Cheap, Fast and Tasty in Santa Fe

Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of those unique and beautiful cities where food represents tradition merging with the very best of innovation. Pueblo Indian corn, red and green chiles come together with Spanish spices and cooking to create “New Mexican” cuisine. Add in diverse and delicious Mexican fare, and it is easy to see why Santa Fe is renowned for Southwestern eating.

While you can pay a lot for gourmet food downtown, on Canyon Road or at other touristy hotspots, there are some wonderful home-cooking and authentic Mexican and New Mexican restaurants to check out—La Playa Mariscos, Tecolote Café for breakfast, The Pantry, Adelitas, and Marias readily come to mind.

However, this article is not about restaurants. This article is about fast, cheap and tasty in Santa Fe. I’m talking about the taco stand, or puesto, as it is known in Spanish.

Now, you may be wondering why, having all the delicious options to choose from, I would choose taco stands to feature. One could say it’s because I romanticize the working man who often frequents the taco stand. One could say it’s because I lived in Santa Fe, and “been there, done that” with both high-end and family restaurants. Or perhaps it’s because I’m often in a hurry and want food that’s fast but not fast-food. All of the above would be correct.

Regardless, here’s the dish on four taco stands in Santa Fe.

La Fuente Burger on Cerrillos Road is a colorful turquoise blue stand located right next to the Jackalope store.

Owner José offers New Mexican foods like burritos, fajitas and tacos. But he is best known for his La Fuente burger—charbroiled Angus beef, Hatch green chile, cheddar cheese, all the fixings and with a side of big crisp fries. This huge, juicy, tasty burger is one of the best green chile cheeseburgers in Santa Fe. And for $6.95 and friendly service from José, you just can’t beat it.

For some of the most delicious beef tacos I’ve ever eaten in my life, I was pleasantly surprised by a gaudy yellow stand, Viva Mexico, off of Cerrillos on St. Michael’s. Viva Mexico’s sweet cook, Carmen, whips up their most popular special called tacos alambre or listed as the Viva Mexico special on the menu.

The platter comes with a nice portion of bistec picado, cut beef bites that have been sautéed with onions, bacon, green peppers, onions and all topped with cheese. Four tacos come on a platter with six soft buttery corn tortillas, a side of secrete spicy red salsa puree and lime. For $7, owner Carlos has made this my go-to lunch spot.

Heading back onto Cerrillos Road, just a block away from the Santa Fe Indian School is Taqueria La Chabelita.

Owner Juan is best known for his pork tacos al pastor. The $7 platter comes with four tacos—pork marinated with pineapple and topped with onion, cilantro and with a side of roasted green chile, all on corn tortillas. Chabelita offers variations of the tacos with beef or chicken, and all tacos come with their special green and red salsa puree.

Finally, if you are planning a trip to Santa Fe, do not miss out on breakfast burritos. Quite possibly the best one I have ever had is at El Chile Toreado off of Cerrillos on Cordova Road.

Owner Luis cooks while his son takes orders. The Toreado offers a delicious yet simple menu that includes hot dogs and burritos, but they are known for their $5 breakfast burritos. A thick doughy flour tortilla is stuffed (and I mean stuffed) with scrambled egg, fried potatoes, cheese and your choice of meat—pork sausage, polish sausage, ham, bacon (tocino in Spanish), chorizo—or Mexican veggie option. The whole huge thing is smothered in your choice of green or red chile. My favorite is the bacon breakfast burrito green chile, where the bacon is meaty and thick. (As you can tell, I tore into it like a lioness). It is an absolute explosion of flavor.

So if you’re headed to Santa Fe and want to experience something other than restaurants, please do not underestimate the taco stand. They are often overlooked and understated, but the locals love them, and if you give them a chance, maybe you will too.

Tags: bistec picado, breakfast burritos, chile, chile toreado, El Chile Toreado, green chile, La Fuente Burger, Mexican, New Mexican, New Mexico, Pueblo, red chile, roasted green chile, Santa Fe, Southwest, taco stand, tacos, tacos al pastor, tacos alambre, Taqueria La Chabelita, travel, Viva Mexico

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