Every week is a big food news week in Santa Fe, and this is a great place to share it!

One of the best things about living in or visiting Santa Fe is the food, right? There’s the weather, the mountains, the hiking, the museums, the shopping . . .but if you took away the restaurants, where would we be?

I’ll give you the biggest update I see each week, and would love to see your updates in the comments below or on my Facebook page. That way we’ll keep everyone in the know.

This week, the big news is that Sean Sinclair, the chef and owner of Bar Castaneda and Kin at the Hotel Castaneda in Las Vegas, has leased the Legal Tender in Lamy! This local landmark will reopen “in early July, or earlier. . .” We. Can’t. Wait.

The Legal Tender (photo credit Local Flavor Magazine)

It’s big news in a lot of ways. First, if you’re a local, you know how much locals love The Legal Tender. I first went there sometime in the early 80s, when it was still part of the restaurant group that included the Tinnie Silver Dollar and the Double Eagle in Las Cruces. It was one of the nicest places I’d ever eaten at the time, and it’s only improved.

It’s big news as well because Sinclair has proven at the Castaneda that he’s a master at his craft.

Here’s the link to the entire article: Castaneda Chef Take over Lamy Legal Tender. The Santa Fe New Mexican does a much better job of sharing the details than I do. I mostly just want to tell you how excited I am to hear this!

The Santa Fe Southern Railway (‘SFSR’) runs near my house, and along the Santa Fe Rail Trail for those of you who hike the trail. Word has it that SFSR will eventually offer runs to Lamy, dropping guests right off in front of the Legal Tender. Our own local celebrity, George R.R. Martin, purchase SFSR recently in partnership with Catherine Oppenheimer and Bill Banowsky (owner of Violet Crown Cinemas).

Dedicated to growing the Santa Fe economy and opportunities for locals, these three are a powerhouse of ideas. I can’t wait to see what they do with SFSR.

Here’s a link to SFSR plans: Famous New Mexican has Plans to Revive Historic Railroad

So if you’re planning a trip to Santa Fe in July, consider a trip to Lamy and the Legal Tender. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Photo credit: Jim Weber/The New Mexican