Sazón
Mexican restaurant · Santa Fe
221 Shelby St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Highlights
James Beard award winner's elevated Mexican cuisine & cocktails
James Beard award winner's elevated Mexican cuisine & cocktails
"Yes, you can do a tasting menu at Sazón, a downtown Mexican restaurant. But going a la carte is the better move because it lets you play mole matchmaker. If your heart is set on beef or lamb, set it up with some heat from the mole coloradito made with guajillo and arbol chiles. The mole Santa Fe has a bit of sweetness from apricots, roasted pecans, and white chocolate, which also complements the heavier proteins. Meanwhile, the tomatillo-forward mole verde tastes a bit brighter and goes nicely on vegetables, chicken, or fish. Just don’t get too lost in the (mole) sauce that you forget to try the Sopa de Amor, a poblano cream base with blue crab and beef tenderloin. Cocktails here are just as excellent—we like The Homegrown, a paloma-esque drink made with sotol, which isn’t as common the further you get from the Rio Grande." - nina katz
"James Beard award-winning Sazon has been a Santa Fe staple for years due to the elevated craft and presentation of classic Mexican dishes. The signature mole negro is subtle and balanced; the pork belly tacos are divine; and the sweeter-than-normal chiles en nogada, made with a jalapeno balsamic reduction, offer a new take on a classic. It’s cooking like this that keeps tables at this adobe-walled restaurant in high demand. Know before you go: Every so often, there are chef tasting options for about $150 per person, if you’re looking for an immersive experience for a particularly special dinner." - Karen Fischer
"Yes, you can do a tasting menu at Sazón, a downtown Mexican restaurant. But going a la carte is the better move because it lets you play mole matchmaker. If your heart is set on beef or lamb, set it up with some heat from the mole coloradito made with guajillo and arbol chiles. The mole Santa Fe has a bit of sweetness from apricots, roasted pecans, and white chocolate, which also complements the heavier proteins. Meanwhile, the tomatillo-forward mole verde tastes a bit brighter and goes nicely on vegetables, chicken, or fish. Just don’t get too lost in the (mole) sauce that you forget to try the Sopa de Amor, a poblano cream base with blue crab and beef tenderloin. Cocktails here are just as excellent—we like The Homegrown, a paloma-esque drink made with sotol, which isn’t as common the further you get from the Rio Grande." - Nina Katz
"In a city dripping with New Mexican cuisine, Sazón is a lighthouse for those seeking Mexican flavors. Fresh off his 2022 win for Best Chef Southwest, chef Fernando Olea draws inspiration from regions across his home country, and both traditional and contemporary influences. The cowboy hat–wearing chef offers his own interpretation of Chiles en Nogada, a celebration of Mexico in both color and flavor, with ground lamb, pork, and nuts, in a tower of chile poblano, dried fruits, and creamy walnut sauce. His signature soup, Sopa de Amor, mingles sweet, savory, and spicy tastes with a blue lump crab enrobed in poblano cream and topped with amaretto foam sprinkled with cocoa powder and cinnamon. Find them in an intimate adobe a couple blocks off the Santa Fe Plaza." - Ashley M. Biggers
"The signature mole negro is subtle and balanced; the pork belly tacos are divine; and the sweeter-than-normal chiles en nogada, made with a jalapeno balsamic reduction, offer a new take on a classic. It’s cooking like this — which rivals anything you might find on a white tablecloth in Mexico City — that keeps tables at this adobe-walled restaurant in high demand." - Willy Carleton, Justin De La Rosa, Karen Fischer
