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315 Restaurant & Wine Bar
Chef/owner Louis Moskow creates Provencal-inspired sensations like braised veal with truffle jus (around US$20 ) and duck breast with fried cherries (around US$24 ). The prix fixe menu (around US$27 ) served Sunday through Thursday ( - ) is a great deal. And while the excellent wine list alone is adequate reason to visit the wine bar, call ahead about special food and wine events.
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Absolute Nirvana Spa & Tea Room
Find absolute tranquility at this elegant tea spot offering teacakes, scones and organic lunches. Choose from 50 varieties of tea to help you peacefully unwind overlooking a lush garden. It borders a B&B and a world-class spa .
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Amaya
Within colorful Hotel Santa Fe, owned by the people of the 800-year-old-plus Picuris Pueblo, diners feast on authentic, contemporary Native American cuisine. Muse (and let your mouth water) on marinated elk tenderloin, mint-crusted lamb chop, buffalo sausage, and orange ginger duck breast with garlic herb demi glaze (around US$27 ).
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Andiamo!
Everyone from hipsters to hippies will tell you that this is more than just another restaurant with an extensive, award-winning wine list, fabulous antipasti (around US$9 ), penne with spicy lamb sausage (around US$15 ), and a roster of authentic Italian desserts. Yeah, yeah, yeah... It's also really an excuse to see and be seen. You're likely to face a packed house, so make reservations.
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Atomic Grill
Pull a plastic chair up to a Formica-top table on the shaded patio, order a sandwich and a local ale, and watch the world walk by at one of Santa Fe's only late-night venues.
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Aztec Café
This airy, multiroom café keeps the tattoos-and-climbing-gear crowd well fed with sandwiches and malteds. It features free wi-fi and local bands playing electronica and indie rock for an all-ages crowd on Friday night.
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Baja Tacos
Nosh on New Mexican classics - including an extensive vegetarian menu and good carne adovada - inside the cramped interior or at the drive-through. And here's a bonus: the amazing mural outside, Her Story is a Part of Our History, by noted area artists Julia Coyne and Amberleigh, uniquely depicts Santa Fe's cultural heritage, showing San Ildefonso potter Maria Martinez , flamenco maestra Maria Benitez and painter Georgia O'Keeffe .
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Bert's La Taqueria
Long-time local favorite Bert's recently moved into a big new location closer to the center of town. Thank goodness that affordable food is still the norm, but now you can also choose between a large outdoor patio near the aromatic open-air grill and colorful indoor areas.
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Blue Corn Café & Brewery
This friendly brewpub wins awards for its Atomic Blonde Ale, High Altitude Pale Ale and others, served alongside burgers (around US$8 ), carne asada (around US$14 ) and Chuy's chalupas ($8). Live music, too.
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Blue Heron Restaurant
Join a yoga and meditation crowd at Sunrise Springs Inn where natural and organic cooking is the hallmark. Vegetarians and carnivores alike will enjoy portobello ravioli with seasonal vegetables in saffron cream (around US$16 ); meat and poultry - often organic - are served as well. It's all served overlooking a spring-fed pond.
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Bobcat Bite
Often voted as serving the Best Burger in Santa Fe by locals, this relaxed roadhouse beneath the neon really does serve an outstanding green chile cheeseburger (around US$7 ). The steaks are pretty darn good too.
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Bull Ring
This is the seat of state government, and lobbyists lather up their prey over thick steaks and single-malt scotches at places like the Bull Ring, where fast and friendly staff serve aged Angus in either the Naugahyde dining room or rustic saloon (open until ).
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Bumble Bee's Baja Grill
Drop by this fun spot for healthy, bargain-priced food. Fresh fish tacos (around US$8 for two), chalupa bowls (around US$9 ), and asparagus burritos (around US$7 ) are made all the finer with a dash of the smoky roasted tomato salsa, which is a house-special. Groove to live jazz on Saturday nights ( - ).
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Burrito Company
Because of its prices, this pleasant, plaza-side favorite will allow you to spend more money on art. Enjoy budget blue-corn enchiladas and chorizo burritos that compete with the best of 'em.
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Café des Artistes
Tour world-class art galleries on Canyon Rd, splurge on original art, then eat on an art-student's budget. These folks serve up delicious sandwiches (around US$6 ) and French-inspired dishes like a brie-and-berry salad (around US$6 ) served in a cheerful café or on the sunny patio.
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Cafe Pasqual's
Make reservations for dinner if you'd like, but definitely wait in line to enjoy the famous breakfasts. We highly recommend huevos motuleños (around US$12 ), made with eggs and black beans, sautéed bananas, feta cheese and more; tamal dulce (around US$12 ), a sweet corn tamale with fruit, beans and Mexican chocolate; or the enormous Durango ham-and-cheese omelet (around US$13 ). They're all served up in a festive, if crowded, interior. Jump ahead in line by sitting at the community table, where tourists and locals mix it up daily.
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Café San Estevan
Settle in at a humble wooden table in this cozy dining room with a stone kiva fireplace. And then start enjoying burgers, steaks, salads and New Mexican favorites prepared by Franciscan monk Estevan Garcia.
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Chocolate Maven
Sit down to white tablecloths and stemware, and watch through the windows as bakers work while you enjoy their incredible pastries, crème brûlée French toast (around US$7 ) or gourmet sandwiches.
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Cleopatra Cafe
Hidden away in the Design Center, this Mediterranean eatery has great food, including two types of falafel (Egyptian, with favas, or Lebanese, using more common chickpeas) and a great chicken kabob (around US$6 ).
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Cloud Cliff Bakery
Slip on some Birkenstocks and drop by for a stack of groovy blue corn pancakes (around US$6 ). Rainbow trout wraps (around US$9 ), organic lamb and quinoa (around US$9 ), and soups and sandwiches are served alongside organic wines and microbrews. As for side helpings, look for lefty commentary, live music, poetry or lectures.
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Compound
Chef/owner Mark Kiffin, the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef of the Southwest in 2005, emphasizes elegant flavors, fresh ingredients and exquisite presentations at dinner. The first-course offerings include a rich buttery scallop and morel mushroom stew (around US$18 ) and a perfect tuna tartare with caviar (around US$16 ). Come when there's reason to celebrate - the wine list includes several top-notch champagnes.
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Cowgirl Hall of Fame
A fun place for all ages, thanks to the great playground outside and live music after , this place has fabulous food, too. Try the salmon tacos (around US$11 ), butternut squash casserole (around US$9 ) or any mesquite-grilled specialty - all served with Texas caviar (black-eyed pea salsa) and wacky Western-style feminist flair.
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Downtown Subscription
Excellent coffee, scores of teas, pastries and a few savory offerings are complimented by a truly spectacular newsstand and flagstone patio, just a few blocks off Canyon Rd.
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El Farol
This popular restaurant and bar, set in a rustically authentic adobe, features live music nightly. It's really all about chef James Campbell Caruso's tapas, however. Come to sample small dishes like espinaca con casas (spinach, piñon, garlic, raisins; around US$6 ), ceviche de mariscos (around US$7 ) and puerco asado (pork tenderloin with figs and port; around US$8 ). Consider making reservations to enjoy their flamenco dinner show ($60; ; some Wed).
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El Mesón
Chef/owner David Huertas brings the flavors of his native Spain to the table in the form of famous paella and fine Spanish wines. Solo travelers can find conversation at the communal table. Within El Mesón, ¡Chispas! is known for excellent tapas, live music Wednesday evening and flamenco (cover around US$8 ; ; first Sat of the month).
