Santa Fe Bite
Best Artisan Chocolate
Deadline day at SFR goes a whole lot better if there's chocolate around. That's probably true in whatever you do. Load up on the sweet, the semisweet and the not-at-all-sweet here in the form of elixirs, truffles and brownies.
1050 Paseo de Peralta, 982-0388
821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980
3. Todos Santos Chocolates
Sena Plaza, 125 E Palace Ave., Ste. 31, 982-3855
Best Asian Restaurant
An exciting and shareable menu, the largest sake list in town and a stunning location above Santa Fe in the beautiful, tree-dotted mountains.
21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, 982-9304
510 N Guadalupe St., 982-4321
720 St. Michael's Drive, 471-7120
Best Bakery
1. Clafoutis
Clafoutis' original location downtown couldn't contain its clamoring customer base, so a move to Cordova Road expanded the parking, the menu and the staff. Brunch fan? This is your place. Try the macarons.
333 W Cordova Road, 988-1809
821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980
535 Cerrillos Road, Ste. C, 820-7243
Best Breakfast
1. The Pantry
The line out the door starts early at Santa Fe's favorite breakfast spot since, well, always. Chow down on New Mexican classics, go the more traditional eggs-and-toast route or even get a breakfast burger.
1820 Cerrillos Road, 986-0022
2. Clafoutis
333 W Cordova Road, 988-1809
3. Tecolote
1616 St. Michael's Drive, 988-1362
Best Breakfast Burrito
1. El Parasol
El Parasol might be more famous for being a taco joint, but the brekkie B available at any of its six locations (two of which are in town) is truly special. Keep getting the tacos for lunch, obviously, but also add Parasol into your morning routine.
1833 Cerrillos Road, 995-8015; 298 Dinosaur Trail, 995-8226
2. Tia Sophia's
210 W San Francisco St., 983-9880
Multiple locations
Best Brunch
1. Clafoutis
Remember when we said this was the place for brunch fans? Turns out you feel that way, too. We're so in sync, Santa Fe. Try a baked good or nosh on some of the finest eggs our fair city can muster.
333 W Cordova Road, 988-1809
821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980
901 W San Mateo Road, 820-3121
Best Burger
We're not the only ones who think these burgers are the best. The restaurant has earned superlatives from USA Today, Eater, Thrillist and The Washington Post. Get it with green chile and cheese and don't go home hungry.
Garrett's Desert Inn, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0544
631 Cerrillos Road, 988-8992
207 W San Francisco St., 989-3360
Best Chef
1. Ahmed Obo, Jambo Café
Not even a car crashing through Obo's award-winning restaurant could slow him down. He's penned cookbooks, runs a food truck and presides over one of the most exciting and delicious menus in town.
2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269
2. Martin Rios, Restaurant Martín
526 Galisteo St., 820-0919
3. Charles Dale, New Mexico Fine Dining
Bouche: 451 W Alameda St., 982-6297
Trattoria a Mano: 227 Galisteo St., 982-3700
Maize: 225 Johnson St., 780-5125
Kelli Johansen
Best Chile
1. La Choza
The Carswell family knows what to do when it comes to chile. While La Choza was once more of a locals' place, the years have found it adding a gorgeous bar, expanding its seating, keeping plenty of parking and, yes, serving up the finest red and green our city has to offer.
905 Alarid St., 982-0909
2. The Shed
113 E Palace Ave., 982-9030
3. Horseman's Haven Café
4354 Cerrillos Road, 471-5420
Best Cocktails
1. Coyote Café & Coyote Cantina
The bustle of the street below vanishes when the sun is shining and beads of condensation are running off the sides of your glass. Cocktails at Coyote Café's rooftop cantina are a rite of summer in Santa Fe. Dinner and drinks inside can't be beat either.
132 W Water St., 983-1615
2. Radish & Rye
548 Agua Fría St., 930-5325
101 W Alameda St., 954-0320
Best Coffee
Ohori's rests at the epicenter of all things good coffee. Not only that, it's affordable and fair trade. We love them as much as you do, Santa Fe.
505 Cerrillos Road; 1098 1/2 S St. Francis Drive; 507 Old Santa Fe Trail; 982-9692
1600 Lena St., Ste. A2; 314 S Guadalupe St.; inside Collected Works Bookstore and Coffee House, 202 Galisteo St.; 428-0996
3. Java Joe's
2801 Rodeo Road, 474-5282; 1248 Siler Road, 930-5763
Best Curry
1. Paper Dosa
Not only are the plates here works of art, but the curry is celebrated by diners across the city. Dosas for dinner are a great way to dive in to the South Indian cuisine in which the restaurant specializes.
551 W Cordova Road, 930-5521
2. Jambo Café
2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269
3. India House
2501 Cerrillos Road, 471-2651
Best Dessert
Have you ever tried the chocolate ganache petit four at the Maven? How about the pies? Have you ever even picked up a pumpkin spice muffin after your breakfast or lunch?
821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980
2. Clafoutis
333 W Cordova Road, 988-1809
96 Old Las Vegas Hwy., 989-4629
Best Fine Dining
1. Geronimo
The minimally appointed yet comfortable dining room hosts some of the best fine dining in all the land. Accolades pour in from critics, diners and foodies alike.
724 Canyon Road, 982-1500
2. The Compound
653 Canyon Road, 982-4353
526 Galisteo St., 820-0919
Best Food Cart/Truck/Stand
1. Bang Bite
There are so many food trucks in Santa Fe, it can be hard to know how to get the best bang for your buck, so to speak. Bang Bite makes it easy, with a delectable menu and friendly service. Burger fan? Your truck has come in.
469-2345
2. El Chile Toreado
950 W Cordova Road, 500-0033
3. Jambo Hapa
473-1269
Best Frito Pie
1. Five & Dime
The original, the most famous, the best. When it comes to that truly Santa Fe delicacy, the Five & Dime has been serving 'em up hot and tasty—still in the chip bag, no less—since the days of Woolworths. Hallelujah.
58 E San Francisco St., 992-1800
2. El Parasol
1833 Cerrillos Road, 995-8015; 298 Dinosaur Trail, 995-8226
600 Cerrillos Road, 984-2798
Best Happy Hour
1. Agave Lounge
Open seating on wide leather couches starts happy hour off extra-happy at 4 pm in this downtown hotel. Drink specials aren't just for hotel guests; they last till 7 pm and include $4 drafts, $5 wine, house margaritas, sangria and well drinks.
Eldorado Hotel and Spa, 309 W San Francisco St., 995-4530
2. Boxcar
530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222
3. Santacafé
231 Washington Ave., 984-1788
Best Ice Cream/Gelato/Frozen Yogurt
1. La Lechería
The pet project of Fire & Hops' Chef Joel Coleman, the little ice cream maker that could (and did) proves that nontraditional flavors have a market while tickling our tastebuds and, as of earlier this year, adding a second location on Marcy Street.
1708 Lena St.; 101 W Marcy St.; 205-1595
128 E Marcy St., 986-9778
3. Frogurt Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt
2801 Rodeo Road, Ste. B11, 474-6336
Best International Cuisine
1. Jambo Café
Chef Ahmed Obo's creative and innovative takes on Afro-Carribean fare have made Jambo Café a packed and enticing restaurant since day one. This is the real deal, folks—an absolute don't-miss.
2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269
2. Paper Dosa
551 W Cordova Road, 930-5521
21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, 982-9304
Joy Godfrey
Best Italian Restaurant
1. Piccolino
Fill up on red sauce, of course, but also alfredo with green chile, all the things that should be served fritti, and every classic pasta plus ziti at this Midtown family joint.
2890 Agua Fría St., 471-1480
2. Andiamo!
322 Garfield St., 995-9595
3. Il Piatto
95 W Marcy St., 984-1091
Best Locally Brewed Beer
Whether you're picking up a six-pack from your local liquor store, kicking back at the new downtown Brakeroom on Galisteo or visiting the mothership just south of town, Santa Fe Brewing Company proves that well-crafted beer from community-minded beer lovers will always be the best.
35 Fire Place, 424-3333; 510 Galisteo St., 780-8648
1814 Second St., 982-3030; 1607 Paseo de Peralta, 989-3278; 2920 Rufina St., 954-1068
1405 Maclovia St., 428-0719
Best Margaritas
1. Maria's
Maria's lineage goes back decades and, all the while, a reputation for killer margaritas has gone hand-in-hand with the celebrated New Mexican fare and rustic dining room. Marg fans take note—this is like your church.
555 W Cordova Road, 983-7929
2. La Choza
905 Alarid St., 982-0909
101 W Alameda St., 954-0320
Best New Mexican Restaurant
1. La Choza
No surprises here, folks. It's the consistent and fantastic food served up for decades in the onetime house near the Railyard that keeps La Choza in our hearts and minds.
905 Alarid St., 982-0909
2. The Shed
113 E Palace Ave., 982-9030
3. Tomasita's
500 S Guadalupe St., 983-5721
Best New Mexico Winery
1. Gruet
We had no idea there were so many ways to make sparkling wine, but the Gruet family came to the US armed with this knowledge in the 1980s. The tasting room in downtown Santa Fe is bubbling over with good times.
Hotel St. Francis, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., 989-9463
1502 Hwy. 68, Velarde, 852-2820
505 Cerrillos Road, Ste. A105, 231-0632
Best New Restaurant
1. Paloma
Fine dining fans started the whisper campaign about Paloma the very night of its soft opening last summer, and those hushed questions have evolved into a loud message about the restaurant with a seasonal Mexican-inspired menu: Eat there.
401 S Guadalupe St., 467-8624
402 N Guadalupe St., 882-9394
3. Opuntia Café
922 Shoofly St., 780-5796
Best Patio
1. La Casa Sena
The tall trees rustle overhead, casting shade across the courtyard garden. From inside, singing waiters run plates to diners. The smell of flowers wafts toward the outside bar; bees buzz busily. Any questions?
Sena Plaza, 125 E Palace Ave., 988-9232
96 Old Las Vegas Hwy., 989-4629
3. The Bell Tower Bar at La Fonda
La Fonda on the Plaza, 100 E San Francisco St., 982-5511
Best Pizza
There's a punk-rock edge to Back Road Pizza, and we're not talking about the always-welcome addition of cornmeal to the crust. It's more of a vibe, perhaps an attitude—and those pies ain't bad, either.
1807 Second St., Ste. 1, 955-9055
329 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0000; 5 Colina Drive, Eldorado, 471-1111
3. Pizza Centro
Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Road, 988-8825; 3470 Zafarano Drive, 471-6200; Agora Center, 7 Avenida Vista Grande, Eldorado, 466-3161
Best Sushi Restaurant
1. Shohko Café
For a landlocked state to boast excellent sushi may seem surprising, but at this longtime favorite downtown Japanese restaurant, excellence is served up on the daily.
321 Johnson St., 982-9708
2. Kohnami
313 S Guadalupe St., 984-2002
3. Masa Sushi
Solana Center, 927 W Alameda St., 982-3334
Kelli Johansen
Best Tacos
It's hard not to be starstruck when Felipe Martinez himself is manning the counter at Santa Fe's favorite taqueria. Try the #2 taco and quesadilla combo with your choice of meat or, for those really in the know, the no-carne burrito.
1711 Llano St., Ste. A-B, 473-9397
2. El Parasol
1833 Cerrillos Road, 995-8015; 298 Dinosaur Trail, 995-8226
3. Taco Fundación
235 N Guadalupe St., 982-8286
Best Taproom
With three locations across town, how does one even choose which taproom to visit? Easy—just rotate each time. Try that menu, too. It's good.
1814 Second St., 982-3030
1606 Alcaldesa St., 216-5678
35 Fire Place, 424-3333; 510 Galisteo St., 780-8648; 7 Caliente Road, Eldorado, 466-6938
Best Tea
1. The Teahouse
Tea is one of the most-quaffed beverages on the planet, and when a local restaurant (with a fantastic food menu) puts all of its efforts into curating the largest list of varieties available in town, you start to understand why.
821 Canyon Road, 992-0972
2. Opuntia Café
922 Shoofly St., 780-5796
3. ArtfulTea
117 Galisteo St., 795-7724
Best Vegetarian
1. Vinaigrette
Who says ditching meat is hard? Certainly not Vinaigrette, that gloriously fresh bastion of locally grown foods with salads you'll gladly shell out $15 for. Beer and wine make it to the list as well—so long, meat!
709 Don Cubero Alley, 820-9205
1512 Pacheco St., Ste. B, 795-7383
3. Annapurna's World Vegetarian Café
1620 St. Michael's Drive, 988-9688
