You know you're in a food-conscious place when the local newspaper uses chiles (and onions) to rate movies, as does Santa Fe's New Mexican. A large part of that city's cachet as a chic destination derives from its famous cuisine, while Taos and Albuquerque are developing notable reputations themselves. The competition among restaurants is fierce, which means that locals are spoiled rotten by the selection of good food on hand, and visitors have plenty of options from which to choose. Aside from establishments serving the northern New Mexican and New Southwestern cuisine that the region is famed for, you can also find French, Italian, Asian, Indian, and interesting hybrids of those. Luckily, not all the top restaurants are high-end; several hidden gems satisfy your taste buds without emptying your wallet.
Note that reservations are always recommended at the higher-end restaurants and are essential during peak seasons. Throughout the region, only a few restaurants serve late, so be sure to plan dinner before 8pm. Most restaurants are casual, so almost any attire is fine, though for the more expensive ones, jeans and flip-flops might not be your best choice.
