Explore Lifestyle: Food

Eating out in Santa Fe can be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank to have a special lunch. Sure, we have our share of the usual fast food places. A few of the chains—say, Bumblebee’s and Bert’s Burger Bowl—serve good food at reasonable prices. But here in Santa Fe, local is the way to go. Whether you’re exploring the downtown Plaza area, are out and about, or heading out of town on a day trip, you’ll find some wonderful restaurants that feature a variety of entrées under $10.

As we celebrate the official founding of the city of Santa Fe in 1609, those of us who spend our days cooking, tasting, smelling and thinking about food cannot help but consider this milestone and our unique and famous food history. There are some major historical moments that shaped what we eat in Santa Fe. When we enjoy a local meal, we are tasting Ancient Mexico, Pueblo Indian and European flavors—sometimes all in a single bite! Spaniards arrived in Mexico in the early 1520’s, but what was the cuisine like in Mexico and New Mexico before the conquest?

The line that hit me between the eyes was a quote lifted from an article I read in the August 2009 issue of W Magazine. The article was about Naples, Italy. The quote was from Mario Codognato, the chief curator at the Museo D’Arte Contemporanea Donna Regina, Naples’ museum of contemporary art. “Naples,” he said, “is the most antiglobal, and therefore the most avant-garde, of cities.”

He’s an easy figure to miss, sort of a blur, as he scurries from one event to another at the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta — baseball cap cocked at a jaunty angle atop his head and courier bag slung over his shoulder. But when the curtain rises on the first wine seminar at this year’s 19th event, Joe Spellman will be at his accustomed place on the podium as panel moderator. That this is his twelfth appearance at the event gives you an idea of how popular and how valued he is.

As I drive down Canyon Road to dine at what for a long time has been one of my favorite restaurants, I am reminded of the ever-altering landscape of the artsy avenue -- galleries change names, artists move in and out of fashion, restaurants come and go, chefs hop kitchens, and food trends change. Somehow the stylish and trendy Geronimo stays on top, slipping only slightly, occasionally, as it treads the waters of owner changes, chef moves and economy shifts.