There’s a cornucopia of reasons to abandon your kitchen this Thanksgiving holiday in Santa Fe. Let our world-renowned chefs turn your day of thanks into an epicurean feast without the dirty dishes. Many of our cherished restaurants are creating menus just for this holiday to satisfy everyone in your party.
In 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated the very first Thanksgiving. By that time, Santa Fe had already been established as a provincial capital in our region for more than 10 years. That should paint a picture of the delicious feasts that greet you in the City Different.
Luminaria
Chef Marc Quinones of Luminaria, located at The Inn and Spa at Loretto, by Destination Hotels & Resorts, is offering a Plated Prix Fixe menu Thanksgiving Day from 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., as well as an elaborate Thanksgiving Day Brunch Buffet in the gorgeous Zuni ballroom from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.. The menus include fresh produce from the award winning Santa Fe Farmers Market and the dinner features the region’s signature cuisine in the form of an Agave & Red Chile Basted Free Range Turkey and Pumpkin Flan for dessert.
Luminaria is a microcosm of Santa Fe itself, always managing to impart casual sophistication and simple elegance, with near perfection and timeless authenticity. Photo courtesy Inn and Spa at Loretto A Destinations Hotel
Anasazi Restaurant
The Anasazi Restaurant at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is offering an incredible new Thanksgiving menu this year. Executive Chef Juan Bochenski has created a delectable three-course Prix Fixe menu featuring Thanksgiving favorites infused with hints of Southwestern flavors. The meal begins with a festive Smoky Pumpkin Bisque with parmesan foam and bacon jam followed by a traditional Organic Roast Turkey served with green chile stuffing, . Complete the meal with a holiday favorite: Pecan Pie with pumpkin custard and cinnamon Chantilly.
Traditional Southwestern cuisine serves as the foundation for the Anasazi Restaurant's menu.
The 40-seat dining room offers guests an intimate dining experience with a sophisticated design featuring leather and linen chairs complementing the natural wood tables. Photo courtesy of Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi.
The Compound Restaurant
Every year, James Beard winner Chef Mark Kiffin’s Compound Restaurant on legendary Canyon Road offers a three course Prix Fixe menu. begining at 3:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Chef plans a menu of traditional and non-traditional items. This includes turkey with stuffing—Embudo Farm's sends 400 pounds of locally sourced turkeys which they brine for days. Also on the menu: Alaskan King Crab salad with truffle vinaigrette, scallops with potato leek puree & roasted brussels sprouts, baby onions with cider glaze, beef tenderloin with creamed horseradish potato au gratin, wild mushroom ragu and haricot verts.
Alexander Girard gave The Compound Restaurant its distinctive look. Girard is best remembered locally for restaurant design and his generous donation of more than 106,000 pieces to Santa Fe's Museum of International Folk Art . Photo courtesy of The Compound Restaurant.Terra of Four Seasons Rancho Encantado
This year Chef Andrew Cooper at Terra of Four Seasons Rancho Encantado is preparing an indulgent feast. Chef is offering a Thanksgiving Day menu of Caja China slow roasted turkey, jalapeno chorizo dressing, fall vegetables, potato puree, giblet gravy, whole roasted tenderloin, grilled lamb T-bones , lump crab, chile de arbol béarnaise. Don’t forget the sides—traditional stuffing, cranberry chutney, roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta , sweet potatoes au gratin.
Sourcing the freshest, local ingredients from the region, Terra features contemporary American cuisine while incorporating New Mexican influences. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort at Rancho Encantado
Coyote Café
At the world famous Coyote Café, every year Chef Eric DiStefano crafts a menu perfectly suited to Thanksgiving in Santa Fe. The menu includes classics like Tellicherry Elk Tenderloin, mesquite grilled Lobster Tails and roasted squab with chestnuts. The centerpiece of this feast is Chef Eric’s Amish-style turkey, a preparation that harkens to his upbringing in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Served in our elegant dining room featuring a copper-clad open kitchen and roaring Kiva fireplace, Coyote Cafe is the perfect spot for a cozy Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.
Chef Eric DiStefano has earned an international reputation as one of the Top Chefs of the Southwest. Photo courtesy of The Coyote Café
Julia
The dining room at this new Santa Fe restaurant retains touches of the 19th century flair for which the original Staab mansion was renowned. Chef Todd Hall's menus pay tribute to the restaurant's original resident with refined flavors and perfectly plated presentations, channeling Mrs. Staab's inspired sense of occasion and style.
Head Chef, Todd Hall at the recently renamed Julia in the newly renovated La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa. Here are just a few of the delicious items that will be gracing the Julia menu: roasted pumpkin soup, roast turkey with sausage pecan dressing, and Tularosa pecan pie.
Chef Todd Hall combines his trademark attention to detail with a flurry of Southwestern flavors to create an enticing, exciting, and unexpected collection of courses. Photo courtesy of La Posada de Santa Fe
Why not celebrate your Thanksgiving with a stay and a Thanksgiving dinner at one of Santa Fe’s restaurants? Check out the calendar here. Whether you are ready to visit us this November or want to plan for a trip next year, you won’t want to forget to request a free travel guide or head to SantaFe.org. I’m sure you’ll find your perfect Santa Fe getaway.
