A palmier, a cheese stick and a raisin roll can make a very agreeable Santa Fe breakfast, particularly when they come from a pastry case full of croissants, pain au chocolat, danishes and other butter-forward temptations. Inside historic La Fonda on the Plaza, the French Pastry Shop offers the pleasant problem of choosing just one thing—or deciding that a mixed bag is the better plan.
The shop has been part of Santa Fe’s dining landscape for more than 50 years, and it still suits two very different kinds of mornings. You can take coffee and a pastry out the door for a walk around the Plaza, or claim a table in the little dining room and settle in with a crepe or quiche.
A pastry case worth studying
A sign at the shop describes its pastries as made with pure butter and fresh daily, which gives the counter a distinctly classic French bakery spirit. Croissants and pain au chocolat are familiar starting points, but the selection goes further, with flaky danishes, crisp palmiers, raisin rolls, cheese sticks and quiche among the regular sights.
The raisin roll has a particularly devoted following, while a palmier offers that simple, deeply satisfying combination of flaky layers and caramelized sweetness. A cheese stick makes a useful savory counterpoint when a whole morning of sugar seems like a bit much.
There is also the Montmartre, a dessert with some of the appeal of cheesecake but a lighter texture. It is the sort of item that invites a pause at the case: not everybody comes in knowing what it is, but it has enough personality to alter an order.
Earlier in the day, the counter generally offers its broadest array. Later in the morning, popular choices can disappear, so the remaining selection may be narrower even if a coffee-and-pastry stop still sounds exactly right.
Crepes with a Santa Fe accent
Crepes give the shop more range than a standard bakery stop. Sweet versions can pair Nutella with banana or strawberry, making them an easy choice for a leisurely breakfast or a late-morning treat that does not need much further explanation.
The savory side is more substantial. Ratatouille, mushroom-spinach-chicken, and egg, cheese and chorizo are among the combinations that put a meal on the table rather than simply a pastry plate.
The chorizo and green chile touches are especially fitting in this setting. French-style breakfast cooking meets New Mexican ingredients here without turning the menu into a novelty act; it simply gives a familiar crepe a little more local character.
Ordering one sweet and one savory crepe is a sensible way for two people to sample both directions. A Nutella-and-fruit crepe alongside the mushroom, spinach and chicken version makes a fine contrast between dessert-like indulgence and a more filling breakfast.
Quiche, croque monsieur and coffee
Quiche is another good reason to sit down rather than rush away with a croissant. Mushroom and green chile has appeared among the offerings, a combination that feels well suited to a cool morning in downtown Santa Fe.
A croque monsieur brings another French cafe standby into the mix. Along with crepes and quiche, it gives a mixed party more choices than the pastry case alone might suggest.
Coffee is not an afterthought here. Fresh coffee, noted for its pronounced flavor, works with the buttery pastries and has enough presence to stand up beside a rich chocolate-filled croissant or a sweet crepe.
A small room with old-world character
The dining area is compact, warm and pleasantly unpretentious. Half-brick walls, a brick fireplace decorated with cast-iron pots, and eclectic European-style posters give the room a lived-in look that is far removed from the polished sameness of a large modern cafe.
The space has an old-world European mood and a slightly time-capsule quality, which fits comfortably within La Fonda’s historic setting. It is intimate rather than expansive, a place for breakfast plates, coffee cups and close conversation—not sprawling out with a laptop for half a day.
In the middle of the Plaza action
The shop is inside La Fonda on the Plaza at 100 East San Francisco Street, close to Santa Fe’s historic Plaza. Its downtown setting makes it easy to fold into a morning of gallery browsing, shopping or simply walking the surrounding streets.
For guests staying at downtown hotels, it is a straightforward walk. That central location also explains why the shop can draw a mix of hotel guests, visitors passing through the Plaza area and local regulars.
Best use of a small dining room
Indoor seating is available, but the room is notably small and can fill quickly during busy morning periods. The close quarters are pleasant when you have a table, though anyone hoping for a spacious cafe setting may find the pastry counter a better fit.
Takeaway is a genuine strength here, not a consolation prize. A croissant, palmier or raisin roll and a coffee travel easily, leaving the rest of the Plaza area just outside the hotel doors.
Nearby street and paid parking are available, though finding a spot can sometimes be difficult. Once you are in the downtown core, walking is often the simpler way to approach this little breakfast stop.