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623 PASEO DEL PUEBLO NORTE
In Good Spirits
THECELLARTAOS.COM
From tropical notes to crisp classics, our summer lineup is stocked with small-batch standouts and seasonal favorites. Whether you're mixing for a crowd or sipping solo, find your perfect pour at The Cellar.
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PIZZA WITH A VIEW BY CINDY BROWN
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RYAN TRUJILLO
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LARRY MARTINEZ JEWELER
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THE CELLAR
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AMINA’S CHILDREN’S BOUTIQUE
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LOS RIOS RIVER RUNNERS
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PHOENIX MECHANICAL
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METRIC MOTORS
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DON BRACKETT
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5 STAR BURGERS
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ACEQ RESTAURANT
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ADOBE BAR AND GRILL
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AZTECA MEXICAN GRILL
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BENT STREET GRILLE
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CID'S FOOD MARKET
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DOC MARTIN'S
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EARTH OVEN
BY EKIN BALCIOĞLU
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EL MONTE
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EMBUDO VALLEY VINEYARD
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GOLDEN PIÑON
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GORGE BAR & GRILL
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GUADALAJARA GRILL
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GUTIZ
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HUNAN CHINESE RESTAURANT
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LA CARRETA
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LA CUEVA CAFÉ
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LA TERRAZA DE TAOS
DINING WITH THE SUNSET BY ARIELLE REYNA
26 COOL TREATS FOR A HOT SUMMER BY EKIN BALCIOĞLU
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CONTENTS
TAOS ON THE RISE
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LAMBERTS
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LEGACY CAFE
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THE LOUNGE AT ROLLING STILL DISTILLERY
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LUCKY'S TACOS
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MANTE'S CHOW CART
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MEDLEY
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NEW MEXICO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION
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PARCHT
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PIZAÑOS
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SUCHNESS
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SUP BBQ
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TAOS FOOD CO-OP
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ZIGGY'S
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TAOS COFFEE ROASTERS
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TOMMOROW AND TOMMOROW
PHOTO: Courtesy Earth Oven
575-758-2241 · taosnews.com · taosmenus.com S T A F F Robin Martin, Owner / Chris Baker, Publisher / Mary Chavez, Business Manager / Ellen Miller-Goins, Magazine Editor / Paul Gutches, Creative Director / Chris Wood, Advertising Director / Shawn Roberts, Circulation Director / Shane Atkinson, Sales Manager / Heather Owen, Digital Director / S'zanne Reynolds, Media Specialist / Lindsey Rae Gjording, Media Specialist / Jason Rodriguez, Production Manager / Sara Kollig, Graphic Designer / Emery Veilleux, Copy Editor
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Discover a hidden gem in Arroyo Seco where elevated, modern American cuisine meets a warm, community-driven atmosphere. Savor locally sourced dishes like the Wangus steak along side a glass of wine or enjoy the wild-caught scallops, paired with a craft cocktail.
480 NM-150
5pm-10pm
ARROYO SECO, nm 87514
open every day
REST RETREAT RENEW
317 Kit Carson Road, Taos
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855-846-8267
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ElMonteSagrado.com
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Pizza with a view For 20 years, Pizaños has been serving up slices, scenery and summer vibes By CINDY BROWN
Sitting outside on the Pizaños patio, eating pizza and sipping a wine margarita is a perfect way to enjoy a warm Taos evening. Pizaños can rightfully claim to serve the most delicious pizza in town — they've been voted Best of Taos by Taos News readers for many years. Owner Charley Galer also believes it's the best place for outdoor dining. “I think we have the best patio. There are epic views looking over Taos Pueblo lands to Taos Mountain. Watching the full moon come up over the mountain on a summer evening is breathtaking. The patio is quiet and sheltered from the wind, and there’s grass for kids to play on.” This year marks Pizaños’ 20th anniversary. When asked about the secret to their longevity and standout pizza, Galer says, “Amazing staff, consistency, good food products, hard work, dedication and the love that we put into each dish we make.” His words come to life in the nearly divine smell of a fresh-to-order pizza sizzling out of the oven. Rich, savory flavors melt together into pure pizza deliciousness. Described as a Taos twist on New York-style pizza, Pizaños serves both classic and inventive combination pies. Local favorites include the Taoseño — with
mushrooms, green chile, and your choice of pepperoni or sausage — and the Rio Grande, stacked with pepperoni, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and black olives. Signature pies, like the Fire Twirler with jalapeños and the Mayor with a pesto base and salami, add unique flair. The menu also features appetizers like blue corn calamari and chicken wings, as well as salads, sandwiches, spaghetti and ravioli. Kids’ options and glutenfree items ensure there’s something for everyone. For dessert, indulge in New York-style cheesecake, cookie sandwiches, brownies, ice cream or cannoli. Customers rave about the food and the friendly staff. Many appreciate the convenient north-side location in El Prado. As one loyal fan put it, “If we aren’t coming once a week, we aren’t really living.” The name “Pizaños,” emerging from a brainstorming session, adds a playful Spanish twist to the Italian word paisano, meaning countryman or friend. Since the pandemic, the restaurant’s staff has slimmed from a high of 25 to about a dozen, but the crew remains busy, friendly and integral to the Pizaños experience. Galer is fiercely loyal to those who help him keep the business thriving. “The staff is awesome. I would go to battle for them.”
Pizaños Serving lunch and dinner – Beer and wine available 23 NM 150, Taos – Thursday–Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. – 575-776-1050 | taospizza.com DINING OUT
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Breakfast ~ GOLDEN PINO ~ served GOLDEN PINON all day
Breakfast & l u nch restaurant by Jai m e Saenz Rami r ez. Breakfast and lunch served all day... with large portions!
Breakfast & lunchRamirez. restaurant by Jaim Breakfast lunch2025 restaurant byfor Jaime Best of&Taos Winner BesSaenz t Breakfast.
88 NM-150, El Prado,88NM 87529 El Prado, N NM-150, (575) 776-3202 (575) 776-320 TAOSMENUS.COM
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Daleee at KTAOS Solar Center Maybe it’s the epic vista of Taos Mountain turning pink and the whole world glowing gold at sunset that keeps us coming back to Daleee’s expansive outdoor space. Everything magically slows in those moments out there in the rolling green yard, happy hour margarita or crispy fish taco in hand. Everything slows — except for the volleyballs. They’re flying fast in a fun and fierce game on the sandy court. (Recreational volleyball
is free on Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 5 p.m.) One person sets the ball a little too hard, and it goes rolling off the court toward the outdoor tiki bar garlanded with Himalayan prayer flags. Nearby, someone joyously screams when they get a corn hole. We vote Daleee’s fencedin, string-lit back patio as one of the best spaces to take a break from the crazy outside world, or a momentary breather from whatever wild
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event is happening inside the venue. (They’ve got a stacked weekly rotation of music — costume karaoke, bluegrass jams, Katy P & the Business, plus world-class concerts — and dancing: EDM Fridays and two-step lessons on Sunday.) You can also rent out the open-air space to celebrate your wedding or any other special occasion. Whatever the reason (and even if there isn’t one), just follow the wizard. (You’ll see.)
The Lounge
The Lounge by Rolling Still has a patio that’s always in season, but summertime is especially alive as the downtown lights up with free concerts and holiday celebrations. A stone’s throw from the plaza, The Lounge is a gathering place for travelers, locals, artists, families, friends and — as their site says —“roughnecks.” The seating on their deck invokes a community feel. Differing parties can share space with each
other, whether at the large round tables, or at the long, cushioned benches that run perpendicular to each other, inviting good conversation amongst strangers. Or you can gather around the fire pit in spirit of good times. You can also kick it solo and scribble in your journal while drinking one of the handcrafted cocktails at this women-owned and family-run joint. Drinks are made with the distillery’s small-batch vodkas (with
Daleee 9 NM-150, Taos 575-425-0010 daleeektaos.com
The Lounge 110 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Ste. D, Taos 575-613-0326 rollingstill.com
The Taos Inn 125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos 855-961-1143 taosinn.com DINING OUT
flavors ranging from pecan to green chile to lavender) and are super refreshing on a hot day. Enjoy a “lite bite," whether marinated olives or a full-on charcuterie spread. No doubt it’s a good time with the musicians that circle through this place, whether banjo-toting ramblers or house-music-centered DJs. Musicians usually set up in front of the stone Guadalupe carving along an outer adobe wall, and nothing feels more New Mexican than that.
Lambert’s 123 Bent Street, Taos 575-758-7200 lambertsoftaos.com
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Pollo Borachon
French Toast
Breakfast & Lunch Tuesday - Sunday 8AM - 2PM Breakfast served all day
MIM SA OSA NG S RIA
French Bread, Croissants & Pastries are made fresh daily. Full menu at www.GutizTaos.com
812B Paseo del Pueblo Norte - Taos - (575) 758 -1226 TAOSMENUS.COM
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TAKE DINE OUT IN
ORDINE TAKE (575) 751 IN -OUT 0474 OR TAKE (575) 751 -OUT 0474 www.HunanTaos.com (575) 751 - 0474 www.HunanTaos.com Open 11am - 8pm
www.HunanTaos.com DINING AREA AVAILABLE FOR TAKE OUT CUSTOMERS
Lunch Specials
From 11am - 3 pm Lunch Specials ServedFrom with Soup, Egg roll 11am Rice, - 3 pm Served with Soup, Rice, Egg roll BEER & WINE
1023 Paseo del 1023 Paseo Pueblo Surdel Sur nextPueblo to Storyteller next to Storyteller Theater Theater Closed Closed Tuesdays Tuesdays
BEER & WINE SOME OF OUR POPULAR DINNER ENTREES: ALL ENTREES SERVED WITH STEAMED OR FRIED RICE SOME OF OUR POPULAR DINNER ENTREES: ALL ENTREES SERVED WITH STEAMED OR FRIED RICE SEAFOOD BIRD’S NEST SEAFOOD BIRD’S NEST Lobster, scallops, shrimp, crab and fish filet, sauteed in a delightful Lobster, scallops, crabServed and fish sauteed in a delightful white shrimp, wine sauce. in filet, a flour basket. white wine VOLCANO sauce. Served in a flour basket. SHRIMP SHRIMP HOT! Dipped in a lightVOLCANO tempura batter, then combined with ginger, HOT! a light tempura batter, then with ginger, crushed red Dipped peppersinand scallions. Garnished overcombined a bed of steamed broccoli. crushed red peppers and scallions. Garnished over a bed of steamed broccoli. IMPERIAL SHRIMP IMPERIAL SHRIMP Crispy Shrimp in a light tempura batter, glazed with sweet ginger sauce. Crispy Shrimp in a lightover tempura glazed Gotta with sweet Garnished a bedbatter, of broccoli. try it!ginger sauce. Garnished over a PEPPER bed of broccoli. Gotta try it! BLACK SHRIMP BLACK PEPPER SHRIMP Succulent tiger shrimp stir-fried with diced sweet onions, peppers, Succulent tiger stir-friedGarnished with dicedwith sweet onions,broccoli. peppers, and a touch ofshrimp black pepper. steamed and a touch of black pepper. SPRINGGarnished ROLL (2)with steamed broccoli. SPRING ROLL (2) Vegetarian egg roll. Vegetarian egg roll. POT STICKERS (6) POTwith STICKERS (6) and vegetables. Pan-fried dumplings ground meat Pan-fried dumplings ground meat and vegetables. HOTwith & SOUR SOUP HOT & SOUR SOUP HOT! Spicy chicken broth with pork, bean curd and bamboo shoots. HOT! Spicy chickenDRAGON broth withPHOENIX pork, beanSOUP curd and bamboo shoots. DRAGON PHOENIX SOUP Subtle flavors of chicken and crab compliment each other delicately. Subtle flavors of chicken and crab compliment GENERAL TSO’S TOFUeach other delicately. GENERAL TSO’S TOFU Vegetarian “General Tso’s Chicken” VegetarianTA “General CHIENTso’s GAI Chicken” TA CHIEN GAI carrots, bamboo shoots, Sliced chicken with broccoli, snow peas, Slicedwater chicken with broccoli, snow peas, carrots, bamboo shoots, chestnuts, etc. Sauteed in a spicy brown sauce. water chestnuts, etc. Sauteed in DUCK a spicy brown sauce. PEKING ROAST PEKING DUCK Roast boneless duck. Served withROAST pancakes, scallions and Hoisin sauce. Roast boneless duck. Served with pancakes, andCHICKEN Hoisin sauce. • LEMON CHICKEN • • scallions TERIYAKI • • LEMON CHICKEN • ••TERIYAKI CHICKEN • GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN • MOO-SHOO DUCK •• • GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN • • MOO-SHOO DUCK • PEPPER STEAK PEPPER Beef tenderloin sauteed with fresh green STEAK peppers and onions in a brown sauce. Beef tenderloin sauteed with fresh green peppers GINGER LAMB and onions in a brown sauce. GINGER LAMB Sliced lamb sauteed with sweet spicy ginger in a brown sauce. Sliced lamb sauteed with with sweetsteamed spicy ginger in a brown sauce. Garnished broccoli. Garnished with steamed ROYAL SHRIMPbroccoli. ROYAL SHRIMP bamboo shoots, broccoli, Shrimp with snow pea pods, water chestnuts, Shrimp with snow pea pods, water chestnuts, bamboo carrot and mushrooms in a wine sauce.shoots, broccoli, carrot andSESAME mushrooms in a wine sauce. SHRIMP SESAME SHRIMP Lightly battered shrimp glazed with a sweet, spicy brown sauce. Lightly battered shrimp glazed a sweet, spicy brown sauce. Sprinkled withwith sesame seeds. Sprinkled sesame seeds. • STIR-FRIED RICE •with PAN-FRIED NOODLES • • STIR-FRIED RICE••SWEET PAN-FRIED NOODLES • • LO MEIN & SOUR • • LO MEIN • SWEET & SOUR • VEGETABLE ENTREES • • • Subject VEGETABLE ENTREES to change without notice. • Subject to change without notice. DINING OUT
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Fast, Fresh and Delicious! Savor Authentic Flavors of Our Family Run Food Truck
829 PASEO DEL PUEBLO SUR, TAOS Behind the Body Shop • Patio Seating • 575-425-8740 TAOSMENUS.COM
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ROLLING STILL DISTILLERY
The Lounge
Artfully Crafted Cocktails FEATURING OUR AWARD-WINNING SPIRITS DOWNTOWN TAOS OPEN TUESDAY-SATURDAY
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Red River Brewing & Distillery In Red River, where the elevation pushes past 8,700 feet and the air feels crisp even in high summer, Red River Brewing & Distillery offers a distinctly local take on refreshment. Founded in 2018 by a family with deep ties to the region, it’s the town’s first and only brewery-distillery. Brewing and distilling both happen on-site in small batches, using mountain water that runs clean and cold. The owners like to point out that they’re not downstream from anyone. On any given afternoon, 18 taps feature a rotating selection of beers, including a crisp Lazy Bear Blonde and the Back 40 Farm House Ale, a stronger saison with subtle spice and sweet orange peel. The bar also serves cocktails made with their own spirits. On hot days, though, the housemade root beer is the real draw. Served cold and foaming over scoops of vanilla ice cream, the float draws as many smiles from grownups as from kids. Inside, the space is simple and lively — high ceilings, a long bar, and the sound of conversation bouncing off wood and con-
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crete. Outside, the sky opens wide over the valley and the mountain air seems to carry every scent a little further. (At the other end of town, sample cocktails made with their own vodka, bourbon, rye whiskey, rum, gin, and agave spirit at the Red River Distillery Tasting Room.)
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Chokola Bean to Bar Chokola, just off the Plaza on Juan Largo Lane, offers a kind of chocolate that begins long before the first bite. Founded by a husband-and-wife team, one of whom spent her childhood in Venezuela watching women sing and pray to the cacao plant, the shop carries forward a relationship to chocolate rooted in attention, gratitude and care. All of Chokola’s bars are made from single-origin cacao beans sourced directly from smallholder farmers in countries like Belize, Venezuela, Peru, Colombia and Guatemala. The beans are roasted gently and stone-ground on-site in small batches, then blended with just one other ingredient: organic cane sugar. The result is chocolate that reflects the character of each region, sometimes citrusy or floral, other times nutty or spiced. Chokola is part of a global movement of bean-to-bar makers working with clarity and purpose. While their primary focus is on chocolate, they also offer a selection of cold beverages and treats. In the warmth of summer, visitors cool off with iced drinking chocolate, chilled mousse in glass cups, or a scoop of house made ice cream, enjoyed either inside the calm, sunlit shop or outside at one of the patio tables. Each offering is a focused, flavorful expression of the cacao itself. TAOSMENUS.COM
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Taos Cow Taos Cow has been scooping cones and feeding mountain appetites since 1993. Located north of Taos in Arroyo Seco, the café sits under a canopy of cottonwoods near the Rio Fernando. The ingredients are simple and regional. Milk and cream come from Rasband Dairy in Albuquerque’s South Valley, and organic egg yolks, cane sugar and flavorings are sourced from across New Mexico: lavender from Abiquiú, pistachios from Alamogordo, pecans from Las Cruces. Some flavors stay close to the classics — sweet cream, coffee, raspberry. Others lean into the local: cherry ristra with dark chocolate and piñon, Holy Mole with smoky heat, Mexican chocolate with cinnamon, and chocolate Rio Grande with nuts and shards of dark chocolate. Purists go for the sweet cream, while maximalists reach for Holstein sunset, a strawberry base packed with white, milk and dark chocolate chunks. Beyond the ice cream, the menu includes stacked sandwiches, pot pies made with grassfed beef, and home-baked sweets like the Ellie Bar. Fair-trade espresso from Taos Mountain Roasters rounds it all out. It’s the kind of place that covers the whole arc of a summer day: breakfast before a hike, a sandwich for the trail, a cone on the way home, and maybe one more scoop just because. (Be sure to check out Taos Cow's second location at Anglada on Kit Carson Road in Taos.)
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Coffee Apothecary Coffee Apothecary in Taos leans into summer with the same thoughtful precision that defines its year-round rhythm. Founded on community, ethical sourcing, and intentional craft, the shop roasts its beans in small batches just behind the counter. Their signature blend, El Capitan, named for a long-lost family burger joint, anchors the menu. Seasonal single origins offer something different — sometimes floral, sometimes earthy, depending on the roast. On hot days, regulars trade pourovers for iced matcha or cold coffee served in thick glasses, or they opt for one of the shop’s sparkling house sodas. These drinks are lay-
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ered and botanical, more like summer daydreams than refreshments. Snapdragon blends butterfly pea flower and strawberry with crystallized lemon and sparkling water. Moonage Daydream pairs raspberry and lemongrass with your choice of milk or just bubbles. The Orange Dream, a late-summer addition, combines house-made orange zest extract with vanilla bean and cream. It tastes like a soda fountain memory filtered through high desert light. Out on the patio, shaded by cottonwoods, locals and travelers sit with their dogs curled under tables, the sound of conversation softened by wind.
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SUCHNESS dining room
112 Camino de la Placita, Taos, NM 87571 reservations at suchnessdiningroom.com
aT os
e s ri on the
BY EKIN BALCIOĞLU
How chefs and restaurateurs are reshaping the town's culinary landscape Summer in Taos has a way of calling people to the table. The days stretch long and bright across the valley, and the trails and galleries seem to fold naturally into late lunches, slow dinners and conversations that carry on past sunset. This year, a handful of new and reimagined res-
taurants are adding their own voices to the town’s rhythm — places that feel stitched into the land and history of Northern New Mexico, but that also aren’t afraid to look outward and forward. This season, Taos feels newly alive at the table. From earth ovens to conDINING OUT
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temporary kitchens, from gardens planted just steps from the stove to menus that look forward without losing their roots, the town’s food landscape is shifting. A new generation of chefs and spaces has brought fresh energy to an old place, and the momentum is unmistakable.
The Earth Oven At The Earth Oven near Taos Plaza, ancient methods meet new flavors in a space where the past is not just preserved, but reimagined. Built around the enduring practice of earth oven cooking, a technique that runs deep through Native American, Spanish and Middle Eastern culinary traditions, the restaurant draws smoke, heat and slow time into every dish. Here, the fire acts as a collaborator, infusing every dish with flavors that feel both timeless and alive. Dishes arrive with a kind of grounded exuberance, layered with spices that nod to the Middle East while holding firm to New Mexico’s agricultural roots. Eating here feels like participating in an older conversation, one that has simply learned a few new words along the way.
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Such ness
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Along Camino de la Placita, Suchness moves with a different kind of precision. Opened by Kevin and Meg Sousa, the restaurant reshapes contemporary American cooking with a focus that feels simultaneously serious and playful. Kevin Sousa, whose past work has been praised in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Anthony Bourdain’s "Parts Unknown," brings a finely tuned sensibility to the menu. Smoked beet tartare with tahini and papadum opens the meal with a combination of earthiness and brightness. Kampachi tiradito, slicked with aji amarillo and tomato oil, feels sharp and clean. Dishes like rigatoni with smoked carrot bolognese or 48-hour short ribs with coffee stout are built from familiar forms, but move just a step to the left, creating the sensation of discovering something you didn’t quite know you missed. Meg Sousa’s wine list leans toward small producers, with thoughtful pairings that echo the food’s balance of groundedness and invention. The dining room, like the menu, is uncluttered but deliberate: a place where you’re allowed to wonder what’s next without ever feeling rushed to get there.
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juliette
At Hotel Willa, a 1960s motor lodge reimagined by the boutique hotel group Casetta, the spirit of Taos moves through every part of the property — the guest rooms filled with local art, the shaded pool overlooking the Couse Pasture, the artist residency shaped with The Paseo Project. The restaurant, juliette, grows naturally out of this vision, offering food that is rooted in the land and the history of Northern New Mexico. Created by chef Johnny Ortiz-Concha in collaboration with designer Maida Branch of Siempre Design, juliette is named for Ortiz-Concha’s mother and is built around the agricultural rhythms of Northern New Mexico. Much of the produce is harTAOSMENUS.COM
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vested from the hotel’s on-site garden, with additional ingredients sourced from neighboring farms and ranches. The menu moves fluidly with the seasons — native corn, beans, and chiles appear in forms both deeply traditional and quietly new. Flavors are clear and direct, but each plate carries a memory: of land tended by hand, of recipes passed forward, of a landscape too vast to ever be contained entirely on a plate. The dining room itself, understated and earth-toned, frames long views across the Couse Pasture to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Meals at juliette feel less like events and more like natural extensions of the place: simple, attentive, necessary. DINING OUT
LaTerraza deCociTaos na La Terraza, a name long familiar to Taoseños, steps into summer with a refreshed sense of self. After a thoughtful reimagining, the restaurant feels lighter, more open, and more willing to stretch into the possibilities offered by the season. A renewed focus on local ingredients runs through the menu, with prepara-
tions that feel faithful without being precious. There’s a clear respect for tradition, for the flavors and forms that have shaped the region, but also a willingness to interpret them with a lighter hand. On a long summer evening, seated under the wide New Mexico sky, La Terraza feels less like a revival and more like a deep breath.
The Earth Oven 106 Des Georges Place, Taos 575-751-7344 taosearthoven.com
juliette at Hotel Willa 233 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos 575-305-7711 restaurantjuliette.com
Suchness Dining Room 112 Camino de la Placita, Taos 575-240-4251 suchnessdiningroom.com
La Terraza de Taos Cocina 832 Paseo del Pueblo Sur, Taos 575-758-3036 haluwana.com
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