Save Me a Seat in Santa Fe
Updated: Sep 22
Hot springs, turquoise, margaritas, chiles & some seriously good gluten-free food.
There are vacations where you spend your time figuring out where you can eat, and then there are vacations where you simply pull up a chair and enjoy yourself.
For a little early anniversary celebration, we escaped to Santa Fe for four nights, splitting our stay between the relaxing mineral pools at Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort and the historic charm of Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in the heart of the city. It turned out to be the perfect combination: a couple of days to completely unwind, followed by a couple of days filled with art, shopping, margaritas, beautiful architecture and some fantastic gluten-free meals.
And for my fellow gluten-free travelers, Santa Fe is a city I’d happily return to as there simply wasn’t enough time to eat everywhere. So let’s dig in and pull up a seat to all of these amazing places we did sit down for.
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Ojo Santa Fe: Start With a Soak
Our first two nights were spent at Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort, conveniently located just about 15 minutes from the airport. We were looking for somewhere to decompress before diving into the energy of downtown Santa Fe, and Ojo was exactly what we had in mind.
The communal soaking pools are included with your stay and are open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. We also booked a one-hour private soak for $75 through the spa, which I highly recommend if you want a little extra privacy. Save Me a Seat tip: ask them to light a fire in the Kiva fireplace. Sitting in the warm water with the fire going made the experience feel extra special.
What I loved most about Ojo was how effortlessly it put us into vacation mode. There was no pressure to see everything, stick to a schedule, or rush off to the next thing. We could spend the afternoon soaking, wander off for dinner, come back for another soak under the evening sky, and call it a night.
No agenda. No rushing. Just soaking, relaxing and letting the vacation begin.
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🍽️ Joseph’s Culinary Pub: Come Hungry, Stay for Dessert
Our first dinner was at Joseph’s Culinary Pub, and this was one of those restaurants that immediately made me feel like I was on the right gluten-free vacation. The entire menu had gluten-free choices! There was not one or two sad substitutions, and no need to “ask your server what can be modified.”
We started with the duck-fat French fries, because it’s a rare occasion to get fryer access without gluten getting in our way. For the entree I had the lamb confit with fried Brussels sprouts, and the Brussels sprouts added the perfect crunch. I still can’t believe the dish was gluten-free.
My husband ordered the lamb burger with green chile, and a GF bun was available.
I paired mine with a dry martini — slightly dirty, of course.
But the real surprise was dessert. ALL THE DESSERTS ARE GLUTEN-FREE. This made choosing dessert considerably more difficult than it should have been. We settled on the Strawberry & Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse Cake, but by that point we were so full that we took it to-go. When we opened the box later, I was genuinely impressed. They had included all of the toppings and even two little sugar cookies, so we could assemble the dessert ourselves. It was just as beautiful and special as if we’d eaten it at the restaurant.
Save Me a Seat tip: Even if you’re full, get dessert. Take it to-go. You won’t regret it.
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🛒 The Gluten-Free Travel Trick: Stock the Room
After our dinner at Joseph’s and before heading back to Ojo, we made a quick Whole Foods run for breakfast and lunch supplies. This is one of my favorite things to do when traveling gluten-free. I don’t want to spend every meal hunting down food, so having a few easy options available makes the trip much more relaxing.
Our haul was simple:
Udi’s hamburger buns
Salami
Pepperoni
Ham
Gouda
Dijon mustard
The Good Crisp Company chips
A bottle of Cabernet
We made easy charcuterie-style sandwiches for lunch and kept breakfast simple with coffee and snacks. Nothing fancy, and that’s the point. Sometimes the best travel strategy is having food in the room so you can spend your vacation doing something more fun, like soaking in the hot springs.
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🥂 Blue Heron at the Ojo Resort: Chile, Bison & Chardonnay
Our next dinner at Ojo was at Blue Heron, where we had a 6:45 p.m. reservation. Blue Heron offered seasonal menus dedicated to local cuisine fresh from the Ojo farm. I ordered the Chilecomb Pork Shank and enjoyed a few glasses of Chardonnay. My husband ordered the Bison Short Ribs.
After dinner, we returned to the pools for another soak. The September weather was unexpectedly warm, around 85–90 degrees, so we waited for the sun to set before enjoying a pleasant evening soak. There's something quite special about ending dinner with a hot spring instead of retreating to a hotel room.
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Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi: A Perfect Santa Fe Home Base
After our Ojo stay, we moved into the heart of Santa Fe at Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi. Our check-in wasn’t officially until 4 p.m., so we left our bags with the hotel staff and went out to explore the city.
When we came back, it was margarita time!
🍹 Order the Silver Coin Margarita
After strolling through the city under the warm sun, the hotel’s signature Silver Coin Margarita was just what we needed. The hotel staff were outstanding in ensuring we were comfortable while waiting for our room. Our room was ready by 2 p.m., and upon entering, we found our bags already there. We also discovered a welcome treat: A gluten-free flourless chocolate cake accompanied by an in-room espresso. Now that's my kind of welcome.
And while we’re talking about the little things that make a hotel stay memorable, I have to mention the bath towels. I know, it’s a slightly random thing to rave about, but these towels were huge and fluffy! It’s one of those small details that somehow makes the entire stay feel a little more luxurious. The location was also fantastic. We were close enough to walk to restaurants, shopping, the Plaza, and many of Santa Fe’s historic sights.
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🌶️ Tia Sophia’s: Breakfast With a Serious Chile Habit
But let’s rewind for a minute. While the hotel was getting our room ready, we headed out to explore, and, more importantly, grab some brunch. Our first stop was Tia Sophia’s, a Santa Fe institution known for its classic New Mexican breakfast. Our brunch at Tia Sophia’s delivered exactly what I was hoping for from a Santa Fe breakfast. I ordered the breakfast enchiladas with red and green chile, and they were worth the wait.
Santa Fe has a way of making chile feel like its own food group. And I was perfectly happy to participate.
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🌀 The Loretto Chapel Staircase
One of the stops that was absolutely worth making was the Loretto Chapel, home to Santa Fe’s famous mysterious staircase. Finally seeing the staircase in person was indescribable. So much detail and care went into the carpentry and art of the staircase. The story surrounding its unusual construction has become part of Santa Fe folklore, making it one of those quick tourist stops that actually lives up to the hype.
Admission was $5.
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🎨 Art, Turquoise & Wandering the Plaza
We happened to be visiting during the Labor Day Fiesta Fine Arts & Crafts Market, which filled the Plaza with local artists. We spent hours wandering around, meeting artists and browsing the booths.
One of the things I loved most about Santa Fe was that there was never any pressure to have a packed itinerary. You could walk around, duck into a gallery, grab a margarita, shop for jewelry and just let the afternoon unfold naturally.
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🍷 La Boca: Tapas + The GF Bread You Will Dream About
However, something we did schedule was our dinner at La Boca. This was just a short walk from our hotel, where we enjoyed spending a few hours chatting over a tapas-style Spanish meal. This very quickly became one of our favorite dining experiences. The sangria olives are something that should be jarred just so you can take them home with you, and the beets and artichoke dishes were exceptional.
But if you’re gluten-free, there’s one thing I really want you to remember: ASK FOR THE GF BAGUETTES WITH GARLIC BUTTER. Seriously, you will dream about them. There are some gluten-free foods you eat because it’s the option available, and then there are foods that make you momentarily forget you’re eating gluten-free. Get the baguettes and garlic butter.
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🍳 Pasqual’s: Worth the Wait
The next morning, we strolled approximately five minutes from the Rosewood to Pasqual’s for breakfast. This cozy and well-liked place often requires a wait. We waited about 45 minutes, but since we were in the city, there were many nearby places to explore while waiting for the text notification that our table was ready.
The decor, staff and food were fantastic, and my pastrami hash with corn tortillas and a side of their green chile sauce was exactly what I wanted.
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🔔 The Sounds of Santa Fe
One of my favorite memories from walking the city and staying at the Rosewood wasn’t actually something we ate or saw, but something we heard. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was close enough that we could hear the bells chiming from around town and our open hotel windows.
There are certain sounds that become attached to a place. Those bells became one of the sounds of Santa Fe for me.
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🍹 The Shed: Margaritas Count as Lunch
We also stopped at The Shed, a James Beard Award-winning Santa Fe institution located near the hotel. We were still completely full from breakfast at Pasqual's, so we didn’t attempt a full meal. Instead, we opted for margaritas, chips and guacamole. While this was just a small taste we really enjoyed sitting with other patrons at the bar.
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💍 Anasazi: The Anniversary Dinner
Our final big dinner was at Anasazi Restaurant, located right inside the Rosewood, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. We were celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary a month early, so we wanted something special and Chef Cristian Pontiggia delivered.
Dinner felt like an art exhibit you could eat. We started with the Tuna Carpaccio, which reminded me of a beautifully deconstructed sushi roll. Then came the Jamón Serrano, another flavorful little work of art. For our main course, we shared the wild-caught Chilean sea bass.
Every dish was beautiful. Every bite had something interesting going on. And the whole experience felt celebratory without feeling overly formal. It was the kind of dinner where you slow down between courses because you don’t want the night to end.
For an anniversary celebration, it was perfect. Our waitress also happened to love the Macon-Villages Chardonnay I selected, which made talking about the wine, and enjoying another glass, even more enjoyable.
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🌯 One Last Bite: Burrito Company
Before heading to the airport, we made one final stop at Burrito Company. Conveniently located right next door to the Rosewood hotel. And I'm about to say something that may be controversial: Burrito Company's salsa and guacamole beat The Shed. Perfectly spicy salsa and a nice chunky guacamole.
I ordered the ground beef taco plate, which hit the spot, especially after we may or may not have had a few extra drinks celebrating our last night. Then, it was off to the airport.
Our flight left at 3:30 p.m., and we were home around 4. Gotta love a time change in the right direction.
Save Me a Seat, Santa Fe. I’ll be back.
🌶️ THE SAVE ME A SEAT SANTA FE SCORECARD
Gluten-free dining: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Santa Fe made gluten-free dining surprisingly easy, with several restaurants offering dedicated GF options and some going far beyond the basics.
Relaxation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ojo Santa Fe, soaking in the pools was a wonderful way to start the trip. Ending with the church bells downtown Santa Fe was perfect.
Walkability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Staying at the Rosewood put us within easy walking distance of restaurants, shopping, the Plaza and many of Santa Fe’s historic sights.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
From chile-covered enchiladas to tapas and fine dining, Santa Fe delivered.
Cocktails: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Silver Coin Margaritas!
Should we go back?
Absolutely.
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