De La Tierra

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

De La Tierra, Taos

Inside El Monte Sagrado resort on Kit Carson Road, De La Tierra is where Taos comes to the table seriously. The restaurant and its Garden Courtyard are the stage for Executive Chef Cristina Martinez's take on regional and seasonal American cuisine — dishes that draw on the landscape of northern New Mexico while reflecting a broader, more eclectic culinary sensibility.

The Chef Behind the Kitchen

Cristina Martinez's path to Taos is worth knowing. She discovered her passion for fine cuisine early, then sharpened her technique at Le Cordon Bleu in California, graduating with honors. Her training drew from European, French, and Asian influences — a range that still shows in the layered character of her menus. Before taking the helm at De La Tierra, she held positions at Hotel Albuquerque, The Lodge at Santa Fe, Pueblo Harvest Café, and the Artichoke Café, where she served as executive chef. That breadth of New Mexico experience grounds her cooking in the region even as it reaches further.

What to Expect

The menu is seasonal by design — changing to reflect what the land and the moment offer. Special events like the Captured by the Winter Thaw Wine Dinner, where Martinez pairs fine wines with dishes she curates personally, give a sense of how seriously the kitchen approaches both food and the table as a whole experience. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, earned in 2020, reflects the care that extends to the cellar as well.

For something more private, De La Tierra offers a wine room that seats up to eight in a Mediterranean setting. The chef will build a custom menu and arrange wine pairings on request — a genuinely considered option for a small group wanting something beyond the main dining room.

A Seasonal Table Worth Seeking Out

Breakfast, brunch, and dinner are all served here, each with their own menus. The seasonal approach means the kitchen is always working with intention, not inertia. In a town known for art and landscape, De La Tierra brings that same attention to what ends up on the plate.