Tomasita's

Founder Georgia Maryol started at a small café on Hickox Street in 1974, working with Tomasita's Leyba who brought her local recipes to the restaurant. After building a dedicated clientele and outgrowing that small space, in 1979 Tomasita's moved to the red brick building in Santa Fe's Railyard where it still is today. While still very involved with Tomasita's, Georgia retired from the day to day operation in 2001. From 2001 until 2010 Tomasita's was operated by Georgia's cousin, Ignatios Patsalis, who still serves as general manager. In 2011, Georgia's son George Gundrey took ownership, ensuring the same commitment to quality, family, and community established by Georgia and Tomasita in that tiny café 40 years ago. George also owns our sister restaurant, the Atrisco Café & Bar.

She was a short and wiry lady with a modern coif, clean apron and straight stance. She appeared to be in her seventies. She was standing over the stove with a cigarette in one hand and stirring whatever was in the pot with the other. I greeted her enthusiastically and complimented her fine cooking. She merely nodded her head with a wry smile and continued her activity.

I was broke, unemployed, and had two children to raise. On a fluke, I went to the owner and offered to assume all of his debts in exchange for the café. An agreement was reached within one day. Lo and behold, I was in business!!

I stood back, took a deep grateful breath, and looked her in the eye. "Well, Tomasita, I think I'll just keep you." "Okay," she said. Thus began a relationship that one rarely experiences in a lifetime.

Tomasita always saw to that.

Tortillas, homemade by LaLa's gentle hands. Red and green chile by Tomasita. Rice with garlic, beans in the pressure cooker and so on. I would come in at 9 a.m. and prep the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and other condiments, and set up the steam table. Then we would pitch in, the three of us, and wipe the tables, mop the floors, wash the pots and get ready for the lunch rush (what little there was of it) . At 3:00 Anthony Moya got out of school and came to work. LaLa and Tomasita went home and Anthony and I ran the little café until 9 p.m. My two sons James and George came into the café after school, did their homework in one of the booths, had their dinner and assisted in washing the dishes, cleaning the toilet, and closing up at 9 p.m.

They came in trucks, taxis, Mercedes, bikes, and on foot, and we just kept doing what we were doing, day after day, week after week. We were flying high!

Each day I spent in those close quarters with Tomasita and LaLa made us a family. We learned from each other and about each other. Tomasita had many relatives, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends. They all affectionately referred to her as "Nani." They dropped by often to see her, have a bite to eat and wish us well.

So my mother (known as Tia Sophia) and Tomasita decided that they would like to go to Las Vegas to see Tony Orlando and Dawn. When we arrived at the airport Tomasita informed me that she had never flown before and that we should drive to Las Vegas or we were doomed. She refused to go down the ramp to the plane, so I started to pull her toward the plane by dragging the purse which she would not release. That was the heaviest thing I have ever lifted. We finally had the reluctant Tomasita buckled in, and off we went. It was a beautiful day and we flew over cumulus clouds, not a bump in the sky. Like a child she gazed out the window and kept repeating, "I don't believe it. I don't believe it." The captain made an announcement on the speaker: "Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to welcome Tomasita on our flight today."

She was organized, neat, and well dressed. Every Friday she collected her pay and headed for the beauty shop to fix her hair. She had astounding peripheral vision. If there was a scrap or a wet spot on the floor it was cleaned immediately. If an employee did a good job, she praised them-if not, they felt her wrath. She was loyal almost beyond reason and expected the same from everybody else. She commanded respect because of the example she set.

The opportunity to lease the red brick building on Guadalupe Street presented itself and I jumped at the chance. During the negotiations the public and the press predicted failure and doom for the move. I was depressed, worried, and afraid. What if I made a mistake and lost our customers?! I went to Tomasita and asked her advice. She said, "Tell 'em all to go to hell. Let's move!" So move we did. The rest is history.

Guacamole served with blue corn chips.

Filled with rice, ground beef & spices, topped with lemon sauce.

Served with salsa.

Served with homemade ranch dressing.

Served with cheese, and your choice of red or green chile. choose roast beef, ground beef, combination (ground beef & refries) , bean, chicken or vegetable.

Two crispy corn tortillas topped with refried beans, melted cheese, lettuce, tomato and & guacamole. salsa and sour cream on the side. choose chicken, ground beef, bean or vegetable (grilled red and green peppers, onions, yellow squash and mushrooms) .

Two taos farms fresh eggs on a corn tortilla, topped with chile and cheese, served with pinto beans.

Build your own bowl with any combination - red or green chile, beans, posole, ground beef or chicken served with a hot sopaipilla.

6 oz. beef patty on a flour tortilla, smothered with refries, your choice of red or green chile and melted cheese.

"for the lighter appetite." rolled red chile chicken or beef enchilada with cheese, pinto beans, posole and green chile.

Two tamales with red chile, one rolled cheese enchilada with green chile, spanish rice & refried beans.

Rolled red chile cheese enchilada, taco, spanish rice, posole, pinto beans and green chile.

"for the hungry appetite" 1 rolled enchilada, 1 tamale, 1 relleno, 1 taco, rice, beans and red and green chile.

A choice 12-ounce rib-eye steak served with baked potato, fresh chives, sour cream, hot dinner roll and salad with your choice of dressing.

Two grilled pork chops with refried beans smothered with green chile with posole and cheese. "randy likes it".

Choice of taco meat, chicken, or tuna and your favorite salad dressing with guacamole, cheese and tomatoes.

Marinated and grilled boneless chicken breast with grilled onions and mayonnaise, served in a bun with your choice of fries, soup, or side salad.

Fresh roast beef thinly sliced and grilled with your choice of cheese and served with french fries or side salad.

Frozen margarita with a swirl of our sangria.

Haras sauvignon blanc or cabernet sauvignon.

A relleno served with green chile, a blue corn chicken enchilada served with red chile, a beef taco, spanish rice & refried beans.

Four rolled deep-fried chicken flautas with guacamole, salsa and pico de gallo, spanish rice & refried beans.

Tender strips of beef marinated with onions and green chile, cooked with our own special sauce, served with spanish rice and refried beans.

Stuffed with your choice of roast beef, chicken, ground beef, grilled vegetables or beans smothered in red or green chile and topped with cheese

Rolled red chile cheese Enchilada, A beef taco, rice, beans and a side of green chile

Stuffed with your choice of roast beef, chicken, ground beef, grilled vegetables or beans smothered in red or green chile and topped with cheese

Rolled red chile cheese enchilada, A beef taco, rice, beans and a side of green chile

Choice of taco meat, chicken, or tuna and your favorite home-made salad dressing with cheese, tomatoes and guacamole

A relleno served with green chile, a blue corn chicken enchilada served with red chile, a beef taco, Spanish rice and refried beans

Two New Mexican style rellenos - a Joe Parker green child stuffed with Monterrey Jack cheese, covered with bread crumbs and served with refried beans and rice

A relleno served with green chile, a blue corn chicken enchilada served with red chile, a beef taco, Spanish rice and refried beans

A six-ounce sirloin steak served with a red chile cheese enchilada, relleno with green chile Spanish rice & pinto beans

A large tray with corn tortillas, cheese, chile and your choice of filling.