That’s exactly what’s cooking (or rather, not cooking), at Vinaigrette, a salad bistro known for ‘raising the salad bar’ in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“Vinaigrette was one of the first salad-centric concepts when we opened in Santa Fe in 2008 and it continues to stand out as the only salad bistro in the country that isn’t a fast food or fast-casual concept,” explains Erin Wade, farmer, chef, and owner of Vinaigrette.

“Our salads are not your average salads. They are delicious and nourishing, carefully and thoughtfully constructed so that each bite is the perfect bite loaded with flavor.” Each salad is a perfectly dressed, gourmet salad and includes innovative flavor combinations. These unexpected combinations include everything from the savory All Kale Cesar to the sweet Nutty Pear-fessor and balanced Salacho taco salad. “It’s comfort food that is decidedly nutritious to make you thrive,” states Wade.

“We do a great to-go business, but uniquely, Vinaigrette is a place you can go to enjoy a nice, healthy meal in a stylish, welcoming, and uplifting environment with a refreshing cold drink,” Wade affirms. She believes Vinaigrette is a wellness concept based not only on eating fresh, healthy, and delicious food but also on enjoying your meal. “It’s about enjoying the entire experience and balancing nutritious food with indulgence to satisfy your cravings whether it is for a juicy steak, a savory side of homemade mac n’cheese, or carrot cake for dessert,” she says.

To ensure all of her ingredients are crafted from fresh, local ingredients, Wade grows most of the produce for her Santa Fe and Albuquerque locations herself. “We grow much of our own produce on our farm in Nambe,” says Wade. “The farm and produce actually came first and inspired Vinaigrette.”

Wade tells us that she prefers to grow the produce herself as it is more delicious and nutritious that way. “Food grown out of rich, healthy soil like the dirt we’ve cultivated in Nambe tastes so much better and is full of nutrients,” she announces. “Sustainability is a top priority too, so we grow our produce without using any chemicals and also follow biodynamic farming principles.” What Wade and her team aren’t able to grow, she purchases from local farmers- either directly, through Farmer’s Markets, or Nambe’s neighbors. “Supporting local farmers supports our mission to be a sustainable farm-to-table restaurant. Plus, local produce is fresh and tastes best!”

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