Secreto Bar & Loggia is the bar of the beautiful Hotel St. Francis, a National Trust historic building which has been a Santa Fe landmark since 1880. Despite it being a hotel bar, Secreto is actually a favorite among the locals. Cozy up in its upscale interior in the winter and congregate on the outdoor patio during the summer. Unwind with a few appetizers and a fresh cocktail.
The Matador is a funky and unpretentious bar that is popular with locals and distinctly atypical for Santa Fe. It is as close as a downtown establishment gets to a dive bar, although it is clean and safe. Enter the tiny, underground space via a sheer blink-and-you'll-miss-it staircase. The walls are adorned with framed cult movie posters and band fliers, and the large flat screen TV shows movies. Service is friendly and the tiny space is intimate and fun. This place gets packed on the weekends and seating is hard to come by, so prepare for the crowds.
With an award-winning background in the culinary world, Chef Joseph Wrede along with his friend Marty Bidus opened Joseph's of Santa Fe on Agua, located at Fria Street. The restaurant serves scrumptious American food and has an impressive bar menu as well. Regulars at Joseph's recommend Sweet & Spicy Glazed ½ Duck Confit,Cast-Iron Bronzed Cauliflower and Joseph’s Table’s N.M. Steak au Poivre. Dessert highlight is their Butterscotch Pudding with Caramel Sauce & Sea Salt. The ambiance is highly sophisticated with elegant furnishings and fixtures.
Perched atop La Fonda on the Plaza on the 5th floor is the Bell Tower Bar, an entirely unique outdoor Santa Fe Bar that is ideally situated for sipping a cocktail while enjoying the sunset or enjoying a light lunch or dinner, all while soaking in the sunshine. It is heralded as one of the best looking bars in Santa Fe, the Bell Tower offers an enticing menu of light bites as well as a premium list of top shelf cocktails. Open seasonally from 11:45 am to sunset.
