A fall road trip made for food lovers

See New Mexico in the best season for culinary travel

Author

Nickolaus Hines
September 19th, 2025

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New Mexico - a city at sunset

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Nickolaus Hines - Nickolaus Hines is the managing editor at Matador Network. He’s spent the past decade writing and editing stories about food, drinks, and the bites and bottles you book a trip for.

Three Generations, One Road Trip: A Family Ride Through New Mexico

Welcome to First Class Fare, Matador Network’s dispatch for travelers who know the first thing they want to eat, the drink they'll order first, and the reservation that sets the tone for the rest of the trip before they even book a flight.

Last October, I took a road trip from Denver to Santa Fe with my mom, sister, and two-year-old daughter in the car. My wife, pregnant with our second, flew down to meet us for the weekend. The main thing on our agenda? Classic New Mexican food, and as much as we could eat. 

I thought I knew what to expect: burritos smothered Christmas-style, green chile stew, sopaipillas dripping with honey. I found plenty of all of those (and all three in massive portions at Tomasita’s).

But fall in New Mexico, my favorite season to travel for food anywhere, offers far more than the classics in every guidebook. At the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market I danced with my daughter to live music while sipping agua fresca, biting into pupusas and lamb sausage, and stocking up on fresh cheeses and honey. At Vara, we sipped New Mexican wine and brandy; at Nuckell’s and Santa Fe Brewing Co., we found local beer as creative and well made as in famously beer-loving Denver.

Outside the city, Rancho de Chimayó’s ristras-draped adobe facade screams true New Mexico. We dug into carne adovada, green chile stew, and sopaipillas paired with prickly pear margaritas. In Taos, breakfast at Manzanita Café was the perfect start before exploring, and in Las Vegas, New Mexico, The Skillet served up quirky fusion dishes that kept us guessing.

Traveling with multiple generations means balancing a wide range of needs, but the desire for good food is universal. A road trip through New Mexico in the fall delivers on all fronts.

Until next time,

Nickolaus Hines, managing editor

T O - D O

Oaxaca de Juárez

Photo: Gustavo Moguel/Shutterstock

Book it: Oaxaca de Juárez

October in Oaxaca City is a feast for the senses. The rainy season has just ended, the mountains are lush, and Día de los Muertos preparations fill markets with marigolds, calaveras de azúcar, and pan de muerto. Food is at the heart of it all: rare mezcals from the villages, distinct moles simmering in every kitchen, and street vendors selling caldo de piedra and memelas late into the night. The state of Oaxaca is famous even in a country well known for its incredible food culture. In the state’s capital city, October is when that food culture is at its most vibrant.

Mimi’s Airbnb cooking class. A maestra cocinera

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

Eat

For Oaxaca’s most memorable meal, skip restaurants and join Mimi’s Airbnb cooking class*. A maestra cocinera, she takes you from market to kitchen: grinding mole, pressing tortillas, and layering Oaxacan flavors. It feels less like a class than a family feast — with mezcal always within reach.

Nickolaus Hines by agave

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

Drink

Mezcal is everywhere in Oaxaca, from roadside palenques to mezcalerías pouring wild agaves. For a deeper look, join The Mezcal Journey tour* to Palenque de Amor in Matatlán. Walk the fields, watch the stills, and taste Oaxaca’s spirit from joven to barrel-aged.

Hotel Boutique Casa Garay

Photo: Nickolaus Hines

Stay

Hotel Boutique Casa Garay* is in a restored 19th-century mansion steps from the Zócalo, with colonial charm and a courtyard setting. Prefer privacy? Casa Criollo*, a minimalist Airbnb behind the acclaimed restaurant, feels like a garden oasis: contemporary, quiet, and perfectly placed for food-filled days.

Hierve el Agua

Photo: Koshkina Tatiana /Shutterstock

Do

Take a day trip to Hierve el Agua, two hours from Oaxaca City, where mineral springs spill over cliffs like frozen waterfalls. After hiking and swimming, continue to Santiago Matatlán, mezcal’s capital, for tastings at family-run palenques. Skip the driving and book a guided tour via Viator* or Airbnb*.
N E W S

Colorado’s First Two‑Star Michelin Restaurant

a plate of fancy and brightly colored food

Photo: Jeff Fierberg for The Wolf's Tailor

The 2025 Michelin Guide awards Colorado its first two-star restaurant, Denver’s The Wolf’s Tailor, plus stars for Kizaki, Margot, Alma, and more.

G U I D E

7 Cocktail-Inspired Spa Treatments

a bloody mary by someone getting a massage

Photo: The St. Regis Bali Resort

These 7 decadent spa treatments from around the world take inspiration from your favorite drinks, blending gastronomy and wellness with garnishes and spirits in surprising new ways.

F E A T U R E

Legal THC Drinks for Travelers

Photo: Onward

THC-infused drinks are redefining how travelers unwind, from sparkling seltzers to crafted cocktails.

📍 P I N N E D

Where to Celebrate National Coffee Day

pour froth over glasses

Photo: SvetlanaSF/Shutterstock

On September 29, celebrate National Coffee Day where the Irish Coffee first landed in the United States: San Francisco’s Buena Vista. In 1952, travel writer Stanton Delaplane and the café’s owner perfected the recipe after a pilgrimage to Ireland’s Shannon Airport — the birthplace of the drink — with help from the mayor and a local dairy owner. Today, bartenders at the Buena Vista pour hundreds daily, keeping the tradition alive. The recipe lives on today with Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey and heavy cream aged 48 hours.

Travel Well

The Matador Editorial Team

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