A Love Letter to Santa Fe Pizza

Welcome to the only source for artful, bite-sized stories and diverse perspectives on the New Mexico food and drink scene.

This week, we’re tackling one of life’s most important questions:
Where do you get the best pizza in Santa Fe?

New Mexico pizza correspondent—and associate editor—Robin Babb begins naturally: in the state capital.

And if you love this story and others from The Bite, share them.

Tender Fire Kitchen

I’ll admit it: I have strong pizza opinions.

Deep dish? Not for me.
Pineapple? Keep a respectful distance.
Neapolitan? That’s home.

And for someone like me, Tender Fire Kitchen comes dangerously close to perfection.

Their three-day fermented sourdough crust lands exactly where great pizza should—thin, chewy, lightly tangy, blistered in all the right places, and flexible enough for a proper fold.

Originally operating from a seasonal food truck at El Rey Court, Tender Fire opened its brick-and-mortar location in March 2026 on the old Santa Fe Arts College campus.

Inside, the wood-fired oven anchors the room while the patio practically demands a golden-hour visit.

The menu stays focused:
housemade cheeses, natural wines, agave-forward cocktails, and pizzas that let ingredients speak.

The kale pie—loaded with mozzarella, fontina, cream-soaked kale, and red onion—is one of the most inventive vegetarian pizzas around.

And if rumors of menu expansion become reality, I’ll report back… assuming I can stop ordering pizza long enough to try anything else.

Back Road Pizza

If Tender Fire is date-night pizza—
Back Road is where you gather with friends after work and stay longer than planned.

For more than two decades, this counter-service staple has delivered crisp cornmeal crust pizzas by the slice and whole pie.

Classic combinations sit comfortably beside build-your-own options.

Margherita.
New Mexican.
Beer.
Sunlight.
Repeat.

It’s easy to understand why locals continue voting it among Santa Fe favorites.

There’s a warmth here that extends beyond food.

You can imagine generations passing through:
first jobs,
birthday dinners,
after-school hangs,
and families returning years later.

Gluten-free crusts and vegan-friendly adjustments make sure nobody gets left out.

And yes—
you can finish with vanilla soft serve or local ice cream.
Because somebody clearly understands happiness.

Pizza Centro

For many Santa Fe locals, Pizza Centro occupies permanent rotation status.

Lunch slices.
Thursday takeout.
Post-hike rewards.
Questionable pre-hike decisions.

Opened in 2009 by brothers Jason and Nathan Aufrichtig, Pizza Centro leans fully into New York-style tradition.

Their signature pies carry New York neighborhood names and stack toppings generously.

The Chelsea goes full carnivore.

I opted for the Alphabet City:
flash-fried eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, garlic, roasted peppers, and balsamic glaze.

The result?
Rich.
Tangy.
Crunchy.
Completely over the top in the best possible way.

These are topping-forward pizzas that stay satisfying without crossing into greasy territory.

Add wine, beer, and gelato to finish and suddenly dinner becomes an event.

Esquina

Some places serve dinner.

Esquina creates evenings.

Built with equal attention to atmosphere and food, the restaurant blends inventive rotating specials with one of Santa Fe’s most inviting spaces.

Here’s the ideal evening:

Show up during monsoon season.
Grab friends.
Get a patio table.
Order stuffed dates.
Pour wine.
Wait for the air to cool.

Then order pizza.

The mushroom pie with garlic cream sauce.
The margherita with jammy tomato richness.

Take your first bite exactly when thunder rolls somewhere in the distance.

Watch plans change.
Watch rain arrive.
Stay anyway.

Because suddenly the concert doesn’t matter anymore.

You’re sitting outside in Santa Fe with your people eating extraordinary pizza—and that turns out to be enough.

There won’t be leftovers.
But there will be memories.

Some cities have good pizza.
Santa Fe has pizza stories.