For a small town, we are lucky to have many lovely restaurants in Santa Fe, and dining is one of the biggest attractions. Among the plentiful offerings, there are a few that would easily stand toe-to-toe with respected restaurants in big cities. To me, Coyote Café has always stood out because of the high-level cuisine, selection of wine, well-crafted cocktails and the absolute graciousness of everyone who works there. It is the kind of place that makes everyone feel appreciated and every occasion a special one. And, the adjacent more casual Coyote Cantina, remains a hot spot for summer fun. (Check out its new menu launching this week!)
When Coyote owners, Nicole and Quinn Stephenson, added SantaCafé to their growing empire, in 2019, they did the city a favor. It has always been a nice place and endured several decades but it craved a new beginning. The Coyote pack breathed life throughout its walls and patio and kitchen. And, in this post-Covid reawakening, it is ready to strut its stuff.
So, as soon as my vaccines were complete, I could not wait to get out! My friend Beth and I celebrated her birthday at Coyote Café and it felt like a mini vacation. The sumptuous food and drinks excelled, as always, and it was great to see the faces who make Coyote special, from the kitchen, to the bar, to the old and new servers on the floor.
A few days later, another friend and I had dinner on the relaxed-yet-elegant SantaCafe patio. With Exec Chef Dale Kester at the helm, and some of Santa Fe’s finest working the front of the house, every dish and interaction was a delight. And, the cocktails and wine list rival Coyote Café’s.
Nicole credits her husband for their business surviving last year. “We made it through by having a strong, positive and strategic businessman in Quinn, he’s a natural leader!” She says that everything became a game of strategy as they wondered what all of us in hospitality were thinking: How long will this last? Who will survive and what will the industry look like after? She says that the outdoor space at both venues helped them to capitalize on some business during the warmer months while they consciously allocated funds for the winter and negotiated lease amendments. Nicole sees it this way:
“2020 strongly reminded us of the importance of human connection. When we were closed, we missed our friends; both our guests and all the people we work with every day. The restaurants bring people together and it is something we love most about being in this business. We take pride in fostering an environment that celebrates the love and beauty that is born from sitting around a table and sharing food together. This was momentarily taken away from us and we will never take it for granted…We are so happy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Both Coyote and Santacafé menus are offering their pre-Covid favorites, and all of the restaurants have new seasonal cocktails and food items. I look forward to running in to you all at any of them!
Coyote Cafe: everyday, 5-Close
Coyote Cantina: everyday, 11:30-Close
SantaCafe: everyday, 11:30-2:30 and 5-Close