3 Best Restaurants in The Plaza, Santa Fe

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.

This romantic restaurant with hardwood floors, soft lighting, and stone walls has a menu that presents upscale versions of classic fare such as steak, fish, and chicken. For a less formal vibe, have dinner and cocktails at the convivial bar or enjoy breakfast on the lively street-side patio. A tasting table in the center of the space is available for reserved private tequila tastings.

James Beard Award-winning, Mexico City–born chef Fernando Olea has been working his culinary magic at different Santa Fe restaurants since 1991 and now offers his upscale take on regional Mexican fare, complete with an exhaustive list of artisan tequilas and mezcals, at Sazón. Within the handsome dining room warmed by a kiva fireplace and filled with Frida Kahlo and Day of the Dead–inspired artwork, the focus is on one of Mexico's greatest dishes, mole. The waitstaff begin the dining experience with a sampling of mole sauces and small, fluffy tortillas to try each one—you can then order one of the night's featured proteins with whichever mole you prefer. You can also try the chef's prix-fixe (degustation) menu, and don't miss the infamous "Sopa de Amor" of poblano chile cream, blue crab, and Amaretto whipped cream. Save room for the unabashedly rich Volcán de Chocolate cake and the surprising helado de mole poblano (hickory-smoked mole poblano ice cream in chocolate).