Popular Restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Restaurants around America rely on local, regular patrons that provide a core revenue stream, along with tourism that can heavily increase the number of patrons who will visit. Some restaurants build a reputation and style through a long, successful tenure and, with it, a potentially strong client base with steady referrals. With a rich local history and a strong tourism industry, Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to many excellent restaurants throughout the small city.

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The historic downtown plaza in Santa Fe is surrounded by restaurants and shops that help each other by referring clients and recommending destinations. Northern New Mexican food is slightly different than typical Tex-Mex or strictly Mexican food, relying heavily on green chile instead of salsas and hot red peppers. Green chile is a piece New Mexico heritage and pride that combines spice with rich flavor, especially when freshly roasted across the city. Popular restaurants around Santa Fe include Tomasita's, a local New Mexican favorite, along with Maria's, which claims to serve the best margaritas in the city. Fancier restaurants just off the downtown plaza include Geronimo, located on the art-rich Canyon Road.

In Santa Fe, it is quickly apparent that no Northern New Mexican restaurant would be complete with a strong selection of burgers. Unfortunately for recent tourists, the old, famous burger dive Bobcat Bites recently closed. Famous for their green-chile cheeseburgers, Bobcat Bites was located just outside of Santa Fe and was smaller than many studio apartments. As guests frequently tolerated two hour waits during off-peak hours, Bobcat was a local favorite. The owners have recently begun a new venture in downtown Santa Fe known as Santa Fe Bite, and tourists looking for the original famous location will now have to go downtown for their famous burgers.

Visit Pete Scamardo's website for more thoughts on popular dining across the United States and restaurant information.