish and chips, we ordered those alongside the London royale sandwich ($17), a combo of sliced steak and locally sourced mushrooms with bell pepper aioli and basil pesto served on a soft and locally baked hoagie roll. You can even make the latter sandwich vegetarian by focusing on mushrooms, but our protein quest was meat-heavy, and we never regretted it.
Time Travelers is, of course, brand spanking new, which means Moya and his crew are still working out some kinks in the service department, but given that the space was operating with two floor workers when we arrived, those kinks are minimal and more than forgivable. The restaurant’s new-ness means big crowds (everyone in Santa Fe wants to be the person who did the new thing early), and despite the throngs—most of whom we overheard making demands in irritated tones—our server remained calm and courteous throughout our lunch. Even if she hadn’t, it turns out the food’s so good, I’d hardly have cared.
Fish and Chips from Time Travelers Gastropubfoo
Take note, fish and chips fans—Time Travelers is officially the restaurant to beat in that regard. As someone who lived in London for a time, it is now the closest to an actual British version I’ve tasted. Fried to perfection, Time Travelers’ Alaskan pollock version deftly avoids the soupy batter conundrum that seems to plague so many local eateries, and the available curry-infused ketchup kicks up its flavors notch while nodding ever so slightly to the Indian flavors that permeate so much British cuisine. Even better, the mashed peas were among the finest I’ve had in any country. Full disclosure, I love peas more than most, but it’s a hard sell to serve them all mushy without having freshness and flavor. In many cases, I’ve found, kitchens will circumvent the issue by oversalting, but Time Travelers didn’t make that mistake; we’re talking farm fresh peas that let their own flavor do the talking.
London royale sandwich from Time Travelers Gastropub.
We agreed that the London royale sandwich proved one of the more intriguing menu items, however, and we were not disappointed. Not only did it hit a satisfying combo of soft and crispy, the thin-sliced steak achieved the most satisfying counterbalance between sweet and savory. As for that hoagie roll? Heavenly soft. I’m not sure who decided steak sandwiches needed to come on tooth-shattering crispy baguettes, but a moister bread is clearly the way to go. Time Travelers has entered the chat when it comes to the city’s best fries, too. It seems so simple, but with so many local spots boasting floppy, underdone fries, it’s worth knowing Casa Solana’s newest business keeps ‘em crispy.
I admit I’m a little vexed by the light steampunk elements of the decor and Moya’s leaning into them as a selling point. We’re talking a few posters here and there in an otherwise run-of-the-mill space featuring pale, neutral tones throughout. Don’t get me wrong—Time Travelers is clean and inviting in its ambiance, I’m just not sure why it needs a thematic element at all. Having said that, we did clock some very cool light fixtures both above the bar and the main dining space, and we discussed the rustic feel of the wood versus the Jules Verne-ish vibe of the hanging art. Maybe the point is just to drum up any sort of talking point for a fledgling business and, if that’s so, then we could easily say mission accomplished. Just don’t pop over to Time Travelers in your top hat and goggles thinking you’re going to experience some kind of next-level themed experience.
But then, Craig and Heather Moya don’t need to provide that. In fact, they’ve done one the simplest yet hardest things to accomplish in the restaurant world—they’ve opened a new business with a dash of familiarity, a soupcon of novelty and a competent kitchen that I can only assume will get better over time. If you do choose to visit now in the early days, do so in the spirit of patience and understanding. It’ll be worth it. As of this writing, you shan’t find a website or even a phone number for Time Travelers, but we can reportedly expect the restaurant to be open 11 am-11 pm every day.
Time Traveler’s Gastro Pub
907 B W Alameda St
+Solid food; friendly service; clean and bright
+Steampunk decor feels inconsequential
