Santa Fe has become synonymous with margaritas. How fun is that?
It's partly because that main buzz (TEQUILA!) in the all-mighty margarita is said to have made its way via the Spanish on their treks along the El Camino Rael to Santa Fe in the 1600s. (Click for more tequila and margarita origin stories.) Fast forward to the 1970s and margaritas are an integral part of the culture of The City Different, but then Santa Fe took the typical lime juice, salt, rocks thing one BIG step further.
On Cinco de Mayo 2016, Santa Fe introduced the Santa Fe Margarita Trail to the world. Now, it’s easier than ever to find (and sample) the creative concoctions dreamed up by mixologists throughout the city. In the Trail's 10th year, each of the 50+ locations on the trail has their own special margarita!
Simply grab a Santa Fe Margarita Trail Passport ($3 at the Visitor Centers) or download the app ($3). Here are 10 recommendations to get you started!
The Coyote Cantina on the Rooftop is the wild child to its companion restaurant, Coyote Cafe, and that's a thing to be experienced! Sit right down with their special Norteño Margarita, very simply made with green chile-infused Premium Silver Tequila, lime juice, and their very own sweet & sour mix. The conversation will flow amid street-art murals and brightly patterned oilcloth-covered tables overlooking Water Street, just a block from the Santa Fe Plaza. Try any of their comfort food options, including the green chile cheeseburger piled high with onion rings, bacon, and a fried egg.
Open for more than six decades, The Shed is an institution in Santa Fe. It’s known for its top-notch New Mexican dishes and consistently wins the Santa Fe Reporter’s “Best of Santa Fe” awards for their chile. Pair your red chile enchiladas with the Codigo Coin Margarita, made with Codigo Blanco Tequila and Cointreau.
So many fun things rolled into one at Boxcar--a sports bar, live music venue, and gastro-pub hot spot, featuring 30 beers on draft, the largest liquor selection and longest bar, coupled with every DIRECTV sports package, and 15 big-screen TVs. And it's one of the few places that's open late in the capital city of New Mexico! Come for the Clarified Pineapple Margarita and stay for the menu built to please everyone's palate and the scene meant to put anyone at ease.
The Thunderbird Bar & Grill can say it's the only restaurant in The City Different with a spacious, year-round deck overlooking the Plaza, and there's always something happening at the Plaza, whether it's Native American dances, live music, any one of many markets, or just all matter of folk appreciating a fine summer's day. Come try the simple and delicious Paparita, mixed to perfection with just a handful of ingredients (Patron Anejo, Grand Marnier, Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice, Fresh Agave).
While you’re exploring the city’s historic Plaza, swing by La Fonda, where you can finish off your docent-led tour of the historic hotel with the Tamarindo Margarita at La Fiesta Lounge. Note the special Alderwood-smoked salt rim and a proprietary La Fonda Margarita Mix.
Celebrating more than 80 years of continuous local ownership, the Plaza Café Downtown, has been serving highly acclaimed, authentic traditional dishes forever! Everything is made from scratch with recipes handed down for generations. Enjoy a Plaza view and try their aptly named Legacy Margarita!
Celebrating 50+ years of amazing family ownership between the Maryol and Gundry families, Tomasita's is the place to go for that feeling of at-home hospitality. It's a Santa Fe tradition, serving classic Northern New Mexican cuisine in a bustling setting located in the heart of the Railyard/Guadalupe District. Raise a toast with the classic Tomasita's Gold Coin Margarita here!
Since 1993, the Cowgirl has been delighting locals and tourists alike with a unique blend of down-home mesquite-smoked BBQ and soulful American comfort food made from scratch and a boisterous, Western-themed bar. There's nightly entertainment and a great patio! Try the Cowboy Cadillac Margarita for a cocktail that really packs a punch and soak in the scene!
Hosted in the St. Francis Hotel, the downtown Secreto Lounge is no secret at all and specializes in award-winning “Garden-To-Glass” cocktails, using fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, local spirits and bitters. So, you can be certain that their Smoked Sage Margarita is good! You'll enjoy this lively locale with its convenience to most anything and all of the visitors coming and going.
At Joe’s Tequila Bar, you’ll experience one of the most extensive and expertly curated tequila, mezcal, agave spirit, and sotol collections in Santa Fe. And it's where you can get the Sunset Trail Margarita. Pair it with food is inspired by Pan-American traditions and flavors, from Central America through Mexico up into Santa Fe. That combo is pretty great! :)
Sip and walk with Wander New Mexico, the only tour group offering an experience along this Official Santa Fe Margarita Trail! Assemble your pals or join a small group for fun food history adventures, educating/entertaining travelers about New Mexico's unique food culture, rich flavors, diverse history, and our myriad versions of the tasty Tequila-based cocktail. You'll sample the culinary best of Santa Fe, while exploring hidden corners of the city and learning why Santa Fe is truly The City Different. Tours run regularly!
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