Vegetarian Restaurants in Santa Fe, New Mexico

We were in Santa Fe for Indian Market in 1999, at the invitation of my old college buddy Richard Strelitz and his wife Judith Lear. Indian Market is held on the third weekend of August. This is a juried show allowing only genuine Indian artists. There are something like 600 booths, so it takes two days to get around. For more information, visit the website of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, which puts on the show. If you're thinking of going to Indian Market, consider joining the SWAIA.

Santa Fe has a lot of restaurants for a town of its size, and most of them are excellent. There is even a distinct Santa Fe cuisine, a sort of upscale Mexican fare emphasizing blue corn tortillas.

Vegetarian Restaurants

• Vegan Santa Fe, 323 McKenzie (Casa del Toro), tel# 505/920-1270
  Vegan and raw vegan lunches Mon thru Fri from 11am-3pm. Menu changes weekly. (MR)
• Tamale Molly, 323 Aztec Street, tel# 505/989-4500.
  Tamale Molly is a new restaurant which carries vegetarian tamales; some are vegan, others have cheese in them, and there are dessert tamales. The food is delicious and without preservative, and worked well with my food allergies. They serve lunch from 11-3 and are open 9-6 for carry out. The restaurant is decorated comfortably and the prices are quite reasonable. We just returned from Santa Fe and this is one our favorite restaurants there. (C)
• Longevity Café, located in a little mall - 112 W. San Francisco, tel# 505/986-0403
  They have a daily tart, a daily quiche, really wonderful Indian dal, a noodle dish, and a rice-tofu dish. They specialize in healthy, herbal "elixirs" and tonics and also have a selection of cakes and pies, some of which are vegan. It's not a restaurant, but more of a little aroma therapy shop with a coffee house atmosphere. (JW)

Restaurants With Vegetarian Entrees

• Old Mexico Grill, 2434 Cerrillos Road, tel# 505/473-0338
  It is mostly meat and fish based food, but there is a chile relleno at lunch that is like no other; a wonderful dish for the vegetarian. (C)
• Los Mayas, 409 W. Water St., tel# 505/986-9930
  The restaurant boasts "cuisine of the Americas" and we enjoyed two of their 1/2 dozen or so vegetarian entrees. Lovely and lively atmosphere with a live guitar-harp singing duo. I was delightfully surprised to discover that they have a vegetarian section on the menu--very enlightened. Portions large. Reservations were a good idea. (JW)
• Corn Dance Café, in the Santa Fe Hotel at 1501 Paseo De Peralta, tel# 505-982-1200
  Four veggie entrees. Party Indian owned, this restaurant features Indian cuisine and has some costumed dancers and musicians, too.
• El Farol, 808 Canyon Road, tel# 505-983-9912
  Spanish cuisine in this neighborhood of art galleries. They have tapas which are little dishes that you share, and many of them are vegetarian.
• Gabriel's, outside of town on the road to Taos (just past the camel rock), tel# 505-455-7000
  Mexican (Santa Fe) fare. Sit outside on the patio if the weather is nice. Six veggie entrees on the menu.
  I see we share some favorites, including Gabriel's, outside of Santa Fe. I had some incredible patty pan squash enchiladas there that I still remember years later! (VP)

Also - Although this is not a restaurant, it is a place where visitors can learn to cook New Mexican cuisine vegetarian style- by request. Santa Fe School of Cooking offers classes in southwestern cooking and gourmet food products from New Mexico for chefs and individuals.

Also see these notes compiled by Sarah O'Hara. Additions welcomed - send email.