I couldn’t help but ask Anthony Moore “Don’t you eat your own food?” Anthony is the lean and lanky owner of the eponymous Anthony’s Soul Cafe in Santa Fe. He explained that during a typical day he gets in some 12,000 steps (five to six miles) at his restaurant. That, he claims, is the reason he doesn’t weigh four-hundred pounds. The peripatetic Anthony jokes that his role as owner also includes dish-washer, greeter, host, waiter, chef and whatever else is required during the day. It’s not that he doesn’t have help. We had expected to see Anthony’s son whom we met during a visit to Anthony’s other venture, Anthony’s Grill. Instead, we were visited several times by Shannon, the general manager, a striking (even gorgeous) young lady. Naturally I praised Anthony for the “upgrade” from his son and suggested that if he wants his restaurant to succeed wildly, he’ll make her the front-and-center presence.
Anthony’s Soul Cafe opened its doors on 12 August 2026. It sits immediately next door to Anthony’s Grill in the increasingly crowded St. Michael’s Village West Shopping Center. Among its neighbors are the Santa Fe Bite (and believe me, it’s a Herculean challenge not to go there when in the neighborhood). There are several reasons why you know you’re in for something special–even extraordinary–when you visit the Soul Cafe. The first reason is Anthony himself. This is a man who can do no wrong whether it’s cooking some of the best food in Santa Fe to uncommon hospitality. Did I mention his general manager (Ithink I’m in love)?
The second reason stares you right in the face as you approach the Cafe. A colorful mural on the patio wall depicts a sole (and soul) guitarist playing his guitar beneath the verbiage “Feel the Blues at Anthony’s.” Talk about an oxymoron. There’s no way you’ll feel blue when you eat Anthony’s cooking, but you WILL enjoy listening to the blues, whether on the sound system or live when a band is in the house. It goes without saying that the menu is another reason you’ll love Anthony’s. It’s a menu Santa Fe has needed for a long time. We lived in Mississippi for eight years and found Anthony’s cooking even better than much of what we had in the Magnolia State.
Despite being a fan of the San Francisco 49ers, the bespectacled Anthony is a great guy, the type of which you’d like to sit down with to watch a football game even if you’re rooting against his team. Anthony is originally from Oklahoma so rightfully he should be a Dallas Cowboys fan like most Sooners are. He’s been in the restaurant business for going on five decades. He’s not classically trained, but learned his craft watching his auntie cook. Anthony’s Soul Cafe serves the food with which he grew up: fried chicken (my Kim’s favorite), fried catfish (my favorite, oxtail and so much more. If you have room for dessert, Southern sweet staples on the menu include sweet potato pie, banana pudding and lemon cake. To wash it all down, Anthony’s serves sweet tea and red Kool-Aid.
By definition, soul food is the traditional ethnic cuisine of African Americans, originating in the American South during the era of slavery. According to Chef Millie Peartree, “Trying to differentiate soul food from Southern food shouldn’t be complicated. While not all Southern food is considered soul food, all soul food is definitely Southern.” She elaborates further: “The expression “soul food” originated in the mid-1960s, when “soul” was a common word used to describe African-American culture. At its core, soul food is down-home cooking that’s been passed down through many generations, with its roots in the rural South. In 1962, poet and civil rights activist Amiri Baraka published his essay “Soul Food,” an argument against white critics claiming that there was no African American cuisine.”
Ken Carson, founder and owner of Nexus Brewery does give a nod to New Mexico’s sacrosanct cuisine with his offering of “New Mexican soul food.” New Mexican soul food is a combination of Southern and Cajun entrees honoring both the Carson family’s Southern roots and their adopted home’s New Mexican favorites. You won’t find the Land of Enchantment’s sacrosanct green and red chile on Anthony’s menu though you’ve got to believe he’s got the chops to do it well. Let me emphasize again, his preparation of soul food is on par with the best we had in the Deep South.
It wouldn’t be soul food without fried chicken and fried catfish. At Anthony’s, the fried catfish dinner with two sides is a “Gil’s highest recommended” entree. If you’ve never before had great fried catfish, what you can rest assured Anthony’s catfish has all the attributes of truly exceptional catfish. Contrary to some opinion, its flavor is not muddy or gamey. In fact, it’s mildly sweet and just slightly earthy. Its texture is moist, flaky and firm with a crispy, crunchy cornmeal coating. Anthony’s hot sauce goes extremely well with catfish. Anthony told me his restaurant features “the best catfish in the world.” Who am I to argue?
My Kim loves fried chicken as much as her feline-fish loving husband loves catfish. That means she loves it a lot. There’s a lot to be loved in Anthony’s fried chicken dinner. Compared to the fried chicken served at many restaurants, Anthony’s isn’t scrawny. The portion size is two pieces, but this pulchritudinous poultry is enough even for trenchermen. The two pieces are a leg and a thigh, both meaty and deliciously breaded. It tastes savory, salty, and rich, featuring a crunchy, heavily seasoned outer crust (that permeates throughout the meat) with warm, tender, and very juicy meat on the inside. While some diners (including my Kim) eschew the crust, others of us say “heart attack be damned; this crust is just too good not to devour.”
Traditional sides include macaroni and cheese, collard greens, black eye peas, fried okra and corn-on-the-cob. That’s one of the reasons a catfish or fried chicken “dinner” are the best buy. You’ll love those those sides. For my Kim, fried okra is a must. Enrobed in a crunchy, savory and well-seasoned crust, fried okra tastes like a mild, earthy and just a tad green vegetable. My tastes lean more toward red beans and rice. It’s somewhat of a departure from Cajun red beans and rice which tend to have more “porky” depth. Anthony’s version doesn’t include rice, but you won’t miss it. The macaroni and cheese has a terrific gooey and creamy cheesiness. It’s some of the best you’ll find in New Mexico. Accord “best” honors to the crumbly, buttery, sweet cornbread.
The phrase “I’ve got soul” reflects a deeper-felt connection to life–genuine emotion, passion and spirit. In Anthony’s Soul Cafe, Santa Fe has soul and it’s a bout time.
Anthony’s Soul Cafe
1620 St Michaels Drive
Santa Fe, New Mexico
(505) 416-5937
LATEST VISIT: 23 August 2026
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$$
BEST BET: Fried Catfish, Fried Chicken, Okra, Red Beans and Rice, Mac n’ Cheese, Red Kool Aid, Cornbread
REVIEW #1546