luminaria restaurant & patio

it's unusual that i eat at the same place twice when visiting a town with a decent dining scene. however, i couldn't help myself here. excellent service and very good food both times!

i’ll say this: it takes some serious discipline to photograph such sweet smelling concoctions without caving to temptation and dipping a finger in the chocolate…

food is good, not great. service needs more training, however the atmosphere is beautiful. for being a hotel restaurant it is good, not great. there is a new chef, so little adjustments will be made and should make this place locals will love. still i enjoyed my experience and will go back soon.

great food and service, but pricey!. i stayed at the inn for a week for a work training class. the last night i decided to splurge a bit and dine at luminaria for dinner. i wasn't real-real hungry and i was dining solo, so i opted for the baked fontina and artichoke appetizer, their famous tortilla soup and a baked apple and spinach salad. i tell you, by the time i was done with the soup, there was no way i could attempt the salad as i was so full. my eyes ended up being way bigger than my stomach. and the fontina and tortilla soup ended up being kinda heavy. all in all, even the bread and butter brought to the table, was delish. the service was prompt, warm and friendly. but be forewarned, this place is pricey, even for an expensive tourist town. my dinner, with tip ended up being around $50 (for app, soup and salad). thank gawd i wasn't paying for it!

went for mother’s day brunch. overpriced, horrible service, mediocre food. chile caesar salad was nothing more than bagged lettuce, croutons, and caesar dressing with chili powder. eggs benedict was basic, hollandaise had a crust on top, english muffin was not fresh. spent 45 dollars i was expecting to have my mind blown. save your money go somewhere else.

great atmosphere, got seated next to the fireplace and had a very romantic evening with my lady. the food and drinks are superb and since the service is great, we had a very nice dinner. we will return

romantic atmosphere. my wife and i came to luminaria expecting a nice meal and were pleasantly surprised to be seated right in front of the fireplace. and getting there at 8:30 was ideal since most diners were done with their meals and we had the place to ourselves. we had great service and a very good meal with good drinks.

mixed feelings. started with a nice table, good ambience, then went downhill from there. we indicated we were there for happy hour, but both our drinks were up charged. no wait staff in sight for over 45 minutes after our order....other tables left before they could even order. lovely venue...terrible service.

it was magical. the romantic ambiance, the meticulously designed patio, the convenient late-night seating beneath a moonlit heaven overhead. a final party of six had just retreated for the evening from a canvas-covered chandelier-lit dining table a few feet from our table for two beneath nearby trees with their branches dancing slowly in a warm late evening breeze. as though it was meant to be, my husband and i soon had the entire outdoor dining area of luminaria restaurant & patio to ourselves.

new chef. new experience. the bar inside the restaurant is much nicer than the lounge in the lobby, and christoph, the bartender, definitely knows his craft. reservations needed. lamb chops perfectly cooked and so generous that a doggie bag is needed. other entrees equally creative and generous. the only misstep was the panna cotta which had too much gelatin in order to mold it, topped with chocolate-dipped bacon that was too cold and not well rendered. the accompanying chocolate waffle saved the dish.


-----05 jul, 2011-----

beautiful setting. excellent food. poor service.. only a few steps from the busy crowds on old santa fe trail, the patio is a quiet oasis under the shade of locust trees and festooned with vivid trumpet vines and other flowers. a perfect spot for a pleasant sunday brunch, and the menu affords plenty of good breakfast or lunch choices. the signature tortilla soup is a novel and delicious version - a bowl of coarsely chopped dilantro, diced chicken, and tortilla strips arrives with a pitcher of fragrent soup that is poured over the top.- of what has become a cliche no tomato here, and the subtle taste of chili powder (not chiles) which is not overpowering and satisfying. the salade nicoise is also a bit different with each of its elements stacked separately around a beautifully decorated platter. unfortunately the three egg omelet is of the stiff and rubbery version that is too common, but it is saved by the goat cheese which makes it tender and flavorful. the accompanying hash browns are exactly as they should be, crispy brown on the outside and creamy in the middle. all of this is spoiled by the service. in fairness, our wiater tried his best to be accommodating, but be prepareed for a leisurely wait. the orders seemed to take forever, and the expediter who delivered the plates seemed overwhelmed. it may be because it is a very long way from the patio to the kitchen. i checked it out myself. but it is more likely that whoever is in charge of the front of the house either needs to work intensively with his/her crew or needs to consider another line of work. still, if you have the time, this place offers a delicious meal in a lovely setting.


-----03 mar, 2010-----

don't be put off that it's in a resort hotel next to the cathedral. you are welcomed by a friendly greeter and ushered into abeautiful room with paintings in the nicos and a gorgeous view of a patio and the loretto chapel. the server is friendly and helpful without being intrusive. but the star is the food: definitely southwestern - but hey this is santa fe! and it has continental touches that set it apart. the tortilla soup is delicious with just the right touch of spice. duck confit served in a little tamal boat sauced with a smooth polenta sauce is beautifully presented and delicious. shrimp are perfectly grilled and served over pasta cooked to just the right texture and blended with a subtle cilantro pesto. the chocolate tres leches in a thick chocolate creme anglais is delicious even though i prefer classical tres leches. all in all an excellent experience.

best polenta and short ribs ever! interesting salads. nice service.

the atmosphere is elegant yet comfortable with a casual flare offering patrons a choice of indoor or outdoor dining. my friends and i have been trying mussels from pretty much every restaurant that offers it on their menu. my son ordered the house made pappardelle with chipotle butter emulsion and grilled shrimp.

wonderful breakfast, great service. had the pleasure of eating breakfast at the inn & spa at loretto's luminaria restaurant on thursday, feb. 10, 2012. thought i was going to have a simple bowl of oatmeal, but instead was served a wonderful bowl of pumpkin seed and cooked steel cut oats that was so tasty i have to plan on returning... my companion ordered the new mexican breakfast burrito w/ both red and green chilis. freshly made, very flavorful, almost the size of a dinner plate. also, i very rarely like restaurant coffee, but loved luminaria's. service was wonderful. everything about the inn & spa was excellent. service is top notch. they were definitely on their a-game.

...the beautiful, cozy dining room (with a very inviting fire blazing each night in the fireplace). and let’s definitely not forget to mention the delicious food (with chef matthew ostrander at the helm).

great atmosphere, food & spectacular dessert. we had a nice light lunch here the day after thanksgiving. the green chile, cheese and roasted vegetable quesadilla was perfect--crisp on the outside, no hint of greasiness and just the right amount of filling. also great were the accompanying salsa and guacamole which were fresh, tasty and in serving sizes sufficient for enjoying with the whole quesadilla.

we also had the lauded tortilla soup with smoked chicken and avocado. to our taste, it was spiced with chipotle and maybe other red chile. the soup was pleasantly spicy and the contrasting textures of crispy tortillas and fresh vegetables including corn and nice chunks of avocado were excellent. as mentioned earlier, the hot broth is poured over the other ingredients at table and this special procedure retains the unique textures of all the components and produces a piping hot soup. the additional flare this leads to the proceedings is a bonus!

i was very excited by the unique desserts offered by their pastry chef and it was difficult to only choose one. we shared an order of the red chile creme caramel with orange cranberry sorbet and orange supremes. it looked lovely and tasted magnificent. there was also a little crispy cookie and a smooth drizzle of an electric green sauce made up of mint and cilantro, i think! the flavors were complex and utterly delicious. the balance of the red chile, sweetness and cream in the dessert was spot on. i can't wait to go back and try the other enticing desserts on the menu.

i'm sure the dessert menu changes seasonally but some of the other offerings were:

frangipane apple gallette w champagne rosemary caramel & vanilla ice cream

carrot cake w orange riesling carrot puree & candied carrots

maple sweet corn doughnut w bacon & chocolate ancho chile maple dipping sauce.

based on the execution of the creme caramel we had i have no doubt these complex desserts would also be spectacular. (in any case, i'm willing to take the chance!)

the environment is lovely with dark wood and creams and grays. we sat in the largest room next to patio windows letting in the pale november light and we basked in the crackle and warmth of the real wood fireplace. it was perfectly cozy and elegant.

for drinks one of us had an excellent dry rose from south america and the other had one of their beers on tap. we thought they might have a larger selection of award winning new mexico microbrewery beers including those from la cumbre and marble breweries, but we were grateful for the nice dry rose by the glass.

all in all, a wonderful, special experience and i look forward eagerly to returning for dinner.,

service was attentive, professional and excellent and was a treat in and of itself.