Welcome to the photo series Eater Scenes, in which photographers visit some of the world's great restaurants to capture them at a certain, and very specific, point in the day. Today, photographer Rob Gullixson visits the Shed, a Santa Fe institution open since the 1950s.
The state of New Mexico has known more time with the Shed than without it. For the past 62 years, the Santa Fe restaurant has been serving "classic Southwestern" fare that's emerged to iconic status — according to Eater restaurant editor Bill Addison, visiting its old adobe structure, which dates back to 1692, "is as much a New Mexico rite of passage as it is a tourist destination." (It's also a recipient of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics Award, gaining that distinction in 2003.) The Shed's ability to draw both tourists and locals results in long lines that spill out into the courtyard — but the patient eventually earn access to the third-generation owners' faithful takes on the classics. Expect the Shed's famous green chile stew and green chile-topped burgers, of course, but also blue corn enchiladas drowned in red chile sauce, calabacitas with yellow squash and corn, and posole.
Eater photographer Rob Gullixson stopped by on a recent Thursday afternoon, when the (unsurprisingly) gorgeous Santa Fe weather allowed diners to enjoy their chips-and-guac on the Shed's famous outside patio. And the lunch hour didn't stop the festive vibe, as diners sipped on margaritas, horsed around with a Pope Francis cutout, and flocked to the bar — as all seen in the gallery above.
