4 Best Restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico

A Santa Fe hot spot since it opened in 1987, this pioneer of contemporary Southwestern cuisine has been renovated and modernized over the last decade under the guidance of owner Quinn Stephenson. Today, the restaurant serves some of the most consistently perfectly executed cuisine in the city, led by a professional and knowledgeable culinary team. The wine list is one of the most impressive in town, and the cocktails are creative. The adjacent Coyote Cantina sits on the rooftop space and offers a lively social scene with more casual fare. On the ground floor sits the private dining room called the Den, which is available for special-occasion rentals.

A rollicking, popular bar and grill with several rooms overflowing with Old West memorabilia, Cowgirl has reasonably priced Southwestern, Tex-Mex, barbecue, and Southern fare. Highlights include barbecue, buffalo burgers, chiles rellenos, and salmon tacos with tomatillo salsa. If you catch one of the nightly music acts—usually rock or blues—you're likely to leave smiling. When the weather is good, grab a seat on the spacious patio out front, order a delicious margarita and some green-chile cheese fries, and settle in for great people-watching. The attached pool hall has a loaded jukebox to keep toes tapping. Alas, service can be spotty.

This modern American café has a strong hipster vibe that's in step with the influx of newcomers to Santa Fe who've brought whispers of Portland, Austin, and Santa Monica. The menu features basics done well, including bagels and granola for breakfast and burgers and grain bowls for lunch. The front porch is a great place to have a latte or glass of wine and watch the world go by, and the small gourmet grocery inside has Swedish candies, Spanish olives, French cheeses, and fun soft drinks.

A refreshing alternative to the many Santa Fe restaurants that favor filling (and often fattening) dishes, Vinaigrette is all about the greens. This isn't mere rabbit food, however—the hearty salads make a satisfying meal, especially when you add toppings like grilled flank steak, lemon-herb chicken breast, or griddled tofu. The apple-cheddar chop and classic French frisée salads are among the highlights. There are also fresh, house-made soups and sandwiches, and you can eat on the pleasant patio in the summer. For such a casual space, Vinaigrette is notably spendy, but devotees feel the high-quality ingredients are worth it. There are sister restaurants in Albuquerque and Austin, Texas, and the owners also run Modern General, an adjacent, hipster-approved lifestyle shop and café.