Cafe Pasqual’s, photo/Steve Collins
Breakfast in Santa Fe wouldn’t be complete without a breakfast burrito. My favorite: bacon, green chile, eggs, potatoes and cheese, smothered with green chile and cheese. The best ones have the perfect ratio of ingredients so that each bite has some of all the elements. Burritos are usually offered with your choice of meat. For the full breakfast burrito experience, have it smothered in red or green chile (or both together, which we call Christmas). Vegetarian? The meatless version is wonderful. If they put meat in their chile; order hand held with chopped green chile. I have that on occasion. Here are eight of our favorite places on the Santa Fe breakfast burrito trail:
Café Pasqual: A visit to Santa Fe needs to include a breakfast here, a place revered by locals and visitors alike. Try the community table. By the time you have finished you won’t be a stranger. They offer a chorizo burrito smothered in cheddar and green chile and a new addition offers a mélange of different cheeses.
La Plazuela at La Fonda: La Fonda’s historic dining room completed a renovation a couple of years ago but the influences of Fred Harvey architect and designer Mary Jane Coulter continue to be present in a gracious Santa Fe hospitality of an earlier era. Sit by the fountain while you enjoy this local favorite.
Plaza Café Southside: This sister eatery to the historic Plaza Café on Lincoln Avenue in downtown Santa Fe is a great place to enjoy a breakfast burrito. The two cafes are run separately by different members of the Razatos family. The Southside is located in the cluster of restaurants near the Regal Santa Fe Stadium 14 theater on Zafarano Drive. The original Plaza Restaurant suffered extensive fire damage in October 2010. Rumor has it that they will be opening early 2012.
Tecolote Cafe: This perennial breakfast favorite always has a line out the door but the wait is worth it. Their delicious potatoes are usually served on the side, but they’ll put them inside (my preference) if you ask. You can substitute posole or beans for the potatoes.
The Pantry, on Cerrillos Road is the place I had my first tortilla burger, but that’s a separate story. Besides the usual bacon and ham, the meat choices in their burritos include carne adovado, corned beef, and my favorite here: chorizo.
Tia Sophia: This long-time favorite located at 210 West San Francisco Street, a block from the historic Plaza, has had locals coming downtown for years for their tasty New Mexico breakfasts and lunches. Their burritos are top-notch.
There are more great places in town for breakfast burritos or another local favorite, huevos rancheros if you prefer and most places offer many other options to start the day.
What’s your favorite Santa Fe dining spot for a breakfast burrito? Let us know.
Authors’ note: As a former hotel concierges and owners of a travel concierge and trip-planning business in Santa Fe, the writers may have been guests of business or services mentioned in posts on this site. While these experiences have not influenced us in any way, this information is provided in the spirit of full disclosure.
The Pantry: on Cerrillos Road is the place I had my first tortilla burger, but that’s a separate story. Besides the usual bacon and ham, the meat choices in their burritos include carne adovada, corned beef, and my favorite here: chorizo.
Tia Sophia: on San Francisco Street, a block from the historic Plaza, has had locals coming downtown for years to enjoy their tasty New Mexico breakfasts and lunches.
El Chile Toreado: Cheryl Alters Jamison, Culinary Liaison with the New Mexico Tourism Department and award-winning cookbook author, reminded me of that food cart on Cordova Road, east of Cerrillos Road, that’s been there for years, has great hand-held breakfast burritos.
There are more great places in town for breakfast burritos or another favorite, huevos rancheros, if you prefer. Most places offer many other options to start the day. What’s your favorite Santa Fe place to have a breakfast burrito? Leave a comment below.
The Pantry, on Cerrillos Road is the place I had my first tortilla burger, but that’s a separate story. Besides the usual bacon and ham, the meat choices in their burritos include carne adovado, corned beef, and my favorite here: chorizo.
Tia Sophia: on San Francisco Street a block from the historic has had locals coming downtown for years for their tasty New Mexico breakfasts and lunches.
There are more great places in town for breakfast burritos or another favorite, huevos rancheros if you prefer and most places offer many other options to start the day. What’s your favorite Santa Fe place to have a breakfast burrito? Leave a comment below.
Hidden gem for breakfast burritos: Salazar’s Cafe in the Bataan Building. Billie or Steve, have you been?
Hi Karen,
Funny you should mention that. When I ran the cafe in the Montoya building. I took it over from them. Glad to hear they’re still going strong. That family has a phenomenal work ethic. I’ll have to stop in. That may be the last of the state office building cafeterias. Thanks for the tip. Steve
Best vegan hand held burritos, Treehouse Bakery and Cafe and Aztec Cafe. Yum!
Thanks for these great tips, Deb.
I really love trails. Ones that have breakfast burritos on it are even better. The picture of El Chile Toreado’s burrito looks pretty darn appetizing.