Canyon Road

printer iconPrintemail iconEmailfavorites iconSave to Favorites

Gallery hopping can make you hungry—but there are only a handful of places to eat on Canyon Road, and not many of them are all that satisfying.

For a caffeine hit, stop in the café at Cruz Studio Jewelry (618 Canyon Rd., 505/986-0644, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily).

Jog off the strip to Downtown Subscription (376 Garcia St., 505/983-3085, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. daily), an airy coffee shop that stocks perhaps a million magazines and attracts potential readers for even the most obscure titles. Wednesday nights occasionally see poetry readings after normal hours.

You can also reenergize with a mug of “elixir”—historically accurate hot chocolate, based on ancient and medieval recipes—at the geekily obsessive (and delicious) Kakawa Chocolate House (1050 E. Paseo de Peralta, 505/982-0388, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 10 a.m.– 8p.m. Fri. and Sat., noon–6 p.m. Sun.). It’s just off Canyon Road, opposite the Gerald Peters gallery.

At the north end of Canyon Road, stalwart El Farol (808 Canyon Rd., 505/983-9912, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–2 a.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–midnight Sun., $8) is a popular bar, but its selection of Spanish tapas is also worth noting—grilled octopus with olive pesto, for instance. You can also take in a bigger meal in a small side room that’s quieter than the main bar; the zarzuela (fish soup) is recommended.

Santa Fe’s two splurgiest restaurants are also on Canyon Road:

    The Compound (653 Canyon Rd., 505/982-4353, noon–2 p.m. Mon.–Sat. and 6–9 p.m. daily, $29) and
    Geronimo (724 Canyon Rd., 505/982-1500, 5:45–9 p.m. daily, $38) puts on a good show, with succulent elk tenderloin and a glitzy clientele. Honestly, there’s far better dining value elsewhere in town, but Geronimo also serves lunch in the summer, and the snug bar with a fireplace is a good place to rest your feet after a Canyon Road cruise.

At the very end of the galleries, The Teahouse (821 Canyon Rd., 505/992-0972, 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m. daily, $8) has an only-in-Santa-Fe feel, from its old-adobe setting and its specialized menu (some 13 pages devoted to teas, plus more for organic vittles) to its regular clientele of artists and even the occasional celebrity (Valerie Plame-Wilson, say). Even the service could be euphemistically described as “original Santa Fe” (i.e., “spacey”), but the food is good, and it’s a great place to put your feet up after a long Canyon Road stroll. It’s also open till 10 p.m. on Fridays to serve dessert during and after the gallery openings.

Buy Moon Travel Guides

Loading books
loading
For more Moon travel information, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter for updates on new travel guide releases, travel tips and trip ideas for those seeking adventure or relaxation, and expert advice from our on-the-go Moon travel authors.

Find Activities>>

Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.