Bull Ring

505-983-3328 *150 Washington Ave.*This steak house is one of Santa Fe's best restaurants. (More information coming soon.)

Café Pasqual's

505-983-9340 * 121 Don Gaspar Ave., corner of Water Street, one block south of the Plaza * Parking across the street in city parking lot * Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch * $$$$ * Major credit cards * Beer and wine * Smoke-free

Dave's Not Here

505-983-7060 * 1115 Hickox St. (going west on Paseo de Peralta, after it crosses St. Francis, the street name changes to Hickox-four blocks down, on the right) Lunch and dinner * $$ * Cash * Beer and wine * Smoke-free * No reservations

Whether it's the excellent fresh quality of the food, the generous portions or the informal, neighborhood restaurant atmosphere in the single, friendly dining room, Dave's Not Here has been a popular gathering place almost 20 years. Favorites are homemade chiles rellenos, blue corn chicken enchiladas, chimichangas, the big Greek salad and Dave's famous 9-ounce hamburger. Domestic and imported beers go well, or try the house wine. If you have room, the homemade desserts such as ice cream pie and mile-high chocolate cake add the finishing touch. The quiet, neighborhood setting makes Dave's an especially nice place to bring the family, and children's plates are available.

Grant Corner Inn

505-983-6678 * 122 Grant Ave. * Open Monday-Saturday for breakfast, and Sunday for brunch * $$$ * Major credit cards * Smoke-free * Reservations

This morning, and every morning, you may join a select group of people for breakfast at the Grant Corner Inn, an elegant Santa Fe bed-and-breakfast hotel. We offer the city's finest full gourmet breakfast, featuring a frothy fruit frappe drink, fresh fruit, cereal, a daily special entrée either savory or sweet, and freshly baked muffins and breads, all served with considerate attentiveness and friendly smiles. The entrees change every day, and reflect the cuisine of Holland, Mexico and other countries. You will delight in our Old World décor of carefully selected antiques and family heirlooms and be warmed by the homemade flavor and thoughtfulness that go into all our food. After you have joined us once, you're sure to want to come back for breakfast at the Grant Corner Inn.

La Choza

505-982-0909 * 905 Alarid St. near Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive intersection * Lunch, dinner, carry-out * $$ * Major credit cards * Beer and wine * Smoke-free

From the people who bring Santa Fe The Shed, which has been serving delighted downtown diners a wide variety of New Mexican dishes for almost 50 years, La Choza is a casual restaurant serving Northern New Mexican food at affordable prices. Specialties include chile verde con papas, posole, chile con carne y frijoles, carne adovada, posole, guacamole and vegetarian plates. It's located off the beaten path, in an old ranch house, replete with vigas and brick floors, and has pleasant patio dining to make a summer meal complete. Offering continuous service, La Choza is the perfect place to come enjoy a meal at any time. Few diners can resist the luscious mocha cake for dessert.

Maria's New Mexican Kitchen

505-983-7929 * 555 W. Cordova Road, east of St. Francis Drive * Lunch and dinner * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and nonsmoking * Reservations

A dining tradition for more than 50 years, Maria's New Mexican Kitchen has maintained the quality and homemade cooking style of Old Santa Fe. Maria's blue corn enchiladas, pork or vegetarian tamales, chiles rellenos and Mexican-style ribs are but a few of the favorites. Maria's beef, chicken, shrimp and vegetarian fajitas have won numerous awards. You can watch native cooks making your tortilla by hand. Traditional homemade desserts including flan, natillas, Mexican chocolate mousse and sopa top off a perfect evening in Maria's old adobe atmosphere. Mexican troubadors play on weekends, and the best Margaritas in town, each hand-shaken from scratch, make Maria's a must for authentic New Mexican cuisine and atmosphere. Full-service bar and extensive wine list.

Maria Ysabel

505-986-8223 * 301 Jefferson St., downtown * Lunch and dinner * $$ * Major credit cards * Beer and wine * Smoke-free * No reservations

Maria Ysabel, chosen by "Good Morning, America" to represent New Mexican cooking, truly exemplifies the unique taste of Santa Fe. Owner Bell Mondragon personally prepares the food, and creates unique recipes to satisfy your palate. Maria Ysabel is a family restaurant, casual and friendly. Favorites include huevos rancheros, chicarron burrito, a children's menu and American food. On Friday and Saturday nights you may even be treated to an impromptu musical performance by Bell's singing and guitar-playing husband Roberto, a former New Mexico lieutenant governor, and the charming voice of a grandchild, Chaco. Family-style dinners are hearty eight-course offerings for the healthy appetite. And vegetarian diners will be pleased to find many selections to choose from. Come to Maria Ysabel, enjoy our patio, and join our family.

Old Mexico Grill

505-473-0338 * 2434 Cerrillos Road in College Plaza South * Lunch and dinner * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and non-smoking * Reservations

Discover exciting Old Mexico-style cuisine served in an intimate casual atmosphere. Regional dishes are delicately seasoned with fresh herbs and spices, and cooked to perfection in zesty sauces. The exhibition cooking area features a mesquite grill and a French rotisserie. Freshly baked beans and desserts are also featured - especially the custard rice pudding. Come taste the flavors everyone is talking about-and writing about, as well: In the words of The New York Times: "the dishes are filled with flavor, light and vibrant." The Albuquerque Tribune noted that "the service is just as good as the food." Harper's Bazaar was impressed by the "good food and stiff drinks." And the Albuquerque Journal could not get over the "magical desserts." You won't either.

Orehouse Restaurant

505-983-8687 * On the Plaza * Lunch and Dinner * For more information, please call or see website.

Palace Restaurant and Saloon

505-982-9891 * 142 West Palace Ave. * Lunch and dinner * Saloon 11 a.m.-2 a.m. * Patio dining in season * $$$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Nonsmoking dining room * Reservations

The Palace Restaurant and Saloon is built on one of Santa Fe's most notorious sites, the 18^th-century gambling house of Dona Tules, patronized by wealthy Santa Feans, merchants from the East, and U.S. Army officers from Fort Marcy. Dona Tules saloon has long passed from the scene, but the palace Restaurant, renowned for its fine cuisine since 1961, has built a tradition of its own. Brothers Lino, Piedro and Bruno carry on the tradition of fine food at the Palace, just as their father did as chef at the famous Villa d' Esta in the Lake Como region of northern Italy. With specials changing daily, the finest Continental cuisine is offered at the Palace, including fresh seafood, homemade pastas, and veal dishes from the extensive menu, as well as fine wines from the well-stocked cellar. Dining is leisurely in this Victorian setting, and service is by an international team.

Restaurante Rancho de Chimayo

505-984-2100 * State Road 520 (27 miles north of Santa Fe: U.S. Highway 285 to State Road 503 to State Road 520), Chimayo * Lunch and dinner * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and nonsmoking * Reservations

Nestled in the mountains of Northern New Mexico is the small village of Chimayo, where you will find the popular Restaurante Rancho de Chimayo. Located in a century-old adobe home with whitewashed walls and hand-stripped vigas, this restaurant is a Northern New Mexico jewel. Your hosts, the Jaramillo family, can trace their roots in the area back to the 1700s, to the first Spanish settlers. The restaurant is located on what was once the home of Hermenegildo and Trinidad Jaramillo. The menu features native New Mexican cuisine prepared with locally grown products, from recipes that have been in the family for generations. Dine indoors or outside on the lush patio. The fame of this restaurant has spread far and wide, so reservations are strongly recommended. A visit to Rancho de Chimayo is one you'll long remember. Inquire about rooms at the Hacienda for a special overnight stay in the area.

La Fonda Hotel

505-982-5511 * 100 East San Francisco Street, on the Plaza * La Plazuela Dining Room: breakfast, lunch and dinner * La Fiesta: lounge menu 11 a.m.-10 p.m., plus later snacks * The Bell Tower: cocktails * (La Terraza and the Bell Tower open seasonally) * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and nonsmoking * Reservations and walk-ins

Read The Author at La Fonda by Richard McCord

El Farol

505-983-9912 * 808 Canyon Road * Lunch and dinner * $$$ * Major credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and nonsmoking * Patio * Reservations recommended

El Farol has become a Santa Fe favorite for two good reasons: excellent food and superb entertainment. In the uniquely Santa Fe rustic setting, El Farol features tapas, the popular appetizer from Spain. The menu headlines more than 30 varieties of tapas for you to choose from. Select any combination you like, hot or cold, to create a unique meal at any time. From seafood selections to chicken, meat and vegetarian, El Farol's tapas will enchant you and draw you back for more. The setting is pure Santa Fe in the century-old building perched along Canyon Road. In the bar, you'll find old-world murals painted on the whitewashed walls, a rough-hewn wooden bar and lots of local color and history. But the real topper in the bar is the evening entertainment and the dance floor, small though it is. Whatever your pleasure, in food or entertainment, you'll find it at El Farol.

Mine Shaft Tavern

505-473-0743 * 2846 State Highway 14, Madrid, 25 miles south of Santa Fe * Lunch and dinner * $$ * Major credit cards * Full bar * Smoking * No reservations

To visit the old coal-mining village of Madrid is to step back in time, or to step into another dimension, with the town's current reincarnation as a funky mixture of history and hip. Whatever brings you, a stop at the Mine Shaft Tavern, with its 40-foot lodge-pole pine bar, is a must. Whether for lunch or dinner, your visit will be memorable. Sample the famous extra-lean charcoal-grill hamburgers, made to order and generous in size. Or perhaps a buffalo steak, in season, will take you back to the early 1900s. Great sandwiches and homemade soup back up the daily specials. And the live music on weekends, mixed with the rustic atmosphere, will make you wonder what era you have slipped into. The Mine Shaft is a truly unique experience. Don't miss it.

El Nido

505-988-4340 * Take U.S. Highway 84/285 north or Bishop's Lodge Road north to Tesuque; five minutes from the Santa Fe Opera, five miles from the Plaza * Dinner every night * $$$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and non-smoking

For an exceptional dining experience, visit El Nido in the charming village of Tesuque. A local landmark for more than 60 years, El Nido has as many as seven fresh seafood selections each night, plus the finest aged beef and prime rib, all served in an authentic adobe atmosphere enhanced by fireplaces and local artwork. The nightly specials vary according to season, and all are memorable. The homemade desserts deserve a spotlight of their own-such as the profiterolles, a luscious combination of puff pastry filled with vanilla ice cream and covered with El Nido's own chocolate sauce. So when you feel the urge for the finest dining to be found, just take the short drive to Tesuque and El Nido.

The Noon Whistle

505-988-2636 * 451 W. Alameda St. * Lunch * $ * No credit cards * No alcohol * Smoke-free * No reservations

Soups and sandwiches, the tastiest in town-that's the Noon Whistle, Santa Fe's friendly, informal lunch spot. It serves both hot and cold sandwiches, all made of the freshest ingredients. The turkey and beef are roasted right on the premises to ensure fine flavor. Vegetarian soups and sandwiches also are available. Call-in orders are welcome, or just come in and take a seat in the neighborly lunchroom or on the sunny patio.

The Old House

505-988-4455 * 309 W. San Francisco St., in the Eldorado Hotel * Dinner * $$$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoke-free * Reservations

The Old House, in Santa Fe's only five-star hotel, offers outstanding food in an atmosphere of understated elegance. The New Southwestern menu blends elements of Continental, California and other cuisines into a completely creative selection. The menu changes weekly, but the favorites include fire-roasted pasilla pepper stuffed with asiago, mascarponi and goat cheese, served with tomato vinagrette; or medallions of veal tenderloin with citrus and glazed vegetables. The service is exceptional, as is the wine list, chosen especially for The Old House, and featuring 30 choices by the glass.

Link to Eldorado Hotel and Old House Restaurant

Ore House on the Plaza

505-983-8687 * 50 Lincoln Ave. at San Francisco Street * Lunch and dinner every day * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and non-smoking

Think of warm adobe, colorful tiles, the smell of pinon, and friendly people serving you the tastes of the Southwest: ceviche, guacamole, fresh fish, Steak Mexica, ice-cold beer and dozens of varieties of margaritas. You'll be thinking of the Ore House. A downtown landmark, right on the Plaza since 1976, this second-floor restaurant features prime aged beef, an array of seafood specialties, lamb, chicken, vegetarian dishes and dinners for the kids. Balcony dining overlooking the Plaza in season. It's the true taste of Santa Fe.

San Francisco Street Bar & Grill

505-982-2044 * 114 W. San Francisco St., downstairs at Plaza Mercado * Lunch and dinner * $$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking/Nonsmoking * No reservations

The San Francisco Street Bar & Grill is a favorite among locals, with its continuous offerings of well-prepared, quality food in an easy, relaxed atmosphere. The menu features sandwiches half-pound hamburgers, fresh fish and grilled specialties, as well as freshly made soups, salads and desserts, all reasonably priced. Stop in at any time, seven days a week, for a drink, snacks or a great meal, in the downtown heart of Santa Fe.

The Shed

505-982-9030  *  13½  E. Palace Ave., half a block from the Plaza * Lunch * $$$ * Most credit cards * Beer and wine * Smoke-free * No reservations

The Shed, located in a historic adobe hacienda dating back to 1692, has become a dining tradition for locals and visitors alike. The festive atmosphere of its folk-art style, with decorated walls and windows can brighten up any day. For almost half a century The Shed has offered a distinctive selection of Northern New Mexico dishes. You will be greeted by a warm, friendly staff, but be sure to come early, as the crowds gather quickly outside on almost any day. Don't forget to treat yourself to one of the delectable desserts, such as mocha cake or raspberry sundae.

Shohko-Café

505-983-7288 * 321 Johnson St., at Guadalupe * Free parking in rear * Lunch and dinner * $$$ * Most credit cards * Beer, wine and sake * Smoke-free * Reservations

For Santa Feans and vistitors, Shohko-Café is synonymous with fine Japanese cuisine. For more than 20 years Shohko has built its reputation, with the freshest possible food, with absolutely no sugar or preservatives added. The menu features ginger beef, yakitori, sashimi, and vegetarian and Chinese selections, as well as a special Southwestern treat, green chile tempura. The sushi bar offers more than 30 artfully prepared varieties. The atmosphere of Shohko-Café is a blending of East and West, comfortable and relaxed.

Steaksmith at El Gancho

505-988-3333 * Seven miles from the Plaza, out Old Santa Fe Trail on the Old Las Vegas Highway * Dinner only * $$$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoke-free dining room * Reservations

A restaurant that always ranks at the top for consistency of food and service is the Steaksmith at El Gancho. For a quarter-century this popular dinner-only establishment has served more than a million dinners of the finest aged beef and highest-quality seafood. This is fine dining-with items ranging from 18 tasty appetizers to some of the most delicious homemade desserts anywhere. Professional service is guaranteed, and the ambience is bold and beautiful, yet relaxed and comfortable in a Santa Fe way. An easy 10-minute drive from downtown, El Gancho also offers splendid views of sunset and mountains. Ask a local. Then go enjoy.

Souper Salad

505-473-1211 * 2428 Cerrillos Road, in College Plaza South * Lunch and dinner * $ * No credit cards * No alcohol * Smoke-free * No reservations

For the best all-you-can-eat salad bar in Santa Fe, head for Souper Salad. It offers more than 60 salad items that will both delight your palate and satisfy your hunger. Fast service in a friendly, family atmosphere is enhanced by antique furniture and old-fashioned décor. In addition to the salad bar, four homemade soups are offered daily, plus a variety of special sandwiches. Or you can build your own baked potato from a selection of eight different toppings-a meal in itself. Fresh-baked gingerbread and cornbread smothered in honey is provided with all meals. Children's menu and take-out service are also available. For a 1930s atmosphere, serving 21^st-century appetites, visit Souper Salad.

Tecolote Café

505-988-1362 * 1203 Cerrillos Road * Breakfast and lunch, Tuesday-Sunday * $ * Most credit cards * Beer and wine * Smoking and non-smoking * No reservations

The Tecolote Café has made breakfast Santa Fe's favorite meal, especially for those who order the Breakfast Burrito, Huevos Rancheros or Shirred Eggs Tecolote. These and all the other items on the menu are made fresh daily. Lunch is as imaginative and hearty as breakfast, featuring specials such as Green Chile Stew and Tostada Compuesta, a corn tortilla fried crisp and heaped with beans, cheese, chile, lettuce, tomato, more cheese and guacamole. But breakfast is the main attraction. To start the day like Santa Feans do, Tecolote is where it's at.

Tortilla Flats

505-471-8685 * 3139 Cerrillos Road * Breakfast, lunch and dinner * $ * Major credit cards * Beer and wine * Nonsmoking * Children's menu * Take-out * No reservations

"The best New Mexican restaurant is Tortilla Flats," said Conde Nast Traveler magazine. "Inside is a pleasant atmosphere, delightful service and food that is imaginative, fresh and delicious." If you had the time and the freshest of ingredients, perhaps you would prepare food the way Tortilla Flats does. But if you don't, how nice that this well-established Santa Fe restaurant does it for you. All you have to do is make your choice from the American and native New Mexican cuisine menu-then enjoy your meal at a place that Santa Feans have learned to call home. Don't forget to bring the family.

Upper Crust Pizza

505-983-4140 * 329 Old Santa Fe Trail, next to the Oldest Church * Lunch and dinner * $$ * No credit cards * Beer and wine * No reservations * Free delivery

It's hard to say what's best about Upper Crust Pizza-the wonderful views or the outstanding pizza. The front patio has been a favorite Santa Fe spot for almost 20 years; there is no better place to enjoy a pizza and a cold beer than while watching the passing parade on the Old Santa Fe Trail downtown. You can also come inside to the relaxing dining rooms. Or just stay home and call for delivery, within the nearby area. But above all, don't miss the pizza, which consistently ranks as Santa Fe's best. The selection is as imaginative as it is delicious. There is the whole-wheat veggie with sesame seeds and diced tomatoes. Or the Grecian gourmet with feta and olives. Or the all-time-favorite Combination Supreme. For discriminating pizza lovers, Upper Crust lives up to its name.

Zia Diner

505-988-7008 * 326 South Guadalupe St. * Lunch and dinner, seven days * Summer patio dining * $$ * Most credit cards * Full bar * Smoking and non-smoking

Hungry for flavorful American favorites? Then come to the Zia Diner for a wide range of choices pleasing to both the palate and the pocketbook. Features include homemade soups, including vegetarian, and daily specials of pasta, fish and meat. Pizzas are baked in a wood-burning stove, the soda fountain is fun anytime, and our generous bar lists 14 different beers and Guinness stout on tap. Two longstanding favorites are the deep-dish chicken pot pie and the Zia meatloaf-just good, honest eating. Check out this renovated century-old warehouse in its art-deco finery. Families welcome. See ya at the Zia!