Tomasita’s Restaurant is located in a spacious red-brick station house on historic Guadalupe Street in the heart of Santa Fe in the Railyard District. The building formerly served as the terminus of the narrow-gauge freight trains, known as “The Chile Line.” Although the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad is now defunct, the Railyard District’s purpose lives on. Right next to Tomasita’s is the final stop of the commuter Rail Runner Express line, direct to and from Albuquerque.
Historic, plus! You can find the best margaritas in town in the Railyard District, where Tomasita’s mixes the best frozen margaritas in Santa Fe. Most notably our surprisingly delicious frozen margarita concoction, The Swirl!
Made with a sumptuous and creamy swirl of house-made sangria, The Swirl is unique to Tomasita’s (although copied by many!). As with much in Santa Fe, mystery surrounds its origin. No one at Tomasita’s even remembers exactly how The Swirl came about.
So, what is a margarita?
The Margarita Itself
Ahh, the margarita! It’s a classic tequila cocktail unlike any other, but with a rich history and a delicious and invigorating flavor. But why is Tomasita’s considered the best New Mexican restaurant for margaritas?
With its sweet and cold taste, the margarita is the perfect complement to our hot and spicy Northern New Mexican cuisine featuring our house-made red and greeen chile. Its tartness also complements our New Mexican classics such as sopaipillas, and desserts such as our original sweet custard natillas. We’ve heard tales of ladies and gentlemen alike dipping traditional biscochitos in our margaritas. Cinnamon, sugar, and anise, along with a sweet and sour margarita– Yumm!
The creation story for the margarita is convoluted, with many claiming fame for its origin. As with many well-loved bar cocktails, the evolution of the margarita is a story unto itself.
The basic margarita recipe includes tequila, lime or lemon juice, and orange liqueur. From that base, hundreds of variations have been crafted. However, all these margarita origin legends derive from bartenders creating the margarita by their desire to satisfy customer tastes.
At Tomasita’s, we start with the most classic and original lime and tequila mixed margaritas. They perfectly complement our savory northern New Mexican cuisine. Also, we never substitute wine or gin for tequila in any of our classic margaritas. We stay true to our culture and tradition of southwestern flavors and culinary traditions.
The Swirl
Our infamous “The Swirl” margarita is a classic frozen margarita with a scarlet swirl of freshly made in-house Sangria!
Local history has it that the Swirl was created in Tomasita’s bar. Notwithstanding, none of us can remember exactly how or when. However, our Swirl was so creamy and delectable, people started asking for it by name at other bars and restaurants!
The Swirl has since spread to chain restaurants and bars nationwide. However, our Swirl is the original, and the best. Come try it!
House Frozen Margarita
Our house frozen margarita is made with reposado tequila, and fresh lime and lemon juice, complementing our house-made sweet and sour mix. Served delightfully slushy, our house frozen margarita is a local go-to margarita favorite.
Tomasita’s Special Frozen
A classic frozen margarita with the finest reposado tequila, served with or without salt.
Fresh and Fruity Frozen Margaritas
We also mix a variety of sweet frozen margaritas with flavorful combinations. These include such as Hornitos Reposado with a full and lively agave taste, mixed with magnificent Chambord and succulent strawberries. When in season, we may also offer raspberries or mangos, along with tart lemon juice.
Visit us at Tomasita’s Santa Fe or Albuquerque today to experience margaritas some of the best margaritas in New Mexico!