Spicy and Original
The fare at Santa Fe Cafe is consistently excellent. They present fresh, sophisticated border foods, and do not kid around with their chiles and spices. It is a comfortable and friendly place (the restaurant of Phinney Ridge--I have not visited the other location) with a small sidewalk cafe in warm weather. Order their expensive but premium Cadillac margarita to help douse the fire. The best thing about the food: the spice does not hide anything. They understand the nuances of Southwestern food. It is a small space, so you might have to wait on busy weekend nights, but the bar is a fine place to hang out!    [30 Oct 2003 22:03:40]

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Recommended Dishes: Chile Relleno

     ­DrDavid, Seattle   

I know exactly what to write. We have been patrons of the Santa Fe Cafe for as long as they have been open, back when they were only on 65th in the Ravenna neighborhood. The food has consistantly been exceptional. Always true to the New Mexico flavors I have known for 50+ years. The service has always been dreadful! It's like they want it that way. My husband took a cooking class, (at my beheast), from the owner more than an decade ago. He mentioned to the owner that the service more than sucks, the owner behaved as though he could not care less. And it seems that that is the case. The service continues to be the worst in this city. But I guess that those of us who want the taste of Santa Fe, will put up with bad service for the taste we long for!

I can only go to New Mexico once or twice a year, and it is always for the food.

So, this restaurant, with the worst service in the City of Seattle, will continue to be a place that I will frequent. I only hope that the absence of customers, and the truely terrible service will not run them out of business. Perhaps, there are enough of us who long for the tastes of Northern New Mexico to keep this completely uninviting restaurant open. To feed our need for this incredible, otherwise unattainable, in Seattle, food. OH, except if I open a restaurant, because I can and do, and do this food as well, and sometime better than they do.

So maybe, with my inheritance, and my love of cooking, I might!    [12 Jan 2008 03:25:42]

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     ­Anonymous, seattle