{"id":2832,"date":"2009-02-28T23:50:08","date_gmt":"2009-03-01T05:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=2832"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:20:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T20:20:38","slug":"tomasitas-santa-fe-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=2832","title":{"rendered":"Tomasita’s – Santa Fe, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Tomasita's
Tomasita<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The decade following America’s Civil War was one of burgeoning expansion westward with railroads leading the way. \u00a0Railroads helped open up the Wild West which included the then territory of New Mexico. \u00a0They transported wool, hides,\u00a0pi\u00f1on, lumber, coal, chile and other agricultural products. \u00a0They served as “connectors” between villages, towns and pueblos. \u00a0They bridged cultures and transcended distance, traversing through rocky promontories, barren mesas and fecund river valleys. \u00a0Railroads spread the news, enlightened the culture and introduced modern amenities to outposts separated by miles and time.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0long defunct Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (DRGWR) even had grandiose plans to connect Denver, Colorado and Mexico City \u00a0with its narrow-gauge railroad. \u00a0 During its halcyon days, the 125-mile, seven-hour branch from Antonito, Colorado to Santa Fe, New Mexico earned the sobriquet “The Chile Line” in recognition that much of the freight it hauled was chile peppers. <\/span>The railroad reached Santa Fe in 1881, but never went further south. \u00a0By the 1930s, the decline in the demand for lumber and competition from buses and trucks reduced traffic on the line greatly and on September 1st, 1941, the Chile Line departed Santa Fe’s Guadalupe Station on its final northbound run.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The
The sun-bathed interior at Tomasita’s<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The southern terminus of the Chile Line was a red brick station house constructed in 1904. \u00a0Today that station house is the home of Tomasita’s, one of the most popular New Mexican restaurants in Santa Fe. \u00a0Tomasita’s prides itself on authenticity, preparing its cuisine using recipes handed down for generations. \u00a0Those recipes have borne witness over generations to the melding of cultures once dependent on the agrarian products of the area–chile, beans, corn and more–all transported on the Chile Line.\u00a0 <\/span>Tomasita’s serves over 80,000 pounds of chile every year, every ounce of that having been grown in New Mexico. \u00a0Both red and green chile are beloved by locals and critics alike. \u00a0It’s a chile for which warnings are posted for out-of-town guests in bold red proclamation: “The chile is hot!<\/span>” \u00a0Please ask your waitperson for a sample or order it on the side. \u00a0We are not responsible for too hot chile! <\/span><\/p>\n

It’s also a chile recently heralded on the air and in print by The Food Network and Bon Appetit<\/a><\/em><\/strong> magazine respectively. \u00a0During a 2008 visit to Santa Fe for a taping of Rachael Ray’s Tasty Treats, the megawatt Food Network personality proclaimed Tomasita’s a local favorite for its chile (more on the local favorite theme later).\u00a0 The Food Network also gave Tomasita’s plenty of love in an episode of “Heat Seekers” which first aired in August, 2011.\u00a0 Hosts Aaron and Roger Mooking tested their masochistic mettle by sampling some of the city’s most piquant plates.\u00a0 Tomasita’s was their first stop.\u00a0 Though the carne adovada didn’t exactly water their eyes with its incendiary qualities, the hosts certainly enjoyed it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A
A warning to non-chileheads<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In its January, 2009 print edition Bon Appetit<\/em> magazine named Tomasita’s one of America’s “best chili spots.” \u00a0 Alas, it was the exclusive “chile” named in the company of purveyors of “chili” \u00a0in such hot beds of pepper piquancy as Seattle, Washington; Washington, D.C., Cincinatti, Ohio; \u00a0Springfield, Illinois and New York City (which reminded me of a Pace Picante sauce commercial in which a city rube was strung up for bringing New York City salsa to a campfire). \u00a0The passing of time didn’t quell Bon Appetit’s<\/em> ardor for Tomasita’s chili (sic) which published the same article in 2009–only this time on its Web site.\u00a0 <\/span>Bon Appetit<\/em> declared, “This is one of the best places to try stew-like New Mexican green chili (named after its green Hatch chiles), filled with your choice of pinto beans, posole, beef, chicken, or cheese. A crispy sopaipilla (puffy fry bread) comes on the side<\/em>.” \u00a0 It made me wonder if anyone on the magazine staff had ever actually tried Tomasita’s green chile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Savvy New Mexicans don’t need a national publication to tell them about New Mexico green chile though if we do want validation of our opinions, we trust local publications such as the Santa Fe Reporter<\/em><\/a><\/strong> and Santa Fean<\/em><\/a><\/strong> magazine to tell us, to no one’s surprise, that Tomasita’s chile is a\u00a0perennial “best of” award winner in their respective annual polls.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Guacamole
Guacamole and blue corn tortilla chips<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The greatness of Tomasita’s chile is validated by the hordes of patrons lining up half an hour before the restaurant opens up to get seated. \u00a0Most of them don’t mind waiting for a table. \u00a0The waiting area is spacious and you’ll invariably run into other prospective guests debating the official New Mexico state question “red or green” and its manifestation in the entrees at Tomasita’s.\u00a0 <\/span>The crowds range from locals who visit Tomasita’s two or three times a week to eager tourists, some of whom were introduced to the restaurant by Rachael Ray and others who pilgrimage to Santa Fe as often as they can. \u00a0My friend Joey Martinez , a Santa Fe native, owns a BMW in part because it gets him from Albuquerque to Tomasita’s quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n

There are some vestiges of the century-old red station house still visible, but you have to look for them. \u00a0It is a brightly illuminated restaurant with chandelier lighting suspended from a high ceiling buttressed by massive beams. \u00a0Hanging plants are suspended from those beams while red chile ristras hang on the vintage red brick walls. \u00a0Though Tomasita’s has been visited by a veritable compendium of glitterati–Linda Ronstadt, Arnold Schwartzennegar, Hillary Clinton, Don Imus, Shirley McLaine and others–there are no \u00a0framed autographed photographs of any of them on the walls.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Ground
Ground beef enchilada with a fried egg on top<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite its reputation as a nonpareil purveyor of chile, the menu has some interesting departures from New Mexican cuisine. \u00a0Appetizers include stuffed grape leaves (the owner is the daughter of Greek immigrants), deep-fried chicken wings, mushroom caps and shrimp cocktail while the entrees include something called the Randy Travis plate–two grilled pork chops with posole and refried beans with green chile and cheese. \u00a0Travis, a country music superstar and long-time Santa Fe resident, also has a dining room named for him at the restaurant he apparently considers a favorite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the salsa<\/strong><\/em> is one of two menu items (the other is carne adovada) desecrated with that accursed demon spice cumin. \u00a0Interestingly one spice you won’t see on the entrees is cilantro. \u00a0The emphasis is regional with an emphasis on red and green. \u00a0That’s the way it’s been since Georgia Maryol founded Tomasita’s nearly four decades ago, albeit in a Hickox Street location that today houses the Tune-Up Cafe<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0She purchased the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad building and moved in to the restaurant’s current location in 1978.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lack of salsa not withstanding, there are plenty of delicious preprandial options including guacamole and blue corn tortilla chips<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0The guacamole, served in a crisp corn tortilla fashioned like a bowl, is unctuous and thick, a complement to the formidable low-salt chips. \u00a0The guacamole is ameliorated with onions, tomatoes, garlic and salt. \u00a0Unlike at some restaurants, sheaves of shredded lettuce aren’t hidden under the guacamole to give you the impression you’re getting more than you actually are. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Carnitas
Carnitas Antonio<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Enchiladas<\/em><\/strong> are always a good benchmark for New Mexican food in general and chile specifically. \u00a0Tomasita’s enchiladas are served Northern New Mexican style–flat with Monterrey Jack cheese, pinto beans and your choice of red, green or vegetarian red or green chile (although savvy diners will opt for both red and green). \u00a0 You also have the option of cheese, ground beef, chicken or shrimp enchiladas with or without a Taos fresh egg. <\/span><\/p>\n

The ground beef is seasoned wonderfully and layered generously atop a corn tortilla. \u00a0The red chile is intensely flavored without being overly piquant, complex without confusing your taste buds with spices and additives that shouldn’t be there. \u00a0The green chile is the essence of freshness. \u00a0It is roasted to perfection and has a fruity redolence with a tongue-tingling piquancy New Mexicans love. \u00a0 It’s no wonder this chile is beloved!\u00a0 <\/span>The piquancy of that chile is undoubtedly one of the reasons margaritas are so popular at Tomasita’s which serves\u00a020 to 40 gallons of the tequila based cocktail per day depending on whether served on a weekday or weekend. \u00a0 The margaritas are reputed to have a siesta-inducing potency.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sopaipillas
Sopaipillas with honey butter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Daily specials include carne adovada on Fridays. \u00a0On Saturday it’s\u00a0Carnitas Antonio<\/em><\/strong>, tender strips of beef marinated with onions and green chile cooked in a special sauce and served with Spanish rice and refried beans. \u00a0This has the look and taste of New Mexican comfort food, albeit covered in brown sauce instead of red or green (some might consider that sacrilege). \u00a0The beef is as tender as Mother Theresa’s heart, not at all leathery like some fajita meat tends to be. \u00a0The sauce is rich and delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n

All entrees and specials include a sopaipilla<\/strong><\/em> served with honey butter and New Mexico honey. \u00a0The sopaipillas invite you to slather them with that savory-sweet butter then pile on more sweet decadence with pure honey. \u00a0The sopaipilla is fluffy and cloud-like. \u00a0Open it up and steam wafts upward to your waiting nostrils. \u00a0These are some of the very best sopaipillas in New Mexico.<\/span><\/p>\n

Normally sopaipillas with honey are all New Mexicans need for dessert, but when\u00a0pi\u00f1on\u00a0cheesecake<\/em><\/strong> is available not even a paragon of saintly patience like San Pasqual can resist. \u00a0Everything–from the Graham cracker crust to the rich, thick caramel–on this cheesecake is made in-house. \u00a0This is a dense cheesecake, a far a departure from those waxy facsimiles some restaurants serve. \u00a0The\u00a0pi\u00f1on is intense\u2013sweet with a subtle hint of pine that will transport your mind and taste buds to New Mexico\u2019s pine forests.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"pi\u00f1on<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many reasons Tomasita’s is a favorite of locals and visitors alike and they’re not all related to the superb quality of red and green chile laden entrees. \u00a0Service is absolutely impeccable, portions are reasonable and prices are fair. \u00a0 When you serve in excess of a quarter million meals a year as Tomasita’s does and greatness permeates your operating model, the term local institution is bandied about. \u00a0Tomasita’s is a local institution!<\/span><\/p>\n

NOTE<\/strong>: \u00a0Tomasita’s is within easy walking distance of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0\u00a0New Mexico’s largest farmers’ market and one of the most widely recognized markets in the United States and beyond. \u00a0If you haven’t watched Rick Sebak’s wonderful documentary “To Market to Market to Buy a Fat Pig<\/a><\/strong>” you’re missing out on a \u00a0fabulous celebration of market houses, market places and farmers’ markets across the United States. \u00a0The first farmers’ market featured is Santa Fe’s own. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tomasita’s Restaurant<\/span><\/strong>
\n500 South Guadalupe
\nSanta Fe, New Mexico<\/strong>
\n(505) 983-5721
\nLATEST VISIT<\/strong>: 28 February 2009
\n# OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2
\nRATING<\/strong>: Excellent<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 High quality dining experience; very good to excellent food, attentive service, and a well-maintained atmosphere; worth a detour.
\nCOST<\/strong>: $$
\nBEST BET<\/strong>: Enchiladas, Carnitas Antonio, Guacamole and Chips,\u00a0Pi\u00f1on Cheesecake<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The decade following America’s Civil War was one of burgeoning expansion westward with railroads leading the way. \u00a0Railroads helped open up the Wild West which included the then territory of New Mexico. \u00a0They transported wool, hides,\u00a0pi\u00f1on, lumber, coal, chile and other agricultural products. \u00a0They served as “connectors” between villages, towns and pueblos. \u00a0They bridged cultures and transcended distance, traversing through rocky promontories, barren mesas and fecund river valleys. \u00a0Railroads spread the news, enlightened the culture and introduced modern amenities to outposts separated by miles and time. The\u00a0long defunct Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (DRGWR) even had grandiose plans to connect Denver, Colorado and Mexico City \u00a0with its narrow-gauge railroad. \u00a0 During its halcyon days, the 125-mile, seven-hour branch from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[544,112,142],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-network-eats-new-mexico","category-new-mexican","category-santa-fe"],"yoast_head":"\nTomasita's - Santa Fe, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=2832\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tomasita's - Santa Fe, New Mexico - Gil's Thrilling (And Filling) Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The decade following America’s Civil War was one of burgeoning expansion westward with railroads leading the way. \u00a0Railroads helped open up the Wild West which included the then territory of New Mexico. \u00a0They transported wool, hides,\u00a0pi\u00f1on, lumber, coal, chile and other agricultural products. \u00a0They served as “connectors” between villages, towns and pueblos. \u00a0They bridged cultures and transcended distance, traversing through rocky promontories, barren mesas and fecund river valleys. \u00a0Railroads spread the news, enlightened the culture and introduced modern amenities to outposts separated by miles and time. 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