Rancho de Chimayo Restaurante

Opened in 1965 by Arturo and Florence Jaramillo in their restored ancestral family home, the restaurant has been earning formal recognition ever since — culminating in the 2016 James Beard Foundation America's Classics Award, presented at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Florence Jaramillo, designated a Culinary Treasure by the State of New Mexico, built the menu around generations of family recipes, and the kitchen has held to those roots: the food has been described as a "no-frills take on New Mexican cooking, with its obvious influences from Mexican and Native American cultures," with carne adovada as the signature dish alongside chile rellenos, blue corn enchiladas, and hand-rolled tamales.

The hacienda setting at 300 Juan Medina Rd places it a short distance from the Santuario de Chimayó, which is exactly what the Jaramillos counted on when they opened — there were no other restaurants in the area at the time. The covered outdoor patio, positioned on the acequia, is the natural choice when the weather cooperates. When you combine a meal here with a walk to the Santuario, you have a mid-ride stop that covers food, history, and architecture without backtracking. The restaurant remains family-owned and operated, now under Laura Jaramillo Ross and Chef Janet Malcom.