132 W Water St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Norteno Margarita
This is our second review of a margarita that is part of the Santa Fe Margarita Trail. (See the previous post for Tomasita’s to find out more about the Margarita Trail.) We have had so much fun walking around downtown Santa Fe and the Plaza. The weather is perfect – not too hot, not too cold. Santa Fe is also pet friendly, so you will encounter those who have brought their four legged friends along with them. Many of the restaurants offer outdoor dining which allows social distancing and safety as well as allowing our furry friends to tag along.
We enjoyed sitting on the rooftop of the Coyote Cafe which overlooks the historic downtown Santa Fe shops, and is near the Plaza. The Rooftop Cantina is very colorful and has an almost Caribbean vibe to it, reminding us of places you might see in Cozumel, Mexico.
Everything at the Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina is made fresh – from roasting the chilis and hand peeling them to frying their own tortillas for chips. We also saw fresh herbs growing near the kitchen which they use in their recipes. The waiter encouraged us to try the Norteno Margarita, which is a local favorite according to the waiter, and part of the Santa Fe Margarita Trail.
The Norteno Margarita is made from Tequila that is specially made in house. First they roast and peel green chilis and put them into Tequila which absorbs a delicious flavor from the chilis without making it spicy. The glass is rimmed with salt and hatch green chilis and served on the rocks. This margarita was not overly strong, refreshing and provided a nice cooling drink for a warm afternoon. We gave it 3 1/2 margarita glasses.
We also had a great meal of nachos made with shredded pork, along with their wonderful green chili stew. The portions were large and delicious. To complete our meal we ended with churros for dessert that came with caramel and chocolate dipping sauces. We enjoyed this rooftop patio experience along with the very welcoming staff.
