Cowgirl Restaurant: A Santa Fe Gem with a Touch of Nostalgia

It was a gorgeous Santa Fe evening. The sun hadn’t quite set, but it was on its way, low enough to catch your eyes, soft enough not to sting. I was sitting on the patio at Cowgirl with Dena and Stephanie. We ordered our food and were talking, though I must’ve drifted. The patio sits awkwardly between the stoop and the host’s podium, so you have to weave through tables to reach the entrance. It’s not ideal. But it’s worth it.

Cowgirl reminds me of a restaurant I visited growing up in the Texas Hill Country. It has a similar menu and similar atmosphere. Southern-style food, a little rough around the edges, but warm. It’s one of my favorite spots in Santa Fe. Not fancy. Not expensive. Just good.

I was scanning the tables when I saw a silhouette on the stoop. “That looks like Ed Harris,” I said, half-serious. Dena and Stephanie turned. As he walked past our table, it was unmistakable. Ed Harris. You may recognize him from Apollo 13, The Truman Show, A History of Violence, The Abyss, and The Right Stuff. He’s never quite the lead, but he’s always essential. I was shocked to see him. Later, I’d learn he lives in Santa Fe. So do several actors and authors. I was shocked but not surprised.

Cowgirl has a bar and patio, and live music most nights. On one of my first visits, I sat at the bar and noticed a sticker on the margarita machine—almost hidden among dozens of others. It read: “Born Here All My Life.” I asked the bartender what it meant. She laughed. “You’re not from here,” she said. I shook my head. “It’s a Santa Fe thing,” she explained. “Locals say it when they’ve lived here forever.” I’d never heard it before.

On Friday evenings, I’d go early, while the band was setting up. I’d have dinner, close my tab, open another at the bar, order a drink, and join the small crowd on the dance floor. The music was usually Americana, my favorite to dance to, especially the band Broomdust Caravan.

Cowgirl may not be the best restaurant in Santa Fe. But it’s one of the most fun. It’s a place that holds memory, music, and the kind of comfort that doesn’t need to be explained. If you’re in town, go. Sit on the patio. Watch the sun drop. And know that some places don’t just serve food. They serve feeling.