Participants are those restaurants or caterers that make the initiative to purchase local food from regional food producers or through the Farm to Restaurant Delivers system. Please support these establishments that are making that extra effort to bring you high quality, tastier and healthier fare to their menus.

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95 W. Marcy Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: 505-984-1091
Website: www.ilpiattosantafe.com
Hours: Daily for dinner, M-Sat. lunch 11:30-2

Newly remodeled and expanded farmhouse restaurant, featuring local produce, free range poultry and nationally acclaimed chef. Private dining, wine bar, take-out, patio dining.

Why is Il Piatto a Farm to Restaurant participant?

Owner and Chef Matt Yohalem acquires his local food through cultivated relationships beginning either at the market itself or through recommendations of those at the market and it works very well for him.

Why is buying local important?

"We have the great fortune to live in Santa Fe, where there is something about the climate that yields some of the best produce that I’ve seen anywhere. . . . It's the best quality and sustainable economics."

Who does he buy from?

Gemini Farms • Romero Farms • Santa Cruz Farm • Estancia Dos Rocas • Desert Fungi • assorted Farmer's Market vendors • The list of producers is extensive and varied, but rest assured he buys between 50-100K a year on local produce. Or 41-60% is spent on average annually on local food.

What does he buy?

Asparagus • Strawberries • Spinach • Fennel • Eggplant • Peppers • Tomatoes • Pumpkins • Beets • Baby Beets • Carrots • Basil • Lettuce • Potatoes • Corn, Melon • Onions • Rosemary • Chives • Squash Blossoms. He buys whatever is fresh, seasonal, reliable and affordable.

The amount and variety are dependent on the weather, volume, quality, customer demand, price, etc. Some years the asparagus is great some years not. Some years there are lots of porcinis on the mountain, some years none. Food trends, tourism, economy, quality of crop, all are factors. As well, as with wine grapes, countless unknown factors affect the quality. Just because it’s local doesn’t make it good. Continual observation and interaction with the product is required. Quality of product varies year-to-year and farm-to-farm.

How does he market local food to his customers?

On the menu • in advertising • signs in the restaurant • community activity • food basket display.

Ask the staff!

His staff reviews the menu daily with periodic testing and tasting. They also have staff trips to farms and the Farmers Market so they can have interactions with the farmers directly.