Highest-rated Southern restaurants in Santa Fe by diners

Just travel below the Mason-Dixon Line, but don't go any further than Texas to try some of the most mouthwatering comfort food: Southern food.

Southern dishes are a vital part of American cuisine. There's a variety of popular Southern dishes, from the delicious crunchiness of fried chicken to the thick and spicy sauce of Louisiana's etouffee.

What's unique about these comfort food meals is that multiple ethnic and cultural groups have influenced today's Southern plates. Spanish culture staples, such as potatoes and cocoa, are in many Southern dishes. The Acadians, who traveled to Louisiana from Nova Scotia and later became Louisiana Creoles, contributed their seafood cooking to many Southern meals. African ingredients—okra, melon, sorghum (an ancient grain), and black-eyed peas—became a part of the culture through the forced labor of enslaved people. Methods the French use, like braising and sauteing, can be found in many of the Southern dishes made today. And Native Americans introduced corn to Southern recipes.

Southern cooking is such a significant part of American culture that a museum is dedicated to these irresistible dishes and drinks: the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans.

Southern dishes are literally an explosion of cultures. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Southern restaurants in Santa Fe using data from Yelp. The rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.

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Yelp

1 / 9

#9. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

- Rating: 3.0/5 (225 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 5200 San Antonio Dr Albuquerque, NM 87109
- Categories: Southern, Breakfast & Brunch, American (Traditional)
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

2 / 9

#8. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

- Rating: 3.0/5 (139 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 5700 Redlands Rd NW Albuquerque, NM 87120
- Categories: American (Traditional), Southern, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

3 / 9

#7. Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen

- Rating: 3.5/5 (452 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 4865 Pan American West Fwy Albuquerque, NM 87109
- Categories: American (Traditional), Comfort Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

4 / 9

#6. Santacafé

- Rating: 3.5/5 (334 reviews)
- Price: $$$
- Address: 231 Washington Ave Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Categories: Cafes, Southern, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

5 / 9

#5. Nashville Hot Chicken Shack

- Rating: 3.5/5 (12 reviews)
- Address: 4301 The Lane At 25 NE Albuquerque, NM 87109
- Categories: Southern
- Read more on Yelp

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Yelp

6 / 9

#4. Hot Mess BBQ And Soul Food

- Rating: 4.0/5 (98 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 1301 Eubank Blvd NE Albuquerque , NM 87112
- Categories: Southern, Barbeque, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

7 / 9

#3. K'Lynn's Southern & Cajun Fusion

- Rating: 4.0/5 (142 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 4300 Ridgecrest Dr SE Ste O Rio Rancho, NM 87124
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Soul Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

8 / 9

#2. Nexus Brewery and Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1082 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 4730 Pan American E Fwy NE Ste D Albuquerque, NM 87109
- Categories: Breweries, Soul Food, Southern
- Read more on Yelp

Yelp

9 / 9

#1. Valentinas

- Rating: 4.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 945 W Alameda St Santa Fe, NM 87501
- Categories: Mexican, Southern
- Read more on Yelp