Santa Fe Specialty

Family-owned Ohori's has been in operation since the original founder Susan Ohori (who learned to roast beans from Alfred Peet, of Peet's Coffee) first claimed the space in 1984. The owners here are passionate about coffee, meticulously sourcing beans and roasting them in Santa Fe—pour-over is their drink of choice, though you can also get milk-based drinks and bulletproof coffee here. There's a lovely outdoor patio that gets buzzy in the summer months.

Off the main drag near Shake Foundation and next door to sister restaurant Vinaigrette (also owned by creative/chef Erin Wade), Modern General is hybrid of a general store, juice bar, and bakery in one. The walls of the airy, barn-like space are filled with items for the home (tools, books, kitchen gadgets, office supplies), garden (overalls, seeds, tools), and foodstuffs like gourmet mustards, staples like sugar and flour, and homemade pies that are famous in the neighborhood. In the back, there's a juice bar with plenty of healthy snacks and lunch items, all sourced from Wade's farm, and tables with Wifi for customers.

The case at this quintessentially New Mexican chocolate shop is always full of little delights, but they really specialize in drinking chocolate—rich, creamy cups of liquid chocolate. Kakawa describes the drinks as "chocolate elixirs," and serves them in Mesoamerican, European, and contemporary styles, tracing the history of the practice from the Mayans and Aztecs who invented it, to the Europeans who co-opted it, to the present day. Needless to say, this is a must-stop for anyone traveling with kiddos.

With a LEED-certified building at the Santa Fe rail yards that allows them to stay open year-round despite New Mexico's chilly winters, the Santa Fe Farmers Market is widely considered to be one of the best in the country (it's also one of the oldest, originating back in the 1960s and running continuously since that time). A major signature of the market is the board's high standards for local produce, which must be grown in the state of New Mexico to be included in the market at all.

The coffee and pastries are perfectly good at Downtown Subscription, but people really come here for the atmosphere—the place is always buzzing with locals picking up their morning coffee, reading magazines and books from the huge library on the side wall. That, and the fact that it's downtown and has its own parking lot, which is pretty clutch in this town.

While this casual burger spot is known for its take on New Mexico’s iconic green chile cheeseburger, the shakes here are the real draw. Made from local Taos Cow ice cream, they are in a league of their own—flavors change daily, ranging from standard vanilla and chocolate to lavender and salted caramel. No-fuss, outdoor picnic-style tables and string lights add to the old-school charm. Plus, the burgers are super affordable, priced around just $4.