Santacafé

Fine dining restaurant · Santa Fe

Santacafé

Fine dining restaurant · Santa Fe

2

231 Washington Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501

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Highlights

Nestled in a charming 1850s house, this upscale New American eatery offers a delightful courtyard and an eclectic menu perfect for chic dining experiences.  

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231 Washington Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Get directions

santacafe.com
@santacafesantafe

$50–100 · Menu

Reserve

Information

Static Map

231 Washington Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501 Get directions

+1 505 984 1788
santacafe.com
@santacafesantafe

$50–100 · Menu

Reserve

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Jul 29, 2025

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@afar

"Since 1983, Santacafé has been a culinary destination for the chic lunch set (Tom Ford is a fan). Opt, as they do, for eclectic "classics" likecrispy calamari withfour-chile lime dipping sauce, shrimp and spinach dumplings with tahini sauce, or the homemade pasta of the day. Come summer, the large patio is bustling, while in winter, guests are usheredinto the minimalist-yet-cozy dining room, made warmwith fireplaces and cool with taxidermy."

Best Spots for Outdoor Drinking in New Mexico
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@afar

"Since 1983, Santacafé has been a culinary destination for the chic lunch set (Tom Ford is a fan). Opt, as they do, for eclectic "classics" likecrispy calamari withfour-chile lime dipping sauce, shrimp and spinach dumplings with tahini sauce, or the homemade pasta of the day. Come summer, the large patio is bustling, while in winter, guests are usheredinto the minimalist-yet-cozy dining room, made warmwith fireplaces and cool with taxidermy."

The Best Restaurants in Santa Fe
View Postcard for Santacafé

Debarati Das

Google
Delicious food! Our server Jorge was so wonderful. Gave us the BEST recommendations and was very attentive. Thanks Jorge!! We got four cocktails and they were are pretty delicious. Our favorite was "What Q is having" which was recommended by Jorge. We ordered the morel special appetizer and it went well with the house focaccia. My husband got the lamb which came with couscous and I got the beef bourguignon. Both dishes were big on flavor, well tied together to the general theme of the dish, and presented beautifully. We got the opera torte to share for dessert and it was perfect. I'd go back to try the red velvet one as well. It was a cute date night 💖

Michael Kraig Beeck

Google
Given the many positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth surrounding this restaurant, our expectations were high for a quiet date night. We had an 8:00 PM reservation for two. Unfortunately, our experience did not meet those expectations. The host who seated us was dismissive and lacked warmth. Our server took our order but did not return for another 45 minutes—only briefly checking in once to ask if we had received our appetizer (deep-fried calamari, which took far too long - go a little lighter on the salt….). As someone who works in the service industry, I understand the challenges of time management, but it genuinely felt like we had been forgotten. The server even comped our appetizer—something we assumed would prompt a manager or staff member to check in with us about our dining experience. Unfortunately, that never happened. The manager did bring our first round of drinks and was visibly active on the floor, yet neither they nor our server checked in on our food after it was delivered. The lack of follow-up and attentiveness throughout the meal was disappointing.

Paige Marie Rhynes

Google
Amazing food, and awesome staff. We had Pablo who was very attentive and gave great recommendations, he even sent us an AMAZING desert. The steak-frites is very good and so are the lobster rolls. Would absolutely come back!

Irene Eng

Google
Def will return: the cured salmon is 6 star. An elegant restaurant in the former home of Father José Manuel Gallegos (1815-75), with a lovely courtyard filled with scriptures and a fountain, and indoor sections. It’s an in between meal for us, we shared cured salmon and a salad. Both are wonderful, especially the salmon which I think deserves 6 stars.

ESB NYC

Google
We had a good meal here. Kinda pricey but enjoyable. Nice rooms and large outdoor space also. Professional service. Free parking in back.

Margaret Leung

Google
We came here to celebrate our engagement and we were both completely blown away by the food, service and atmosphere at Santacafe. Jorge provided phenomenal service and gave the best suggestions for our meal. I LOVED the fluke crudo - super delicious and meaty. The sauce and the truffle sesame rice crisp in the Elk Carpaccio was so good. The crispy red snapper and seared chicken thighs were solid main menu items. We were spoiled with dessert choices. The opera torte and coconut passionfruit tart were some of the best desserts I’ve tried. Basically you cannot go wrong with any of the choices in the menu! We also sat outside in the courtyard and enjoyed the ambience well into the evening.

GARY AUSTIN

Google
Outdoor dining for lunch was 5 Star. Beautiful light/white colors, plenty of shaded areas. There was plenty of staff. Our waiter August knew menu items well and made great suggestions. He also knew current events around town.

Angela Meeks

Google
The food and the service were both amazing. The Lobster Roll was great. The affogato was the best I have ever had.

Hilary D.

Yelp
I honestly can't remember having a more delicious and satisfying meal that I had here tonight. The service was impeccable. We sat on the patio, which was lovely and very comfortable. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. Fabulous list. Lovely signature cocktails. You name it.
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Joi M.

Yelp
What a great, delicious Thanksgiving lunch! The service was very accommodating and professional. Looking at past Thanksgiving pictures on here, I think there should be an updated version. Portions were more than generous. The Filet mignon was cooked a perfectly med-rare. The lamb!! Fantastic! The chocolate torte was so decadent and satisfying.

Cannon B.

Yelp
Excellent food and service in a lovely setting. Can't wait to go back when it's warmer to sit outside under the apricot tree.
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Kate M.

Yelp
Atmosphere is lovely - hostess was very nice. Think our poor waiter was having a bad night but still food was great. Had the porcini mushroom soup to start and the diver scallops and risotto, and the beef bourgogne. Scallops and beef were cooked perfect. Only odd thing was tons of young children dining with families but at least they were well behaved.
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Andrea S.

Yelp
Great patio area! Drinks were tasty. Dinner was definitely top notch. This is definitely a diamond in the rough. There's definitely room for improvement... one our water glasses had a blatant lipstick stain, we heard after we put in our order there was specials but our waiter didn't tell us about them, our waiter disappeared for long periods of time but was friendly. Only one steak knife brought out (2 steaks and lamb ordered.) The service just didn't match the level of service usually received at Santa Fe's top notch restaurants and for the price that's definitely expected. The calamari was a bit boring until you dip it in the spiced oil. The filet and the rack of lamb were superb.
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Brett P.

Yelp
Great, upscale, though not uppity restaurant for lunch. We'll have to try it for dinner. Pablo was on it for service! The calamari is a must for an appy and the steak frites and salmon were delicious. Found a new chablis that we loved as well. Definitely added to our list of hidden gems to dine again!
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Mitchie B.

Yelp
I have been to this restaurant several times and it never disappoints. The service is exceptional! However, it is the food that keeps me coming back for more! We were seated in the patio next to the beautiful holly hocks. I ordered the salad with salmon. The fresh greens with the light vinaigrette were a perfect portion for lunch. The menu offers both lighter fare and hearty food for the big appetite. Highly recommend reservations. This restaurant has been around for several years and once you've tried it, you will see why.

Caroline M.

Yelp
It was fine. 1. Mushroom soup was cold 2. Pasta was luke warm 3. Served my friend raw chicken and the waitress said "it's not cooked to your liking" um no, I don't want to get sick. 4. Dirty plates 5. Water glasses were dirty 6. Bathroom trash cans overflowing 7. Coffee grounds in our coffee. We had an 11:30am lunch, they just opened. No excuse for these mistake but the fries were decent. Not worth the $$
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Beth W.

Yelp
Service awesome, ambiance great, food not so much. We got a great Caesar but the Salmon with tomato jam was very weird, like canned tomatoes on fish. Yuck. Then we got a carrot cake that had a sauce that tasted and smelled like baby vomit. I think it's the first time ever none of us ate the dessert. The pesto gnocchi was bland and tasteless too. We used to like this place a lot but it's now off our list.
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Mrs D.

Yelp
We enjoyed our outdoor lunch this week. The celery soup was delicious. The dumplings and spring rolls were perfection. Dessert today was the star..,.carrot cake... order it! Great food, excellent service in a beautiful setting,
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Emerine C.

Yelp
I've been to Santacafé twice now and the first time was phenomenal. The second time was great but not fantastic. We showed up at 6:20 for a 6:30 reservation and were told the table wasn't ready but we could wait at the bar. Took about 15 minutes for the bartender to get our drink order and the norteño I got was delicious. Our table still wasn't ready but we were finally seated after asking again at 6:50. My mom and I shared the mushroom soup appetizer and it was amazing with great depth of flavor. I ordered the maitake agnalotti for my entree and it was good but not great. It was a small dish for a main and there wasn't deep mushroom flavor like the soup had. My mom got the lobster salad which was super fresh and the dressing was delicious. My brother and his girlfriend both got the vietnamese lobster and loved it! My other brother got the miso cod which had the perfect texture and flavor. We finished dinner with the lemon cake which was tasty and they brought us a complementary chocolate torte (i assume because of the 20 minute wait for our table). A very well rounded, upscale dining experience that could be better with a few tweaks.
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Kelley M.

Yelp
On our last night in Santa Fe our hotel recommended this place. We couldn't be more appreciative. The food and service was exceptional. My wife had the Salman and I had the filet. Both were excellent. This place is a bit off the beaten path but definitely worth the visit.
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Neila Z.

Yelp
Everything is perfect... menu has lovely choices, service is exceptional.... Sit in the courtyard it's delightful.... Highly recommend

I S.

Yelp
Probably built up too high by 5 star reviews and author Stuart Woods' books famous character Stone Barrington dining on lobster salad at Santacafe with his buddy Dino and their gals. They were OUT of lobster. Lobster salad is bo longer a menu item (the restaurant entirely seems unaware of the accolades in best selling author's books. A shame given the cultural depth of the area.) We dined instead on the tuna sandwich, branzino, and muscles. The branzino and muscles were excellent: the tuna was worth mentioning only because the sour dough bread and salad served with the sandwich were very good. The tuna filling...I got 1/4 eaten and couldn't go on. The wait staff were arrogant and stuffy. We love good food, good service and good times: life is too short for arrogant service. There are lots of great restaurants and fine cuisine to keep me coming to Santa Fe....Santacafe sadly isn't one of them.

Doris D.

Yelp
Very good as per usual. Love the quiet aesthetics of the inside settings. Food and service good if not mind-blowing.
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Peter G.

Yelp
Food was excellent, great service, nice atmosphere. Nice details like blue cheese stuffed olives at the bar.

Austin E.

Yelp
Sister restaurant to Coyote Cafe, where we had dinner the night before. Beautiful courtyard setting under their huge apricot tree, adorned with lights. Service was great and the Sea Bass I ate was spectacular. My wife had the scallops and they were delicious as well. The service was good, although it could have been a bit better. Overall, a great night and a great meal.
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Jim N.

Yelp
We dined at SantaCafe during the Santa Fe Wine and Chili Fiesta.  It had been several years since we were there ... It was as good as ever!  The draft cocktail menu is amazing, every one we tried was exceptional.  The complimentary cornbread stick and butter was divine!  Stuffed squash blossoms ruled the first course of the meal ... sublime!  The fish and beef entrees rocked, and the dessert was out of this world.  We will definitely go back next time we travel to Santa Fe!

Alison S.

Yelp
Who knew Maggie could elevate pasta and pumpkin so high? But she did! Wish I had taken a picture. It was delicious. My husband had the Christmas burger, also delicious. We ate in the courtyard and it was pleasant with beautiful foliage and Flowers's and a handsome rabbit sculpture. Service was excellent as well.
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Todd G.

Yelp
Had a very enjoyable meal at Santacafe. It was quite busy due to Indian Market but that did not impact the service. The food was good if not great. For a high-end restaurant it was reasonably priced. Just based on food I give it 4 stars. The beautiful courtyard and excellent service move it up to stars. Everyone was extremely gracious including the hostess, server and biased. Our server Luke was very personable, knowledgeable and professional. Highly recommend.

Courtney H.

Yelp
Overall great experience. We sat at the bar, the bartender was lovely and helpful. We ordered the goat cheese, walnut salad and mushroom soup as apps, both were excellent. For mains we ordered the steak and the pasta, also both great. Would recommend.

Stan J.

Yelp
Food and atmosphere are great, but service is slow despite a large staff. Waiter disappeared for long periods and forgot drink refills. Leisurely dining is fine, but three hours for dinner and having to flag down the check is a bit much. Never even brought the desert menu after offering it. Didn't remind him cause we simply couldn't stay there any longer.
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Michael B.

Yelp
This is an upscale dining experience a couple of blocks from the Plaza in Santa Fe. The menu is contemporary American with a few, but not many, nods to the seasonings and flavors of the American Southwest. We started with the calamari- excellent, almost a meal on its own-and then proceeded to the bolognese and ravioli, both great choices. If you're looking for upscale dining and willing to pay $40-70 pp not including alcohol , this is a great choice!
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Sylvain K.

Yelp
Short version: If you are into fine wine, good food and service, go there! Long version: Because of COVID, we decided to seat outside. They have a lovely interior court, that specific evening was snowing so quite cold but the heaters made is comfy. Some of their heaters are not that warm, so be sure to bring a jacket ;-) My review will be 3 parts: 1) food 2) wine 3) service. 1)food Both my friend and I took a starter. I had the Cucumber and Farro salad and my friend had the Spring Pea Green Curry Carrot Soup soup, both were good! For the main dish: my friend had the Filet Mignon which was excellent, I had the Sumac Crusted Colorado Rack of Lamb - it was killer. The meat was perfectly cooked, pink and juicy, the crust was crunchy with a lot of flavors. I love Harissa and it's not something I often find in the US, this harissa sauce paired well with the lamb. Finally, the mint labneh mouse brought some freshness to the dish, unexpected and well executed. We had desert, I picked the Panna Cora with fig jam. I liked it, however I he cream was a bit too liquid and I could not taste the vanilla. Could be better. My friend got their "special": coconut, banana, cream and chocolate. We did not like it, it was too sweet, the banana flavor was way too strong. The desert offered too many flavors and textures. 2)wine The restaurant has an expansive wine list and anyone who is into wine will appreciate it. The sommelier is knowledgeable and knows well her wine list. We order a half-bottle of Belles-Graves (Pomerol), we had a blast and it was very reasonably priced. 3)service Definitely a highlight of our diner. Our waiter was friendly and had humor. The service was fast, efficient and personable. The sommelier went the extra-mile for us. I am on a quest to try a wine from every US state, so I asked her about what's good in NM. She shared her opinion and we took notes on what to buy/where to go. She came back later in the evening with a complementary glass of what she recommended. THAT is customer service: woaw! Special bonus, the staff is super friendly and share the story of the building, ask for it, it's quite interesting. Otherwise we had a great evening and we really enjoyed our diner. While the desert was not up to our expectations, no restaurant is perfect and I hope our feedback will help the restaurant to become even better. A must try in Santa Fe!

Anthony P.

Yelp
Amazing food! The potato lasagna, my name for it, with the steak is fantastic. The fried pork chop is out of this world. Spinach with bacon, yes please!!! Signature Espresso Martinis hit the spot. Clark que Sim is a fantastic after dinner drink. We're all still talking about the Toasted Marshmallow soft serve.

Marybeth K.

Yelp
Such a lovely atmosphere, the courtyard with the 200-year-old apricot tree, fountain, and giant hollyhocks added such beauty to the meal. The green chili cheeseburger and enchiladas are AMAZEBALLS! The apricot pure over panna cotta desert,... simply mind-blowing! Fantastic smoked rosemary Manhattan ...sheer joy! The staff were so efficient and kind. I highly recommend it.
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Monica V.

Yelp
Santacafe is a fine dining restaurant located in a historic building in downtown Santa Fe. It is elegantly decorated inside and full of sophistication. On the way to the restroom, there is a well you can walk over that's really fascinating, and it's clear how much history there is here. Check out their website to read more about it. I had an unforgettable experience and would love to return! Since I visited in the winter, patio dining was not an option but it looked like a very nice area to enjoy during warmer months. Once inside, I was greeted warmly and service throughout my meal was impeccable. I had a Yuzu Gimlet for my cocktail and loved that it was poured table side in a beautiful martini glass garnished nicely. The Salmon Latkes were very good and topped with a generous amount of salmon. The Miso Black Cod was very flavorful and the fish was super delicate with a sweetness I enjoyed. It balanced well with the crispy rice cake and orange ginger bok choy. The Vietnamese Lobster was served grilled on top of spicy coconut fettuccine with hints of lemongrass. As if the meal couldn't have been any better, I ended it with an espresso and the most lovely Chocolate Torte served with a glass of port. It was literally art on a plate and the best torte I've had that was the perfect amount of richness but not overly sweet.

Laura P.

Yelp
Fantastic food and service! Highly recommend. Had the Gnocchi with Pesto and it was delicious! Will definitely come back when in town!

April A.

Yelp
Where do I start? The best part of the meal was a delicious apple and walnut salad. After that it was downhill. After being there 2 full hours, our waiter came to our table maybe 4 or 5 times. I ordered the porcini mushroom soup. The bowl came to the table scorching hot, the soup was cold. Someone other then the waiter came to ask how the soup was and took it back to the kitchen and someone other then the waiter brought it back. The soup was in a large bowl with about a 3 inch diameter serving portion and the soup was at the most 1/2 inch deep. The soup cost $18. I was there for a girl's weekend with my friend, and totally believe because we were two women we were virtually ignored. Over the years, I have been to this restaurant many times when I was in town, once, I even had children with me and the service was excellent. After this evening we cancelled a reservation for the sister restaurant Coyote cafe, because we made the reservation today and cancelled today, they are charging a $25 fee for each person for cancellation. Let me say in closing, if you want an excellent meal, with excellent service, make your reservation at The Compound. Literally, there is comparison between these two restaurants. Food and service are superior at The Compound.
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Jin Y.

Yelp
What a wonderful meal. We were wondering if we could bring our son (7yr old) to a fancy meal and the answer was yes. We ended up sitting in the the makeshift tent and it was slightly cold but they had shawls for us and the heater worked nicely. The meal was stupendous and they accommodated my son's allergies.they have a cool see through well on the way to the bathroom!

Cristina D.

Yelp
We enjoyed our meal. The ambiance was relaxing and the food was pretty good. Our waiter was a bit serious, not very friendly but polite. Overall, we had a good experience, a bit overpriced but worth the money for a special dinner.

Elayne K.

Yelp
Servers always have a smile. It's like they enjoy being there. Never have had a bad meal. Love the burger and the fries are best in town. Great nachos. Salads are wonderful. Get in there!
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Michael C.

Yelp
One of the best Thanksgiving dinners in a long time. This place has it all, terrific service, delicious food, romantic ambiance. Dinner was prix fixe and for my first course I ordered the Apple and Butternut Soup with Vanilla Ricotta and pecan. OMG. Delicious!! Main course was Turkey. But this turkey was seasoned to perfection. Most restaurant turkey is simply bland. This was amazing!! Of course, it had all the traditional sides: mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and cranberry. A glass of Gamay Beaujolais accompanied dinner. And to top it off, pecan pie. Our service was exceptional and a big thank you to David for taking such attentive care. Side note: new ownership here and they also own the Coyote Cafe reviewed earlier. Don't miss an opportunity to enjoy fine dining at its best. Enjoy!
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Arminda D.

Yelp
We met a friend here for dinner and drinks and sat in the patio. Staff was so accommodating with our two little kids. It was really nice of them. They made sure to bring our kids pasta with Parmesan ahead of time with the cornbread to get them going. We did not have high hopes thinking we weren't going to a particular kid friendly place. So it was nice to feel welcome and to have them work with us. We had a few appetizers. The dumplings were so so good, you could really taste the filling and that they were freshly made. The crab cakes were crunchy and not greasy with great texture and flavor. The lamb carpaccio was really interesting, the lamb was so tender and delicate with the parsley pansies and the basil oil, very interesting flavor combination. The kids dish they specially prepared for us with linguine and just Parmesan was delicious. For entrees we had the chicken thighs, salmon and the Vietnamese lobster. I had the lobster and it was perfectly cooked, but I had already filled up on the appetizers and the kids linguine that was delicious. We really enjoyed our dinner and hope to come back again.
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Jeff B.

Yelp
What a disappointment . We really wanted to love the SantaCafe experience. Here's how the evening went down. We had an early reservation... 5:30pm. We advised the staff when we arrived that we were seeing a play that night, and we needed to out of the restaurant by 7pm. We actually arrived at 5:15 and were seated immediately , so... 1 hour and 45 mins should be plenty of time for dinner before the play, right? Wrong. We ordered the pork dumplings to share as an appetizer. They were good, and they arrived promptly after ordering. For out second plate, we all had the Caesar Salad with Horseradish | Parmesan | Croutons. NOT GOOD. At the same time, everyone said "this has no flavor". The dressing was watery, and there was NO hint of horseradish... NO hint of parmesan, and NO hint of any flavor whatsoever. No one ever came by to check how everything was, so I had to flag down a different waiter to ask for salt, and some parmesan cheese. Even that barely added any flavor, except for the taste of lettuce and salt. The plates were eventually cleared.... and then..... nothing. No one came by to check on us... no sign of our waiter anywhere. Fast forward... it is now 6:50. I had to get up to find our waiter, and I found him chatting with a "friend"/patron at the bar. I reminded him we had to leave in 10 mins, and he told me "they should be plating your food now". I went back to the table. 5 mins later he brought a tiny, scalding hot taste of porcini mushroom soup to "hold us over" before the entrees arrived. It was SO hot, we could put it to our lips. A minute later, the entrees arrived. We had Seared Salmon, Seared Chicken Thighs and Steak Frites. It was now 6:58, and upon placing our entrees on the table, we asked for the bill and "to go" containers. We each took a bite while waiting for the "to go" containers... and everything was bland. The Salmon was dry and overcooked, The chicken needed seasoning, and the frites also needed salt or SOME type of seasoning.. Anyhow... we scraped all the entrees into "to go" containers, paid the bill... and rushed out of the restaurant. We gave them advance notice on timing, and 1 hour and 45 mins later at the table, was still not enough time to eat our dinner. Disappointing to say the least. I'm giving this review 2 stars instead of 1 because they DID comp our Caesar Salads after it took over an hour for our entrees to arrive. I will NOT be returning.
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Sherri C.

Yelp
This is a beautiful restaurant, very a chic feel with the light decor lending to a beautiful and calming elegance. Unfortunately, great decor doesn't necessarily translate to a great experience nor enhance taste. I know many people have written glowing reviews and I am hoping that our experience was a single oddity. To start, our waitress was abrupt, the time with her at our table was extremely quick and didn't give us a feeling of being able to relax. She more than likely was being overworked, I saw her being this way with most of her tables so we didn't take it personally. We ordered a delicious Cesar Salad that I can definitely recommend. Upon coming into the restaurant we noticed a fishy aroma which is typically not a good sign. In spite of this I went ahead and ordered the lobster roll, while it didn't have a fishy taste, it was very overcooked lacking in the sweet taste that that lobster should have. Sadly the tarragon seasoning that I was looking so forward to, because lobster and tarragon are brilliant together if you have never explored the mix, unfortunately the tarragon taste was missing. The herb was there but it had no taste. My husband's, Bolognese was good but not great, it was on the sweet side for us. On the other hand we absolutely Ioved the fresh pappardelle extra wide noodles. A shout out to chef for serving the dish with a proper ratio of noodles to sauce. A pet peeve of ours is this dish if all to often served with an extra large serving of noodles and light serving of sauce. If we are back in town someday, we'd definitely give it another shot.
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Ana N.

Yelp
We made reservations at Sanatacafe, not sure if it's a requirement or not, but we did, and we were seated right away. From first impressions, definitely a spot you'd want to look, at the very least, presentable. They don't force any dress code, but still, the clientele are definitely well dressed. The staff very welcoming and attentive. My husband and I first ordered the scallop sashimi with a cucumber sauce and avocado, as well as crab cakes in a mango and pineapple sauce with a sweet corn slaw on top. The scallops were light and delicious. The cucumber sauce is what made the whole dish sing. It was perfect. The crab cakes, weren't heavy at all! They were extremely well seasoned, savory and delicious. Both appetizers made you want more! For entreés, my husband ordered the salmon and I order the lamb chops. When we got our food, not only was the presentation beautiful, the dishes was absolutely incredible! The Pan Seared Salmon was well done, we do wish it was a little more tender, but overall, so delicious. The sauce was incredible though. The Sumac Crusted Colorado Rack of Lamb was tender and full of flavor! It rested on a bed of crispy snow peas and sat next to fluffy couscous. The entire mea was perfection and the service incredible. Our server, Jay was kind, attentive and a joy to be around. Truly hope that when we come by again, we have the privilege to be served by Jay. Definitely one of the best people I've met here in Santa Fe.

Albert M.

Yelp
Couldn't have enjoyed this restaurant more. Fantastic food and service. Beautiful ambiance. Can't wait to return.

Mia M. M.

Yelp
Every time we go to Santa Fe we book a dinner here. We have been going here for 30 years plus. Although it has a new owner we are not disappointed with the menu offerings, service and ambiance. Glad some things never change.
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Carol C.

Yelp
Tasting menu at Santa cafe was an exceptional treat start to finish!! Our menu included pea and mint soup with a pistachio topping, beet and goat cheese salad with tarragon dressing, hamachi, dashi mushroom tortellini with honey glazed enoki, black cod over fried sweet rice patty, lamp chops with couscous and 2 desserts of panna cotta and dense chocolate cake. The wine pairings were amazing. Head chef Dale has an amazing touch and beautiful presentations. The black cod was expertly cooked!! Service by Erica was phenomenal as well- she entertained my many questions regarding food and drink. A beautiful meal- I've been dreaming of the lamb chops since!!

Erin O.

Yelp
Went here for a valentines dinner with my boyfriend. Absolutely outstanding service and beautiful ambiance. The food was delicious as well, and our waiter was incredibly accommodating and made wonderful recommendations. Delicious cocktails as well! Looking forward to our next visit.
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Rico W.

Yelp
The hotel La Fonda made us a reservation at this wonderful side of the road restaurant. On our way to this restaurant we passed multiple restaurants that had gone out of business! The wife and I were more than pleased with the quality and service that Santacafe offered. Our server turned out to be the restaurant owner. He was polished and made impeccable recommendations for our appetizers, entrée and dessert. Delicious stuffed dumplings were one of the appetizers. I could probably eaten another order and been satisfied for my whole dinner. Our order came with two distinct dipping sauces that added flavor but did not overwhelm the subtlety of the dumplings. Beautifully made slightly sweet tasting cornbread sticks. (I ate them all before my wife got any). We had pana cotta for dessert but my wife dove into it before I got a chance to photograph. It tasted a lot like melted heaven! Also recommended by our server. This is our first trip to Santa Fe but it won't be our last. I can assure you that we will come back to Santacafe each and every time we are in town! Indoor and outdoor seating were available. Our reservation was for outside and there was no one within 8 or 10 feet of us. There was a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer on the table for us to use.
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Gale G.

Yelp
White tablecloth classy vibes!!.there's a cool historical feature on the floor next to the bar, like a preserved underground well. staff was professional. drinks were amazing.
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Xtine G.

Yelp
Best meal I've had in Santa Fe! I really wasn't in the mood to eat this style of food and was not expecting to be blown away but reviews were good and we got a reservation. I ordered the cod over rice cake and cabbage and it was AMAzing! My friend had the lobster roll starter and she loved it. Cocktails are great too. And the decor is gorgeous. Definitely recommending this restaurant to anyone who visits SF. Left one star off review since there were not any sides of veggies on the menu (only Caesar salad or beet soup). A veggie of some sort comes with each meal but i always like to get some other veggie on the side to share.
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Courtnie C.

Yelp
This was the best dining experience we had in Santa Fe! They are a fabulous place to have a celebration like a birthday (complimentary sparkling wine). We didn't have one thing that wasn't exactly what we expected. The corn bread was the best unexpected surprise. I would recommend the tartare and bolognese papardelle. The city different cocktail tasted like fresh cranberries that you could easily drink 3 of them. Highly recommend this place. Parking out back.

Phyllis M.

Yelp
Another negative experience with Santa Cafe...Last time we will try it...We are ex-santa Fe residents and visit often. This time for an extended period. We have visited Santa Cafe 4 times in 4 weeks. Each time, we have been disappointed due to service, staff attitude, and menu limitations. Today was the last straw. We were looking for a lovely Sunday brunch on the outdoor patio and requested a table in the shade. Upon arrival, we were ushered to a table with direct sunlight. We chose another table and just after settling in and enjoying the lovely ambiance and sounds of nature, the music was turned on blaring very loud '70s disco music directly over our table. A customer at a neighboring table requested the music be turned down to no avail. A member of our party requested the music be turned down and perhaps a more relaxing play list be chosen. Our friend was met with a rude senior manager who made rude gestures behind our friend's back when he turned away. The rude gestures were visible to the full patio area. We were then told that the music and choice of music were "chosen by Quinn and what he says goes." The music, attitude, and experience were intolerable and caused us to leave the restaurant. We proceeded to Terra's at the Four Seasons Encantado and had a wonderful Bruch served by professional staff with an amazing view. Too bad Santa Cafe cannot match the expectations of Santa Fe fine dining with staff professionalism and customer-centric management.

Rob D.

Yelp
Best Dinner I have had in Santa Fe. Excellent mix of eclectic tastes. Great atmosphere, friendly staff. I had Salmon with a dinner salad up front. The salad was delish with very thin unusual slices of watermelon. The Salmon was excellent with some crumbles I could not identify and delicious mashed sweet potatoes.
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Virginia G.

Yelp
Fine dining with Santa Fe authentic style. Looking forward to the warmer weather to sit outside on the patio on my next visit. Wonderful service and food to say the least!
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Savvy T.

Yelp
Lovely dining experience! We dined outside in November and it was perfectly heated. Everyone ordered something different, and we shared each entree. Each dish was outstanding and the wine list was extensive. There is something for everyone at this exquisite fine dining establishment.