La Boca

"Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $$$ Since debuting La Boca in 2006 in downtown Santa Fe, chef James Campbell Caruso has merged regional Southwestern ingredients with methodical Spanish technique, transporting eaters from New Mexico to Spain. Caruso pairs small plates like trio de califlor — roasted cauliflower with harissa barbecue sauce and manchego cream — with an impressive selection of Mediterranean and South American wines. The restaurant can get packed on the weekends with a crowd that skews older, so make a reservation a week or two ahead of time to snag a spot if you’re visiting town.  Best for: Late-stage dates and other romantic celebrations for a party of two." - Karen Fischer

"Santa Fe owes a significant portion of its modern identity to Spanish influences, from architecture to cuisine. Nowhere is this cookery celebrated more keenly than the intimate La Boca, where Chef James Campbell Caruso delivers small plates that transport diners to the streets of Cadiz. Campbell Caruso, who has received multiple James Beard nominations, also imports Spanish sherries and wines to pair with small plates such as turmeric-yogurt grilled chicken thigh and chicharrones de Andaluz laced with harissa. If you’re not in a hurry, paellas in classic and vegetable versions offer a hearty counter point to the tapas menu. An accompanying bodega sells wine, meats, and other hard-to-find ingredients from the Iberian Peninsula." - Ashley M. Biggers

"Since debuting La Boca in 2006 in downtown Santa Fe, chef James Campbell Caruso has merged regional Southwestern ingredients with methodical Spanish technique, transporting eaters from New Mexico to Spain. Caruso pairs small plates like trio de califlor — roasted cauliflower with harissa barbecue sauce and manchego cream — with an impressive selection of Mediterranean and South American wines." - Willy Carleton, Justin De La Rosa, Karen Fischer

"Small, shareable plates It's all about creative, contemporary tapas and small plates at the small, popular storefront of La Boca. Find a relaxed mix of locals and tourists and watch chef James Campbell Caruso work his magic on the kale salad, gazpacho and the delicious skirt steak with the salted carmel. Happy Hour is a nice, quiet time to sit at the bar for wine and housemade sangria specials and half price tapas."

"I was most excited by the arrival of Boca Santa, a Mexican restaurant from Mexican-American chef Natalie Hernandez." - Eater Staff